Archeological Survey of the New Haven-Hartwell Dam 230 kV Transmission Line, Madison and Hart Counties, Georgia

From December, 2010, through February, 2011, Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) conducted a Phase I archeological survey of an approximately 46 km (29 mi) long right-ofway for the existing New Haven-Hartwell Dam 230 kV transmission line. The New Haven-Hartwell Dam transmission line is the eastern portion of the Winder-Hartwell transmission line. Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) wishes to upgrade the transmission line structures (towers) on the existing line. The area of potential effect (APE) for the proposed upgrading is focused at each structure along the New Haven-Hartwell Dam transmission line, where GTC will replace guy wire anchors and improve structure supports. A total of 133 structures are on the transmission line from New Haven to Hartwell Dam. Each of these structures, except for two located on Corps of Engineers property in Hart County, was visited on the archeological survey. Additionally, the archeological investigation targeted high probability areas between transmission line towers, those being welldrained landforms adjacent to large streams and rivers. The transmission line begins at the New Haven substation on the western side of Danielsville in Madison County and terminates at the Hartwell Dam substation in Hart County, southeast of Hartwell. Except for occasional residential areas, most of the transmission line traversed pasture and cultivated terrain or woodlands on a rolling hills landscape.     Surface exposure was very sparse and patchy within the project corridor. Consequently, survey relied on systematic shovel testing at each tower location and on high probability landforms adjacent to streams and rivers. Typically, four shovel tests were excavated at each transmission line tower, each shovel test placed near each of the guy wire locations surrounding the tower. Two or three shovel tests were excavated across the width of the project corridor on high probability landforms. Once a site was detected, additional shovel tests were excavated at 10- and 15-m intervals to determine site size within the project corridor.     We recorded nine new archeological sites and one archeological occurrence (Table 1 ). One is a prehistoric lithic scatter and a historic period artifact scatter, five are prehistoric lithic scatters, one of which also has a nineteenth century isolated artifact, two are historic period houses, one is a historic period artifact scatter, and one is a historic period mill race. An Early Archaic component was recorded on one of the prehistoric lithic scatters (9MD20 1) and the remaining four prehistoric lithic scatters remain unidentified. One of the historic house sites likely dates to the nineteenth century (9MD203) and the other historic house site dates to the later nineteenth-early twentieth century (9HA130). The historic period artifact scatter dates to the early-middle twentieth century (9MD202). The historic period mill raceway may be an earthwork feature associated with a mill that dates to the middle nineteenth century (9MD200). Among the nine archeological sites recorded on the New Haven-Hartwell transmission line, we recommended one, 9MD200, potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (Table 1).     9MD200 is located along a tributary of Bluestone Creek between GTC Structures 129 and 130. Presently, GTC has no plans to traverse this portion of the transmission line to gain access to structures scheduled for maintenance. Thus, there are no imminent activities that could potentially adversely affect 9MD200. Nevertheless, we recommend that to ensure protection of9MD200 against potential adverse effects, the site perimeter should be clearly marked in the field and clearly depicted on GTC project plan maps prior to the initiati9n of any proposed maintenance activities. 9MD200 also should be monitored for future preservation. Once these protective measures are in place, then the proposed maintenance activities can proceed.