An Archaeological and Historical Survey of the Maddox Site (9Fu114): Atlanta's Sanitary Dumping Ground, 1884-1910

Archaeological investigations at the Maddox Park site (Vu114) were undertaken during August of 1988 in order to determine the extent and preservation of archaeological remains associated with Atlanta's first municipal dump, in operation between 1884 and 1910. This work was conducted in coordination with MARTA's proposed Proctor Creek rail line, the corridor for which had been previously surveyed and tested (Roth and Webb 1987; Webb and Roth 1988). The current phase of investigation considered all of the municipal property in the vicinity of the historic dump. The archaeological survey revealed dense (greater than five feet thick) trash deposits along the course of Proctor Creek and following the lower contours of the park. These deposits include portions of the right-of-way for the Proctor Creek rail line along the western boundary of the park. Historical research indicates that this section of the park was not acquired until 1888, and hence is not the location of the earliest refuse accumulations at the site. The historical research suggests that a broad floodplain along Proctor Creek which appears in historic views of the site may have been the locus of the earliest refuse disposal activities. This area is currently employed by the City of Atlanta as a service complex, and houses the Sanitation and Streets Departments. This area was not subjected to archaeological study since it was in active use by the city during the course of the field investigations. Although developed, few structures requiring substantial subsurface excavations have been built in the area, and thus the potential preservation of archaeological remains beneath this service complex appears good. The site is considered to be eligible to the National Register of Historic Places at the local level of significance.