Cultural Resources Survey of the “SANDERS - A” Self-Support Lattice Tower Telecommunication Facility, Buchanan, Haralson County, Georgia

In August 2019, Trileaf Corporation (Trileaf) performed a cultural resource inventory survey for a proposed self-support lattice tower telecommunication facility located in Haralson County, Buchanan, Georgia (Latitude: 33° 50’ 6.909” Longitude: -85° 13’ 12.611”). The project location is located within grassed and wooded land. Verizon Wireless proposes the construction of a new self-support lattice cell tower with a total height of 260 feet (79.3 meters). The new tower and associated equipment will be situated within a proposed approximate 100 x 100-foot (30.5 x 30.5 meter) cell tower lease area. A proposed approximate 30 x 750-foot (9.1 x 228.6 meter) access and utility easement will travel generally southwest to connect to Lake Circle Road. Total acreage of the new construction area is approximately 0.75 acres (0.30 Hectares). Senior Project Archaeologist Zach Horne, M.A., RPA, under the direction of Trileaf, performed this survey in response to the planned use of the above-described parcel and the potential impacts that such use might represent to archaeological and architectural cultural resources. The Phase I cultural resource survey was designed to discover all prehistoric and historical period cultural resources that might be present within the project area.

The field survey of the project area, which included a pedestrian survey, shovel testing, and visual inspection, found no evidence for the presence of archaeological or architectural properties in relation to the current project area’s Direct APE. Additionally, no National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible or listed properties were identified within the project areas Direct APE. Based on a map and survey form search using the resources of the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office including topographical maps and their GNAHRGIS GIS platform, inspections of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF 2019), a review of the Haralson County Tax Assessor’s website by the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, as well as the resources of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) conducted by Zach Horne, Senior Project Archaeologist of the Trileaf Corporation and Kevin McHugh, CEO of Architectural Research LLC, identified eight (8) historic structures with no determination of NRHP-eligibility (894 Lake Circle Road, built 1948, 728 Lake Circle Road, built 1960, 2655 Munroe Mill Road, built 1966, 2545 Munroe Mill Road, built 1963, 2655 Munro Mill Road, built 1935 (due west-northwest of 2545 Munroe Mill Road, 58 Kelley Loop Road, built 1961, 51 M Sanders Road, built 1955, and 79 M Sanders Road, built 1968), one (1) field identified historical resource (Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and cemetery), located within the ¾-mile visual APE, and no archaeological sites, and no archaeological surveys previously identified within Trileaf Corporation’s 1-mile background  research radius. However, none of the identified historical resources embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, represent the work of a master, possess high artistic value, or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction that would make these resource eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Based on these findings, Trileaf recommends No Historic Properties in the Direct APE and No Historic Properties within the ¾-mile Visual APE. It is therefore recommended that project clearance be granted with no further investigation or evaluation of the project area relative to those resources.