Phase II Archaeological Testing of 9HT43 at Robins Air Force Base, Houston County, Georgia

The purpose of this report is to present the results of a Phase II archaeological testing project URS Corporation conducted at Site 9HT43 for Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Houston County, Georgia. The goals of the project were to refine knowledge about the horizontal and vertical extent of cultural deposits at 9HT43 and to make a National Register of Historic Places eligibility recommendation for the site. Background research for the project was initiated in October 2005 and field work was conducted from October 13 to 26,2005. During the course of the project, cultural materials were recovered from much of the previously defined site area for 9HT43; however, numerous subsurface tests along the western edge of the previously defined site area failed to produce artifacts. The horizontal extent of 9HT43 has been slightly revised based on data from multiple projects (the previously mapped size of 85.5 acres has been reduced to 69.4 acres). In the eastern half of the site, artifacts were frequently recovered from undisturbed soil horizons underlying a disturbed plowzone horizon (and in many instances, underlying fill deposits that were overlying the historic plowzone). These intact deposits encompass an area of37.1 acres and are generally confined to the eastern half of the site; the western half represents an area of low artifact density with pockets of cultural materials widely scattered and interspersed with seemingly sterile areas. Finally, based on this research, taken in concert with previous work conducted by URS and other companies, we recommend that the 37.1-acre intact portion of Site 9HT43 is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D-the site has yielded or is likely to yield information important to history or prehistory. Site 9HT43 has produced a large variety and quantity of cultural materials. These materials have been consistently recovered from undisturbed contexts, demonstrating that 9HT43 has clarity and integrity to its deposits. Finally, 9HT43 fits a unique environmental context for the region as a potentially stratified site in an upland location bordering the floodplain of a major river (the Ocmulgee) along with nearby sites such as 9HT42 and 9HT46.