Archaeological Investigation at the Graves Soapstone Site (9DA41), Gwinnett County Georgia 2010-2011

On September 10-11, 2010 and November 12-13. 2011, under permit by Gwinnett Department of Community Services, members of the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society (GARS), directed by the GARS archaeological advisor, Dr. James J. D'Angelo, returned to the Graves Soapstone site to continue excavations previously carried out by TRC under the direction of D'Angelo. This report contains the results of those continuing archaeological excavations at site 9DA411. Ongoing research at site 9DA411, as well as other projects of GARS, is part of its effort to bring community-based archaeological research to Gwinnett County, particularly at sites that might otherwise be overlooked, purposely ignored, and possibly destroyed by development. In the case of the Graves site, however, the site had been identified and basic research carried out by TRC, a professional Cultural Resource Management (CRM) firm, in advance of the County's Grave's Road Park development project. The TRC study included Phase II testing of the newly identified soapstone site. TRC recommended the site as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). However, the site's full research potential was not exhausted by the TRC study. The County's incorporation of the site into the new limited access Grave's Park has guaranteed preservation of this resource and made possible continuing study of the site. Except for the brief summary that follows, adapted from the original report (D'Angelo 2003), background information that includes a discussion of the natural setting and the historical context have not been repeated in this addendum. For a complete understanding of the natural and historical context of this site, as well as the circumstances surrounding the original study, the methods used, the results and conclusions of that study, and the photos and illustrations used, the reader is directed to restricted use copies on file with Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30046, or TRC Solutions, 4155 Shackleford Road, Norcross. The site is located in southwest Gwinnett County along the Gwinnett/DeKalb county line (see Figure 1). Close to the line, which is also the route of the old Hightower Trail, an outcrop of soapstone (a dark green and gray rock containing talc, which gives it a slippery, greasy texture, and hence the name soapstone) was documented in 2002 as part of the original Reconnaissance Survey for the proposed Graves Park (see Figures 2 and 3).