Early Settlement and Industry in Georgia and Alabama: Archaeological Testing of Five Historic Sites on the Fort Benning Military Reservation

This report describes Phase II archaeological testing of five historic archaeological sites on Fort Benning in Georgia and Alabama. Testing was conducted to determine the sites' eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as part of Fort Benning's ongoing efforts to evaluate all of its cultural resources. Work for this project included historic background research, fieldwork, artifact analysis, and reporting. Testing methods employed included systematic shovel testing, test units, and backhoe trenches. The sites identified for testing include three historic grist mills and two domestic sites. Site 9Ce101 is a historic and aboriginal scatter of artifacts and includes several subsurface features. Site 9Ce1733 is a multicomponent site with historic European-American, historic Creek, Woodland, and Early, Middle and Late Archaic occupations. Site 9Ce1735 is a small 20th grist mill, raceway, and dam complex with an unidentified prehistoric component. Site 9Ce1734 (the Eelbeck Mill Complex) is a complicated mill, dam, and raceway complex that operated from the early 19th century through the mid-20th century. Site 1Ru424 is a small 20th century steam-powered grist mill site with a Late Archaic component. All five of these sites are recommended eligible to the NRHP in this report. Each of the historic and prehistoric components at sites 9Ce101 and 9Ce1733 provide future research potential and are recommended as contributing to the sites’ significance. For sites 9Ce1735, 9Ce1734 (Eelbeck), and 1Ru424, only the historic components contribute to their eligibility.