A Phase I Archaeological Survey of SR 29 at Pughes Creek, Laurens County, Georgia, PI #0013749

Between July 3 and August 4, 2017, TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama conducted an archaeological resources survey of State Route (SR) 29 at Pughes Creek in Laurens County, Georgia. The purpose of this study was to determine if any precontact or historic properties exist within the limits of the proposed project area, and if so, to document and assess each based on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria. This project was conducted on the behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) (PI #0013749) and the lead federal agency is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Phase I survey was performed by Jeff Thompson, Tyler Reece, and Paul D. Jackson, Co-Principal Investigator. The Area of Potential Effects (APE) contains a total area of 16.9 acres. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) requires a 100 ft Expanded Survey Corridor (ESC) buffer around this APE. The ESC encompasses 29.7 acres. The survey area for this project includes both the APE and ESC.

The Phase I investigation consisted of a pedestrian survey and 30-m interval shovel testing. This included the placement of 135 shovel tests along six transects, as well as 12 delineation tests for determining site boundaries. Of the total 147 tests, three recovered cultural materials, 92 were negative, and 52 were unable to be excavated due to obstructions. The Phase I survey identified two newly recorded archaeological sites (9LS342 and 9LS343) within the study area.

Site 9LS342 is a low-density multicomponent (Unknown Indian and Historic Non-Indian) artifact scatter and a historic (ca. mid-twentieth century) structure. Though the portion of the site within the project boundaries is considered to lack significant data potential, because the 9LS342 site boundaries could not be fully defined, its NRHP recommendation is listed as unknown.

Site 9LS343 represents the Union Baptist Church Cemetery. Public data indicates at least 133 of the graves qualify as historic burials based on gravestone death dates prior to 1968. The oldest observed death date was 1916, though older unmarked graves may be present within the graveyard. Site 9LS343 is considered ineligible for NRHP listing under Criteria A, B, and C due to a lack of significance; because no subsurface testing was conducted at 9LS343, its NRHP eligibility under Criterion D is recommended as unknown.

In accordance with the GDOT Environmental Procedures Manual, TerraX recommends that that the unknown portion of site 9LS342, as well as all of site 9LS343, be designated Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) and be avoided by any bridge construction activities. Since the completion of fieldwork and report for this project, the design for the project APE has been reduced. As a result of the reduction, 9LS343 is now located outside of the APE and ESC (see map on page 40). Based on the results of this investigation, the proposed bridge replacement project on SR 29 at Pughes Creek is expected to have no effect on any significant historic or precontact resources that are listed in or eligible for listing in the NRHP. Accordingly, TerraX recommends clearance for this project with regard to archaeological resource concerns.