Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey for the Proposed Thomson-Warthen Electric Transmission Line

A Phase I Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey was carried out for the proposed Thomson-Warthen electric transmission line in Washington, Glascock, Warren, and McDuffie counties, Georgia. The project was carried out as part of the Programmatic Agreement (PA) in place between Georgia Transmission Corporation ( GTC) and the Georgia State Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division (HPD). Though technically due diligence, all activities described herein have been carried out in accordance with the stipulations of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (per 36 CPR Part 800, as amended through 2004) and by personnel qualified under 36 CPR Part 61. The survey was conducted along a length of proposed corridor stretching approximately 60 kilometers (km) (38 miles [mi]) which crosses the Ogeechee River, the major drainage of the region, and several of its tributaries in the western half of the corridor. The proposed right-of-way measures 23.5 meters (m) (77 feet [ft]) in width on either side of the centerline (47 m [154ft] total width) and falls primarily within active or former agricultural fields or logged and reforested woodlands. This project is intended to identify and document archaeological resources within the property boundaries, and assess eligibility for inclusion of encountered archaeological resources on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) according to the criteria set forth by 36 CPR Part 63. It does not include an historic structures survey; as that is part of a separate undertaking and/or does not fall within the purview of the PA.

During the survey, Brockington and Associates identified a total of 1 previously unknown archaeological sites (Sites 9GL16, 9GL17, 9GL19, 9GL20; 9WG168 through 9WG173), and two prehistoric isolated finds (IP-1 and IP-2) within the project corridor. Only one previously recorded site lies within this corridor (9MP502). During the Phase I survey, Brockington assessed the current condition of site 9MP502, which has been recently impacted by improvements to SR 17. All other sites in the vicinity fall at least 150 meters away from the corridor.

Newly recorded sites include five prehistoric artifact scatters (9GL19, 9GL20, 9WG168, 9WG169, and 9WG172), three historic sites (9WG170, 9WG171 and 9WG173), and two historic sites with minor prehistoric components (9GL16 and 9GL17). Historic sites are generally artifact scatters with evidence of house foundations or wells, but also include a late-nineteenth to early- twentieth-century cemetery and a nineteenth century stoneware kiln site.

