Archaeological Survey of the Old Creek Place 80 Acres of a Proposed Wetlands Mitigation Project Murray County, Georgia

From November 17 through December 4, 2018 Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. conducted a Phase I archeological survey of a proposed floodplain mitigation project, a 32-ha (80-ac) tract in southern Murray County. The project is identified as the Calhoun Wetlands Mitigation Project and the project location is referred to as the Old Creek Place. The project area, or area of potential effect, is on the northern side of the Coosawattee River and is comprised of mostly river floodplain. The survey was undertaken to be in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, which requires that federal agencies that fund, license, or regulate projects take into account the effects of an undertaking on significant cultural resources. For this project, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is the leading federal agency. The proposed wetlands mitigation tract mostly is under cultivation, with wooded areas bounding the perimeter. The archeological survey relied on surface inspection and shovel testing to locate cultural resources. Archival research revealed no previously recorded sites or twentieth century structures within the Calhoun Wetlands Mitigation Project tract, but significant archeological sites have been identified nearby. We identified eleven archeological sites and two archeological occurrences (isolated finds). All cultural resources are prehistoric in age, and Middle Archaic, Early Woodland, Late Woodland, and Mississippian period components were identified (Table 1). Among the eleven archeological sites, five are recommended as having an unknown eligibility status in regard to National Register of Historic Places criteria. An unknown National Register eligibility recommendation requires additional archeological excavation to be able to firmly determine eligibility status. Among the five sites with unknown eligibility, sites 9MU232 and 9MU236 are recommended as such because the sites extend beyond the project boundary and thus were not fully investigated. However, the portions of these two sites that lie within the Calhoun Wetlands Mitigation Project area were investigated and do not retain good enough preservation integrity or research potential to warrant additional excavation. Thus, if the proposed undertaking is implemented, the undertaking would not adversely affect significant cultural resources on sites 9MU232 and 9MU236. The remaining three sites with unknown NRHP eligibility status, sites 9MU227, 9MU233, and 9MU234, yielded evidence of preserved features and intact archeological deposits. The present Phase I survey was not sufficient to firmly assess eligibility status. We recommend that these three sites be protected against any proposed ground-disturbing activities. If protection is not feasible, then additional archeological investigation is needed to conclusively evaluate the sites for National Register eligibility.