Phase 1 Archaeological Survey Phoebe Sumter Medical Center Hospital Relocation Project

At the request of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a FEMA Archaeologist conducted a Phase 1 Archaeological Survey of 11 acres in Americus, Sumter County, Georgia (Figure 1). The Phase 1 survey was completed to assist the Americus and Sumter County Hospital Authority (Authority/Applicant), and FEMA meet the regulatory obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. This project is an improved project: potential development of an unused 45-acre former farmland site to rebuild the Sumter Regional Hospital destroyed by a tornado March 2007. This constitutes the project's Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the planned development. Before FEMA's involvement the Applicant completed a Phase 1 archaeological survey using qualified consultants for the northern 34 acres of the site. This area covers the footprint of the proposed hospital buildings and parking areas for the project. The main hospital driveway and associated landscaping is planned for the southern 11 acres of the site. FEMA undertook the archaeological survey for the remaining 11 acre (4.45 hectare) area to complete the coverage of the 45-acre site. The purposes of both surveys were to determine the presence and extent of any archeological resources within the APE and make preliminary recommendations regarding the eligibility of these resources for listing on the National register of Historic Places (NRHP). Paul Drummond, a FEMA Historic Preservation Specialist and Archaeologist, excavated a total of 54 shovel test pits with no artifacts or features recovered. It is concluded that due to severe erosion and historical agricultural use at this property, the soils that are likely to contain cultural resources have been severely reduced. Listing on the NRHP is not recommended.