Phase I Archaeological Survey of 14 Intersections Gwinnett County, Georgia TO #18 PI. No. 0013230

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) proposes upgrades of traffic signals and facilities at 14 intersections in Gwinnett County, Georgia (PI #0013230). New South Associates completed a Phase I Archaeological Survey of the project’s Area of Potential Effect (APE), which extends 49 feet (15 m) on either side of the centerline of each involved street and 500 feet (152 m) from the stop line of each intersection. The work for this survey was conducted in order to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (36 CFR 800) and was intended to determine the presence of significant archaeological resources in the project’s APE. As required in the GDOT Environmental Procedures Manual, an Expanded Survey Corridor (ESC) measuring 100 feet (30 m) beyond the APE in all directions was also included in the survey.

The Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) indicated 30 archaeological surveys have been completed within one kilometer (0.6 mi.) of the 14 intersections and 13 archaeological sites were previously recorded within one kilometer (0.6 mi.) of Intersections 6, 7, 12, and 13. While the majority of the sites were precontact lithic and pottery scatters, four were historic or had mixed historic and precontact components. None of the sites were within the APE or ESC of any of the intersections and none of the sites were recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). New South Associates also completed a historic resources survey for this undertaking (Person et al. 2016). This This survey identified 24 historic resources 50 years or older in Intersections 5, 6, 11, and 14, of which 13 were recommended NRHP eligible. There were also historic districts proposed at Intersections 1 and 2, both in Lawrenceville, and Intersection 14. One historic district, the Culver Street Historic District at Intersections 1 and 2, was recommended NRHP eligible.

The Phase I fieldwork resulted in the identification of eight historic archaeological sites at Intersections 1, 2, 8, and 14 and a monument and burial in the ESC of Intersection 1. The sites were artifact scatters of varying density ranging from the early and mid-nineteenth century to mid-twentieth century. The monument, erected in 1840, marks the grave of eight men killed in 1836 during the Creek Wars in Stewart County. This resource was recorded on an archaeological site form, but it was not evaluated with any subsurface fieldwork. The archaeological deposits found at each of the eight sites do not have clear historical associations and lack archaeological research potential. Therefore, the sites do not appear to contribute significance to any of the historic properties identified by during the historic resources survey. Four of the sites (9GW661, 9GW663, 9GW665, and 9GW668) were delineated entirely within the project’s APE and/or ESC. Each of those sites lack significant data potential and appear to have poor integrity. They are thus recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP.

The overall eligibility of sites 9GW662, 9GW664, 9GW666, and 9GW667 is unknown because they extend outside of the ESC and have not been completely delineated. However, the portions of each site inside the APE/ESC lack significant data potential. It is recommended that Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) be established for three sites (9GW664, 9GW666, and 9GW667) with unknown boundaries once project plans are available. Finally, the monument (Site 9GW672) was not evaluated for the presence of grave features or for its potential to yield archaeological data. The NRHP eligibility status of 9GW672 remains unknown.