Intensive Cultural Resources Inventory and Archaeological Testing for the Phase 1 Tract of the Proposed Bryan County Industrial Park Megasite

Between March 9 and May 15, 2015, Brockington and Associates, Inc. (Brockington) completed a Phase I cultural resources survey and Phase II testing for the 1,160-acre (461.44-hectare) Phase 1 tract of the proposed Bryan County Industrial Park Megasite located in Bryan County, Georgia. The site is located south of the intersection of Interstate-16 (GA-404) and US-280/25 (GA-30) in northeastern Bryan County. The survey was conducted for Savannah Economic Development Authority as due diligence for the future permitting requirements, as current development plans for this parcel are expected fall under the purview of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), via application for US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)-issued wetlands permit (Section 404 of the Clean Water Act).

The current undertaking includes both an archaeological and a historic architectural survey component. The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) was defined as the entire 1,160-acre property to be purchased developed as part of an industrial park. The architectural resources APE is defined as the entire Phase 1 tract and its immediate viewshed. During the archaeological survey, shovel testing and pedestrian survey was conducted across the entire site at 30-meter (m) intervals. The architectural survey included a viewshed analysis of all potentially historic buildings or structures in the vicinity of the proposed industrial park. All activities were completed in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (1966, as amended) and its implementing regulations (26 CFR Part 800) by personnel qualified under the Secretary of Interior (SOl) Standards (36 CFR Part 61) as well as and in accordance with the standards set forth by the Georgia Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Surveys (Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists [GCPA] 2003) and National Register Bulletin 24, Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning (Parker 1985). All personnel participating in project completion met the Secretary of Interior professional qualifications under 36 CFR Part 61.

Background research identified no previously recorded cultural resources within the project area. One previously undocumented archaeological site, 9BN1586, and two isolated archaeological finds (Z4-1 and Z4-2) were identified during field investigations. Isolated finds are considered ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and require no further cultural resources management. Archaeologists performed additional test excavations at 9BN1586 in order to provide additional evaluative data. Following additional excavation, 9BN1586 is also recommended NRHP-ineligible. The historic architectural survey identified 22 standing historic structures as well as one previously recorded historic dwelling (225086; BN-123) within visual APE of the Phase 1 tract, though only the previously recorded resource is considered eligible for the NRHP. In addition, the Central of Georgia Railroad, which forms a portion of the southern boundary of .the Phase 1 tract, is considered NRHPeligible; however, the proposed undertaking is not expected to have an adverse effect on these eligible resources. Brockington and Associates recommends no further cultural resources investigations for the Phase 1 tract of this undertaking.