Phase I Archaeological Survey for the Replacement of Three Bridges on State Route 158 over the Satilla River, Satilla River Overflow, and Fullwood Creek in Ware County, Georgia

In October 2015, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of three bridge replacements on State Route (SR) 158 over the Satilla River, the Satilla River Overflow, and over Fullwood Creek in Ware County, Georgia (Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] P.I. No. 0011688, HP No. 141030-007). The total project length is approximately .93 mile (4,900 feet). The existing roadway consists of two 11-foot to 12-foot lanes with rural shoulders varying in width from 2 feet to 10 feet within 100 feet of right-of-way (ROW). All three bridges have 24 feet of roadway width with safety (brush) curb and post and railing side barrier treatment. The proposed roadway typical section would consist of two 12-foot lanes with 10-foot rural shoulders. No additional ROW acquisition is anticipated, though driveway easements extending a maximum of 15 feet beyond existing ROW would be required.

The Area of Potential Effect (APE) for this survey area was defined prior to fieldwork as the existing ROW with the one driveway easement extending 15 feet beyond the existing ROW. In addition, a 100-foot expanded survey corridor (ESC) was added to each side of the corridor as stipulated by GDOT’s Environmental Procedures Manual (GDOT 2013). The survey area for this project incorporates both the APE and the ESC.

Prior to the commencement of fieldwork, a review of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) and Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) database was completed. These data indicate that four previously recorded sites are located within a 1-kilometer radius of the survey area, one of which, 9WE30, falls partially within the southern terminus of the survey area. Additionally, the database search revealed only one surveyed area, or report, within a 1-kilometer radius of the survey area, associated with site 9WE7.

As a result of this survey, no new archaeological sites were identified. Additionally, that portion of site 9WE30 that fell within the survey area was investigated, and no additional cultural material was recovered. The investigated portion of the site was determined to have been highly disturbed, and thus has no potential to provide information for future research. As only a portion of the site was investigated, the site’s eligibility for the NRHP under Criterion D remains unknown. Therefore, the proposed undertaking on SR 158 to replace the three bridges will have no effect to eligible historic properties as none were identified within the survey area.

While not located within the Phase I archaeological survey area, the historic resources survey report for this project did identify two historic cemeteries (Crawford 2015). The two cemeteries are located north of the present survey area. In the historic resources survey report, the two cemeteries are associated with Resource 5, the large Bunn-Music Farm, that consists of seven historic residences, two historic churches with associated cemeteries, an historic African American school, four historic agricultural buildings, two non-historic residences, and multiple non-historic agricultural-related buildings. As these cemeteries are noted in the historic resources survey report, they are mentioned here only in passing as they do not fall within the archaeological survey area. However, per GDOT’s EPM guidelines, a state site form for each cemetery was submitted for an official GASF site number, and recorded as archaeological resources with an unknown eligibility for listing on the NRHP under Criterion D.