Archaeological Survey of 50 Acres within the Townsend Bombing Range, Long and McIntosh Counties, Georgia

SEARCH conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of 50 acres at the Townsend Bombing Range (TBR) in Long and McIntosh Counties, Georgia. This project was completed on behalf of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast under Contract No. N69450‐12‐D‐0078, Delivery Order No. 0023, and was conducted in partial fulfillment of the Navy’s responsibilities under Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Section 106 and its provisions direct federal agencies to take into account the effects of federal

undertakings on historic properties, and Section 110 directs federal agencies to assume responsibility for the preservation of historic properties under their ownership or control. The work was conducted in compliance with Public Law 113‐287 (Title 54 USC), which incorporates the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, as amended.

The survey acreage is divided into an 8‐acre survey area and a 42‐acre survey area, both of which are timber tracts within the pine flatwoods of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The 8‐acre survey area is located in the north portion of the installation and encompasses the unsurveyed portion of a proposed 12‐acre laydown yard, and the 42‐acre area is located in the south portion of the installation and includes a proposed gravel road.

There were 242 shovel tests excavated during the survey, none of which were positive for cultural material. One isolated find consisting of a non‐diagnostic chert biface was observed on the surface of an unimproved road immediately west of the proposed laydown yard within an area that had been previously surveyed. This surface find was delineated with shovel tests in each of the cardinal directions, but no additional artifacts were encountered. This artifact was considered an isolated find and is not considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). No further cultural resource investigations are recommended for the survey areas.