During the antebellum period, Thomas Spalding (1774-1851) was one of the most innovative and successful planters on the Georgia coast (Coulter 1940; DeVan 2008; Stewart 1996; Sullivan 1997). Despite his historical prominence, no archaeological research has occurred on Spalding's South End holdings on Sapelo Island, Georgia (Figure 1). Part of the reason for this lacuna is that archaeological manifestations of his mansion were destroyed in the early 20th century by the construction of Howard Coffin's own mansion on the precise location of the former Spalding big house. However, Spalding's accomplishments were literally obtained on the backs of his enslaved labor force, and the possibility exists that the remains of slave settlements are present on the South End. This report summarizes the results of an archaeological survey by a UTC Archaeological Field School to locate a slave settlement at the Spalding Site.
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