Site 9GL16 is a twentieth-century house or barn site located along Hadden Ranch Road. The site was identified through eight Phase I shovel tests containing both historic materials and a single chert preform. A walkover of the project corridor in this area also identified a nearby well and the remains of a scattered wooden foundation and several piles of modern refuse. The northern extent of the site has been impacted by grading and paving of the road. The surface to the south of the site is also heavily disturbed, possibly in an attempt to improve drainage away from the former structure. Shovel testing indicated further human impacts to the natural soil horizons throughout most of the site. Most artifacts recovered at the site primarily originated in the mixed and redeposited remains of a plowzone (A) and subsoil (B) indicating that most artifacts, particularly the isolated prehistoric find, have been transposed from their original position. Historic artifacts are generally nondiagnostic and with the compromised stratigraphy, are unable to be distinguished from refuse discarded during later dumping and construction impacts to the site. The lack of intact cultural strata due to heavy repeated usage of the area, the absence of diagnostic materials, and the light density of artifacts, strongly suggests that this locale has very low research potential. Consequently, we recommend that Site 9GL16 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9GL17 is located along a sand access road that runs west from CR 140 along a ridge top and ridge slope above Joe's Creek. It was initially identified as a surface scatter of both nineteenth-century historic ceramics and prehistoric lithic debitage and one projectile point. During Phase I Survey, two shovel tests excavated near the site were positive for historic and prehistoric material. Four individual fragments of iron, brick, glass, and ironstone, and a single quartz flake fragment, were recovered from these shovel tests. The rest of the assemblage was recovered through surface collection of the dirt road. The prehistoric artifact assemblage itself consists entirely of lithic material; primarily quartz and chert debitage. The historic material recovered contains scant amounts of building debris (brick, flat glass) but is largely comprised of ceramic sherds of stoneware, pearlware, whiteware, and ironstone. There is no subplowzone cultural context and reconnaissance suggests that both the prehistoric and historic materials have been transposed through sheet wash erosion or grading along the road from their original context further Up the ridge slope. This small scatter is not likely to produce information about prehistoric or historic lifeways in the region beyond that recovered to date. As a result, we recommend that Site 9GL17 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9GL19 is a small site located on a very small, wooded terrace above an unnamed tributary of Gin Branch. The site includes a single positive shovel test containing nine chert and quartz flakes and shatter recovered during Phase I Survey. The scant nature of the assemblage, the absence of ceramics, its location adjacent to a small drainage and the light density of artifacts strongly suggest that this locale was probably never intensely exploited. Shovel testing has determined the maximum diameter of the site to be less than 30 m based on the confines of the surrounding wetland. Therefore, we recommend that Site 9GL19 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9GL20 is located on a southwestern facing wooded ridge slope near an unnamed tributary to Gin Branch. It is closely bound by wetlands to the south and west. The site was identified via six positive shovel tests during Phase I Survey. A total of 29 artifacts were recovered, consisting largely of quartz debitage. However, four pieces of chert debitage and five sherds of prehistoric pottery were also identified. The pottery is sand tempered and one sherd exhibits an indiscernible stamped pattern. All artifacts were recovered from the plowzone and there is no evidence for any subsoil deposits. The non-diagnostic nature of this artifact assemblage and its small site area suggest that this locale was probably never intensely exploited. We recommend that Site 9GL20 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9WG168 is located on a graded bluff top above the western bank of the Ogeechee River. It was identified through two positive shovel tests and a small surface collection during the Phase I survey. The surface finds were restricted to a push pile along the edge of the bluff. However, only one chert flake fragment and three plain-bodied, sand tempered pottery fragments were identified from subsurface deposits; all within the remaining plowzone. The evidence suggests plowing and grading have severely impacted the cultural deposits present along the bluff top. As a result, the preservation of subsurface features or a subplowzone cultural level is very unlikely at this site. While the location of Site 9WG168 on a high, flat bluff above the Ogeechee is ideal for a larger prehistoric occupation site, due to the severe impacts to the site, we recommend that the site be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9WG169 is a scatter of prehistoric lithics and ceramics from visibly disturbed surface deposits on a hill above the north bank of the Little Ogeechee River, south of Agricola Road. It was initially identified during a Phase I walkover survey of a clearcut area. None of the six shovel tests on this landform produced any prehistoric material; thus indicating that there is no subplowzone cultural context. The surface collection, on the other hand, produced four lithic tools and three ceramic sherds. One tool is a Morrow Mountain projectile point attributable to the Middle Archaic (5550-5050 BC). A total of 20 chert and 36 quartz pieces of debitage were also collected. Of the pottery fragments, there is one coarse, sand-tempered piece with a stamped curvilinear rim. The majority of the artifacts collected were not attributable to any cultural phase. The disturbed nature of the surface deposits and lack of subsurface cultural materials indicate that it is unlikely that intact portions of the site exist. We therefore recommend that Site 9WG169 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9WG170 is a twentieth-century domestic site located on a small knoll above the floodplain north of the Little Ogeechee River. A walkover of the area additionally located a cement well or cistern and the scattered remains of a brick chimney. Both the features and the artifact finds are restricted to a slight berm bounded by two unimproved roads. What appears to be a structure near this locale is indicated on the 1981 Warthen NE, GA USGS quadrangle map. The artifact assemblage is indicative of a late-nineteenth- or early-twentieth century house site as evidenced by the architectural debris; 11 nails, 12 shingles, two flat glass shards, and four brick fragments. The largest percentage of the assemblage is modern machine-made glass. The artifact assemblage and visible house remains coupled with the map evidence suggest that Site 9WG 170 represents an early-twentieth-century house that was razed in the past 20-25 years. Based on this evidence, we recommend that Site 9WG170 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9WG171 is a late-nineteenth-to-early-twentieth-century cemetery located on the property line of Ms. Ilsa A. Walker which is located north of the intersection of Sparta-Davisburro and Centralia-Rachel roads. During the pedestrian survey of the property, the fenced-in cemetery was identified just within the tree line opposite a pecan grove. Two fallen grave markers were also noted 15-20 meters to the southwest of the cemetery. It is likely the fallen stones have been pulled from the fenced cemetery by vandals. Internment dates on the stones place the cemetery's period of use at 1873-1917. The cemetery has not been fully delineated, and does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP under any of the four Section 106 criteria. However, it is protected by the Georgia Burial Codes (Code Sections 36-72-1 through 16, 44-12-260 through 264, 12-3-52 through 53, 12-3-620 through 622,31-21-6,31-21-45,44-12-280 through 285), and avoidance of the cemetery is recommended.

