During September 2010, Edwards‑Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed safety and operational improvements to Nance Road. In addition, a proposed 2.9 acre borrow area was surveyed in February 2011. The project site is located in the northwestern comer of Cobb County. The project begins near the entrance to the Cobblestone Golf Course and extends along Nance Road north to the Old 41 Highway NW Intersection. The purpose of Cobb County Department of Transportation (CCDOT) Project D6160 is to provide safety and operational improvements along with the replacement of the existing deficient, flood‑prone 2‑lane bridge located on Nance Road over Butler Creek.
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 flistoric Preservation Act. The project was conducted under a contract with Hatch Mott MacDonald.
Research at the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens showed that 27 sites are located within a !‑kilometer radius of the project area. Four previous surveys have been conducted within sections of the current project area. One site, 9C0262, a prehistoric artifact scatter, is in the APE, and is situated on lands owned and managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The site was recommended as of unknown eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In addition, 9C0227 is situated in the area of the proposed borrow pit, which is also on lands owned and managed by the USACE. EPEI was required to obtain a federally‑issued Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) permit to undertake work on this property. Investigations were conducted under ARPA Permit No. DACW01‑4‑10‑0202. No artifacts were recovered during the investigation of these two sites.
No new archaeological sites or isolated finds were found during the current survey. Revisits of 9C0227 and 9C0262 in the APE yielded no artifacts. Based on the results of the survey, the portions of 9C0227 and 9C0262 in the APE appear unlikely to produce significant archaeological data with further investigation. The portions of the sites in the APE, therefore, do not contribute to their eligibility. Because the majority of the 9C0262 remains outside the parameters of this study, the overall NRHP eligibility of 9C0262 should remain unknown. Site 9C0227 was originally recommended ineligible, and based on the results of the current study we concur with the initial assessment for the portion located in our APE.
No additional archaeological work is recommended in the APE, and it is recommended that construction of the road and bridge improvements to Nance Road should be allowed to proceed under the current design. If any changes to the design are made beyond the existing APE, additional archaeological survey should be conducted.
Help us to continue to make advances in research, stewardship, and bringing the past to life. No matter the size of the gift, your contribution will directly support groundbreaking archaeological research through sustaining student and outreach programs, and technological innovations. To make a secure gift online to the Archaeology Lab Fund, CLICK HERE.