The cultural resource evaluation of site 1RU135 was undertaken in August 1991 by Brockington and Associates, Inc. The site was originally discovered during construction monitoring by Mr. Dean Wood, Fort Benning Staff Archaeologist. The evaluation was undertaken to determine the site size, site content, site research potential, and potential for construction impact to the site. Site 1RU135 is located within an area of proposed recreational development; well formulated management data were needed.
The site is located just west of the Chattahoochee River in Russell County, Alabama (Figure 1). On the basis of the surface collection, shovel test artifacts, and archival research, Wood (Scope of Work) suggested that the site might represent an element of the farmstead of Jim Barnard, a Creek Native American living in the area in the 1820s and 1830s. The monitoring data suggested a relatively small (approximately 90 x 80 m), shallow (20 cm) site with both Native American and Euro-American artifacts.
The evaluation consisted of archival research, field investigations, and collections analysis. The field work began with complete coverage of the proposed recreation area through 20 m or less interval shovel testing. Controlled metal detecting was also undertaken. Based on the metal detector and shovel test results, four two by two m units were excavated.
The site contains a moderate to high density of Native American pottery and Euro-American artifacts, all apparently dating to the early nineteenth century. Wood (Scope of Work) reported a post feature at the site, and the potential for additional structural features is considered high. The site is single component, and offers high clarity of deposits. It represents a site type not well represented in the archaeological literature, and it has the potential to provide significant data on the final Native American adaptations in the area. Accordingly, 1RU135 is recommended eligible to the NRHP. Preservation of the site core is recommended. If preservation is not feasible, then a program of machine-assisted data recovery is warranted.
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