An Intensive Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed North Lowndes Recreational Park Expansion, Lowndes County, Georgia

The purpose of this report is to document the results of an intensive Phase I archaeological survey of the North Lowndes Recreational Park Expansion project that is proposed for a site just north of Hahira, in Lowndes County, Georgia. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) encompasses a 9.7 hectares [ha] or 24 acres [ac] wooded tract just west of U.S. Interstate 75 approximately 2.5 kilometers [km] or 1.6 miles [mi] northwest of Hahira, Georgia (Figure 1.1). The archaeological survey was mandated under Section I-06 of the National Historic Preservation Act and its implementing regulation 36 CFR Part 800 (Protection of Historic Properties), as amended.

                This project involves the design and construction of an expansion to an existing recreational facility in north Lowndes County, GA. The expansion will consist of additional parking, a soccer complex with concessions, ballfields with concessions, tennis complex, multi-use trails and a storm water pond. The survey was conducted between November 28 and December 1, 2016. A total of 130 shovel tests were dug to evaluate the APE for cultural materials. Figure 1.2 illustrates the configuration of the tract, the APE of the proposed project, and their relation to nearby landmarks.

The APE encloses about 24 acres to the north, northwest, and west of the current North Lowndes Recreational Park located at the northern terminus of Sonny Rodgers Drive which connects to Georgia Highway 122 just west of its intersection with U.S. Interstate I-75. It is covered in a mostly closed canopy of mixed hardwood and pine forest. An unnamed tributary of Franks Creek runs generally north/south through the tract and its wetlands divide the tract into eastern and western upland areas. At the time of the survey, southern Georgia was experiencing drought conditions so most of the stream was manifest as a dry sandy channel. Only at the very southern end of the tract was water standing in the channel. Several east-west bulldozer cuts were present along the eastern side of the tract north of the existing recreational park. They terminated at the eastern edge of the stream wetlands. These cuts were approximately 10 meters [m] (32 feet) wide and were shallow in nature. No more than the upper 10cm (4 in) of the soil was disrupted.