Phase II Archaeological Testing, Lock No. Five & Lock No. Three at 9CH688, The Savannah-Ogeechee Canal, Chatham County

The following report details findings and recommendations concerning the Phase II archaeological excavation of two locks on the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal. The canal traverses 16.5 miles from the Ogeechee River in Chatham, County Georgia, to the Savannah River on the northwest edge of the City of Savannah, GA. The canal began operations in 1830 and ceased making effective contributions to the local economy by the 1870s and was defunct by the 1890s. For the past thirteen years the canal has been under the management of the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Society. In mid-2006 the Georgia Archaeological Institute (GAI) was contracted to undertake excavation and possible restoration of two of the canal's six locks, lock three and lock five. The project began with the Phase II archaeological testing covered by this report, pre-disturbance surveys having been completed by GAI some years earlier.

The archaeological testing determined that both locks are largely free of artifacts, possibly the result of unrestricted water flow during floods, and collection by nonprofessionals. The lock chamber walls were found to be in generally good condition except for severe damage caused by brick mining at lock three. The chamber floors were found to be in a relatively good state of preservation, with structural damage at the north end of lock five and unknown damage at lock three resulting from the extensive root system of a large cypress tree. Tree root systems also threaten the structure of the upper chamber walls at lock three. Some isolated timbers and quoin stones were found on the floors of each lock chamber. No material was located that sheds light on the construction of the lock chamber gates or other machinery that may have been associated with the operation of the locks. One significant result of testing in lock three was the discovery that water is flowing beneath the generally dry surface strata. This has resulted in preservation of the chamber floor timbers.

The turning basin at lock three has been severely damaged by tree growth and root systems. As with the chamber floor, the water table in the basin occurs some 20cm below the surface. The mud and water have both created anaerobic conditions that have provided stabilization and protection of wooden objects and some metal components that appear to be trapped beneath the root system in the basin. This is not the case in Lock Five and its basin where deposits consist of anaerobic muds and coarse sands. Water flow through lock five is influenced by tidal action and is consequently stronger with subsequent build-up of sediments and severe erosion of the basin profile. Unrestricted flow of water through both locks and basins, particularly during winter and spring flooding in the area, has resulted in erosion of the turning basin profiles and the canal lens. Core testing in both basins failed to detect an intact layer of clay puddling used to form the original floor of the turning basins. Additional changes to the basin profile at lock five occurred when Society members used a backhoe to remove sediments and create a channel for tidal flow following heavy floods in the late 1990s.

There appears to be a complete lack of stratification of deposits in both locks, the result of water flow dynamics since the canal was abandoned. Also, recovery of artifacts from both chambers and basins has been an ongoing process by members of the Canal Society over the past thirteen years using probes and metal detectors. Consequently, little useful data is likely to be recovered from the locks and basins.

Terrestrial testing at lock five produced high concentrations of artifacts and building debris beneath a wooded mound northwest of the lock chamber. This area, now private property, was rumored to be the site of the lock keeper's house. Shovel tests confirmed the presence of a house site. Three one-meter excavation units then revealed substantial foundations with American bond brick walls 1.2m high and intact brick flooring. Artifacts recovered included relatively high status ceramics, glass wares and metal wares with a temporal range of approximately 1795 to 1900. There was a distinct concentration of materials with a temporal range of 1795 to 1865. Preliminary analysis and interpretation of the materials suggests that principal occupation of this site was during the construction period of the canal and its operation prior to the Civil War. A small amount of burned artifacts and melted glassware's may indicate that the building was destroyed during the conflict, or shortly thereafter.

The report recommends that there are no compelling reasons not to entirely excavate the lock chambers and basins, provided appropriate methodologies are employed to ensure recovery and preservation of artifacts or structural components to archaeological standards. The methodology for the Phase Ill should also include steps to ensure that exposed lock chamber floors do not lose moisture content. This will involve a watering system that will operate continuously throughout the excavation and restoration phases of the project. Certain broad measures for raising the canal society's standards of cultural resource management, and resource management planning are also included in the recommendations.