Phase I and II Archaeological Investigations for the Proposed Replacement of the SR 17/75 Bridge over the Hiawassee River, Towns County, Georgia

During December 2006 and September 2007, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed location for the State Route (SR) 17/75 bridge over the Hiawassee River in Towns County, Georgia. The project area is southeast of Hiawassee. The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological sites within the Area of Potential Effect (APE) of the proposed undertaking, so that potential effects to any resources identified could be evaluated in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Phase I project was conducted' under a contract with Long Engineering, Inc. A review of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files at the University of Georgia in Athens showed that no archaeological sites were located within a one kilometer radius of the APE. During the course of the investigation, one archaeological site was identified. The site was recommended as potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Shovel tests in the APE yielded a relatively high density of artifacts and the potential for intact subsurface cultural features was sufficient to warrant further testing. The site likely continues to the east, but that portion has not been investigated. In June 2007, following consultation with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Phase II archaeological testing was conducted at the site to further evaluate the site's NRHP status. This project was conducted under a contract with PBS&J. Four 1-x-2 meter (m) test units were placed in the areas of highest artifact density identified during shovel testing. Based on the results of the Phase II investigation, the portion of the site in the APE exhibits a moderate artifact density and diversity of artifact types. The diagnostic artifacts recovered, however, were in a mixed context. The stratigraphy observed at the site indicates that the deposits have been mixed by intensive agriculture, highway construction, and bioturbation. Test units in the pasture consisted of a single plowzone stratum overlying clay subsoil, and the test unit outside the pasture adjacent to the fence line contained soils disturbed by previous road construction overlying red clay subsoil. The Phase II investigation of the portion of the site in the APE indicates that its research potential is low. Therefore, the portion of the site in the APE does not contribute to the site's eligibility. It is recommended that the project be allowed to proceed within the APE. However, the site appears to continue to the east undisturbed, and that portion of the site has not been investigated during the course of this project. Until the boundaries of the site are defined, no clear eligibility recommendation for the site is possible.