Site 9WG172 is a small prehistoric artifact scatter located adjacent to wetlands along Cowpen Creek. The site was identified through seven positive shovel tests during Phase I Survey which yielded prehistoric lithics and pottery. The artifact assemblage, consisting of nine pieces of chert debitage, five quartz pieces, and two sherds of prehistoric pottery, was recovered entirely from the A-horizon. The ceramics consisted of one small friable fragment and a rectilinear stamped body piece. The nature of the assemblage, the absence of diagnostic materials, and the light density of artifacts strongly suggest that this small artifact scatter is not likely to produce information about prehistoric lifeways. Therefore, we recommend that Site 9WG172 be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.

Site 9WG173 is a nineteenth-century alkaline glazed stoneware kiln site and kiln waster dump located on a ridge top north of Cowpen Creek. During the field investigations, a portion of the articulated remains of the kiln itself were identified and exposed. A small unnamed tributary to Cowpen Creek runs northsouth and 180 m east of the site. At the head of this drainage and approximately 250 m to the northeast, the Redfern Kiln site (9WG88) was previously identified. The current site, Site 9WG 173, was delineated through 29 positive shovel tests during Phase I Survey. A walkover of the area additionally located a hand-dug well and a large surface scatter of alkaline-glazed stoneware sherds. A metal detector sweep of the area identified two concentrations of metal, one east and one west of the access road. In order to further assess the site deposits, a 1 x 2 m test unit was excavated in each of these loci and excavated in arbitrary 10-cm levels. In the test east of the road, the articulated interior corner of the firebox of a kiln was encountered 50 em below the ground surface. The construction of the kiln is consistent with the "groundhog" kilns common in the southern pottery tradition. Of the over one thousand stoneware sherds in the collection, most exhibit the green alkaline glaze typical of Washington County potters of the nineteenth century. The pieces generally have only simple decoration; usually one or two incised lines below the shoulder of the vessel. Stoneware forms at the site are also typical of the region; jugs with strap handles and flattened rims, lidded storage jars, and crocks with straight lug handles. Further background research and archaeological investigations are needed to make further judgments about the ownership and operation of the kiln at 9WG173 and its relationship with the Washington County Pottery industry as a whole. While there has been some impact to the site due to twentieth-century logging operations, more substantial features such as the well and the foundation of the kiln have been preserved. Because of its potential to contribute information on the nineteenth-century pottery industry in Washington County, we recommend that Site 9WG 173 be considered eligible for inclusion on the NRHP. This site should be avoided by the construction of the Thomson-Warthen transmission line.

Site 9MF502 is a previously identified Mid-Archaic and nineteenth-century artifact scatter on a ridge between Brier and Sweetwater creeks. The proposed Thomson-Warthen transmission line runs through the southern portion of this site. Shovel testing during the current survey identified disturbed and graded soils, presumably affected during road improvements since the site's discovery in 1999. No natural soils or artifacts were recovered or identified within the boundaries of  9MF502. It is clear that any remaining surface or subsurface deposits related to site 9MF502 within the project corridor have been previously impacted by construction along SR 17. This is consistent with the 1999 recommendations that the site be considered not eligible for the NRHP.

Two isolated finds were identified within the project corridor. They consist of two chert flakes (IF #1) and two chert flakes and a residual sherd (IF #2). Both isolated finds were recovered in disturbed contexts, and additional shovel testing at their locations failed to produce any other cultural material. We recommend that both isolated finds be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.