Phase I Archaeological Survey of 8,181 Acres at Fort Stewart Military Reservation

In 2015, New South Associates completed the Phase I Archaeological Survey of 8,181 acres at

Fort Stewart, Georgia. In addition, five previously identified sites outside our survey area in

D13.2 were delineated. The work was completed for LG2 Environmental Solutions Inc., under a contract with the Savannah District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through LG2 Environmental Solutions. This work was done under Contract No. W912HN-13-D-0013, Delivery Order Nos. 0005 and 0006. The work was undertaken to assist the U.S. Army and Fort Stewart comply with Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The work involved background and historical research, archaeological fieldwork, and analysis. This report describes the goals, methods, and results of the Phase I survey and provides recommendations for further preservation tasks.

The archaeological survey was conducted in 34 Natural Resource Management Units (NRMU) in Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, and Tattnall counties, Georgia. The NRMUs include B14.1, B14.4, B14.5, B15.1, B15.4, B21.1, B22.1, B22.2, B22.3, B22.4, B23.2, D7.1, D7.3, D12.3, D13.1, D15.1, E12.2, E13.1, E13.2, E13.4, E18.2, E18.3, E18.4, E20.1, E20.2, E21.2, F1.2, F5.1, F7.2, F7.3, F13.2, F14.1, F18.1, and F18.2. In addition, five previously recorded sites were delineated in NRMU D13.2.

The 8,181 acres were divided into six high, low, and very low probability zones based on probability models developed by Fort Stewart. They were further divided into shovel testing and walkover, depending on the sensitivity for unexploded ordnance (UXO). The area covered by each level of effort was as follows:

1. High Probability Shovel Testing: Shovel tests at 30-meter intervals (574.72 ac.);

2. Low Probability Shovel Testing: Shovel tests at 45-meter intervals (1,730.38 ac.);

3. Very Low Probability Shovel Testing: Shovel tests at 90-meter intervals (3,167.87 ac.);

4. High Probability Walkover (Unexploded ordnance [UXO) risk]: Surface inspection at 30-meter intervals (744.60 ac.);

5. Low Probability Walkover (UXO risk): Surface inspection at 45-meter intervals

(528.44 ac.); and

6. Very Low Probability Walkover (UXO risk): Surface inspection at 90-meter intervals (1,434.81 acres).

The survey discovered or revisited 64 archaeological resources, which include 49 sites and 15 isolated finds. Eleven sites are recommended potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and 37 sites are recommended not eligible. One site, the previously recorded Moody Cemetery (9LG447) is undetermined. The 11 sites recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP should be preserved in place until they can be evaluated or become threatened by a federal undertaking. The 15 isolated finds are recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP.

New South also completed delineations at previously identified five resources previously. The boundaries of these resources lay outside of Prentice Thomas’ designated survey areas. All of these are recommended not eligible due to poor research potential or because they are isolated finds.