A Terrestrial Archaeological and Remote Sensing Survey of the Moran Crescent Towing Facility, Hutchinson Island, Chatham County, Georgia

EMC Engineering Services, Inc. of Savannah Georgia is working with Moran Crescent Towing to design and develop a marine service facility on the Savannah River waterfront of Hutchinson Island. In order to ensure that the proposed project will not impact historic or archaeological resources that are potentially eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, EMC Engineering Services contracted with Tidewater Atlantic research, Inc. of Washington, North Carolina to conduct a Phase I remote sensing survey of the waterfront and a terrestrial archaeological survey of the Hutchinson Island project site. That investigation was designed to conform to the Georgia Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Surveys publication and to provide EMC Engineering Services with the data essential for complying with submerged cultural resource legislation and regulations. The field investigation was carried out between 21 and 22 July 2007. Examination of the Hutchinson Island survey area confirmed that dredge spoil has been deposited over most of southeastern Hutchinson and Fig islands and that the project area represents man-made land. A visual examination and shovel testing of the survey area produced no evidence of prehistoric or historic cultural material. No additional investigation of the terrestrial site on Hutchinson Island is recommended. Although a dredge pipe running through the Savannah River survey area magnetically masked all but the largest anomalies several significant targets were identified. Sonar confirmed that three of those anomalies were associated with large concentrations of rubble and debris. A fourth was associated with a cylindrical object. It is possible that material at the site could be associated with documented historic shipwrecks or the remains of vessels removed in the course of improving navigation in Wrecks Channel. If avoidance of those anomalies is not possible, additional investigation to identify and assess the National Register of Historic Places eligibility of material generating the magnetic and acoustic signatures is recommended.