A Phase I Archaeological Resources Survey for a Proposed Pedestrian Trail and Access Improvements Project in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Vickery Creek Unit, Fulton County, Georgia

In June of 2017, AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for a proposed project to construct pedestrian trails in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) in Fulton County, Georgia. The City of Roswell and National Park Service (NPS) propose to construct a series of pedestrian trails and access improvements north and south of Big Creek within the NPS-administered CRNRA, Vickery Creek Unit. The subject Phase I archaeological survey aimed to locate archaeological sites in and near the proposed trail locations, make recommendations regarding their eligibility for listing the National Register of Historic Places, and evaluate potential impacts to the sites by construction of the proposed trails.

AECOM conducted Phase I archaeological surveys in support of the subject project in December of 2012 and June of 2015 (Pappas 2015; CHAT 2015-02). Changes to the design of the proposed trails have occurred since the 2015 Phase I survey (Pappas 2015). The current Phase I archaeological resources survey investigated areas where the proposed project area of potential effects (APE) deviates from those areas that received clearance for cultural resources from AECOM's previous studies (Pappas 2015). Additionally, the current survey revisited certain archaeological sites, located both within and outside the project APE, for which more definitive locational data was needed in order to evaluate potential impacts from the proposed project.

During the Phase I survey, six previously recorded archaeological sites were revisited. Four of these were located within the project APE, and two were located outside the project APE. Documentary evidence suggested that the previously recorded locations for certain sites were inaccurate. These sites were subjected to pedestrian survey and aboveground features were mapped with a GPS unit with sub-meter accuracy. Sites 9FU4 and 9FUI08 were subjected to systematic shovel testing to delineate their boundaries. Shovel testing produced negative results and no artifacts were recovered from the ground surface. All of the sites (except 9FU4) were rediscovered by locating above-ground site features. The boundary of each site was updated based on mapping the above-ground features. Site 9FU4 was not rediscovered, thus no updates to the site's boundaries are offered.

Two NRHP-eligible sites, 9FU228 and 9FU6, are located within the project APE. Portions of sites 9FU228 and 9FU6 would be impacted by the construction of the proposed trails. Recommendations for avoiding and minimizing impacts to these sites are discussed in Chapter VI. No other NRHP-eligible sites are located within the project APE.