New South Associates, Inc. conducted a Phase I Archaeological Survey for the Dissolved Oxygen System Facility access road in Effingham County, Georgia at the request of Dial Cordy and Associates, Inc. through a contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Savannah District (Contract: W912HN‑12‑D‑0016; Delivery Order: 0012). The area of potential effect (APE) consisted of a 2.7‑acre staging area and one‑mile corridor with a right‑of‑way width of 150 feet. The survey was conducted as part of the USACE=s compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act in advance of the proposed undertaking.
During background research, it was discovered that TRC Garrow Associates surveyed a significant portion of the APE in 2002. As a result, USACE limited the current fieldwork effort to the portion of the project area not previously surveyed. This area included the 2.7‑acre staging area and the western portion of the proposed access road measuring approximately 420 meters in length. Because of the reduction of the amount of fieldwork required, the remaining field time was spent conducting archival research in relation to the property.
On January 28‑29, 2013, a two‑person field crew conducted the field survey. A total of 43 shovel tests were excavated, all of which were negative for archaeological remains, and no archaeological sites were encountered during fieldwork. Therefore, future construction is not likely to disturb any archaeological sites. No further work is necessary to satisfy Section 106 requirements and we recommend that the planned undertaking may proceed.
Deed research produced a chain of title extending from Georgia Power (the current owners), through a succession of singular owners, to George Wright who purchased a series of tracts in the mid 1800s. Prior to the 1850s, the property went through a complex series of auctions, wills, mortgages, trusts, and direct sells. The original land grants for the project area were given to Salzburgers who created the town of Ebenezer during the early years of Colonial Georgia.
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