Phase I Archaeological Survey and Phase II Site Evaluation of the Proposed McGinnis Ferry Road Widening Corridor, Fulton and Forsyth Counties, Georgia"

In March of 2007, staff archaeologists with the Georgia Department of Transportation conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of areas of the proposed McGinnis Ferry Road widening corridor in Fulton and Forsyth Counties, Georgia, for Project MSL-0004-00(429). Project MSL-0004-00(429) would consist of the widening and reconstruction of McGinnis Ferry Road from Sargent Road to the Chattahoochee River (approximately 5.27 miles). This project was originally surveyed for archaeological resources by Brockington and Associates, in 1999 and reported in the document "Phase I Archaeological Survey and Phase II Site Evaluation of the Proposed McGinnis Ferry Road Widening Corridor, Fulton and Forsyth Counties, Georgia" in 2004 (Jordan 2004b).

Since that time, revisions have been made to the project plans, and as these changes were not encapsulated by the original area of potential effect (APE}, the areas in question were reevaluated by Department archaeologists. Revisions included the addition of easements, an area of new location, and areas for a detention pond and sediment basin. No new archaeological sites were located and identified within the proposed project's revised area of potential effect (APE}; however, site 9F0218 was revisited during the course of the reevaluation survey.

Site 9F0218 was relocated during the survey for the area of the proposed sediment basin, which would be located just west of the Chattahoochee River and just north of McGinnis Ferry Road. Seventeen shovel tests were excavated to depths of 80-100 cm below surface. Five artifacts were recovered during this survey. This area was found to be highly disturbed by previous road and construction activities and by previous sand-processing activities. While the density of artifacts is low and no remains of cultural features were located, a buried cultural horizon was encountered at approximately 50-80 cm below surface.

This site has been evaluated as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); however, in previous surveys (Addendum Assessment of .Effects document dated 2003}, the portions of the site within the McGinnis Ferry Road corridor were not believed to contain any significant archaeological deposits. In a document dated September 17, 2003, a finding of No Adverse Effect was accepted for Project MSL-0004-00(429) for archaeological site 9F0218. The findings of this reevaluation survey do not change the previous recommendations for eligibility for the site; however, new impacts to a portion of the site area will result from the construction of the sediment basin. These impacts will not be adverse, and no further management is necessary for Project MSL-0004-00(429).