Cultural Resources Survey of the Cartersville-McGrau Ford 230 kV Transmission Line, Cherokee County, Georgia

Between December 6, 1999 and January 13, 2000, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of the approximately 10 mile long Cartersville-McGrau Ford 230 kV Transmission Line, in Cherokee County, Georgia (Figure 1). This project was conducted under subcontract with Dial Cordy and Associates, Inc., for Georgia Power Company. This proposed transmission line corridor extends west from Conns Creek Road (near Ball Ground) to its terminus on Burris Road. The goal of this investigation was to identify significant cultural resources located within and adjacent to the survey corridor which might be impacted by the proposed transmission line. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) is defined as a 0.4 kilometer (0.25 mile) buffer around the project corridor. Table 1 provides a summary of resources identified as a result of these efforts. Background research indicates that two previously recorded archaeological sites (9CK1 042 and 9CK1067) and two previously recorded houses (CK-32 and CK-43) are within or adjacent to the project APE. Sites 9CK1042 and 9CK1067 are recommended ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Resources CK-32 and CK-43 (collapsed early 20th century houses) are also recommended NRHP ineligible. Background research also identified four other houses (CK-GP-5 to CK-GP-8) which are within the APE of the proposed transmission line on Georgia Historic Preservation Division (HPD) architectural survey maps. However, due to the poor condition of these resources, no official resource numbers or survey forms were found in the files at HPD. We examined these houses during field survey, and recommend all four resources ineligible for the NRHP. During architectural field survey we identified four previously unrecorded houses ( CK -GP-1 to CK-GP-4) within the APE of the proposed transmission line that meet the 50 year minium age criteria for NRHP evaluation. One of these resources, CK-GP-4, is recommended eligible for the NRHP. However, due to its distance from the transmission line, there will be no effects to this resource from project implementation. The topography and the vegetation in the area of this resource will also provide a buffer between the resource and the proposed project Resources CKGP-1, CK-GP-2, and CK-GP-3 are recommended ineligible for the NRHP. Archaeological survey resulted in the identification of seven archaeological sites and 12 isolated finds in or near to the APE of the transmission line corridor. Sites 9CK 1087 and 9CK 1089 are recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP. Site 9CK 1087 is a prehistoric subsurface lithic and ceramic scatter situated on the flood plain of a small creek. Site 9CK1089 is also a prehistoric subsurface lithic and ceramic scatter, situated on the floodplain of Long Swamp Creek. These sites appear to present potential for intact buried features or contextual information (within the project area of effect) and are recommended potentially eligible for nomination to the NRHP. The sites should be protected by spanning them in the transmission line right-of-way (placing utility poles only outside site boundaries), and implementing restrictions on vehicular traffic and vegetation clearing of the site. If these sites cannot be protected, Phase II archaeological testing should be conducted to further evaluate their NRHP eligibility. The remainder of the sites and isolates identified during field survey are recommended ineligible for the NRHP. They do not have the potential to contribute additional information to research, and have fulfilled their research potential at the survey level.