University of Georgia Lyons Apartments Parcel Clarke County Tax Parcels 173A2-A024 and l 73A2-A023

Per your request, we have conducted archival research and archeologica1 survey on the above-referenced tract of land (which is composed of two, contiguous tax parcels) to determine if it contains any graves, cemeteries or human remains or significant archeological sites. As outlined in the remainder of this letter, we found that the tract does not contain graves or significant archeological sites.

We examined aerial photographs from 1938 to 1955 and learned that in 1938 this section of Lumpkin Street was lined with small houses along its west side, almost certainly of types very similar to the house that still stands on the subject tract. The 1927 Soil Survey-map of the Clarke County shows that this line of houses existed then. The present house is an early twentieth century bungalow house type popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The Lyons apartment building was built some time shortly before 1955, as it is not apparent in earlier aerial photographs, but is visible in the 1955 photo (ATG-3P-105). It appears that three (possibly four) of the former houses were razed to make way for the apartment building and its surrounding parking lot.

The compendium of cemeteries for Clarke County, Athens Clarke County Georgia Cemeteries produced by the Athens Historical Society in 1999 (Eve B. Weeks, editor) does not show a cemetery here. Various older maps of Athens (such as Strahan's 1893 map of Clarke County, Barnett's 1895 map of Athens and the 1927 Soil Survey map of Clarke County) do not show a cemetery here. 

The late nineteenth century maps cited above indicate that the west side of Lumpkin Street in this vicinity was largely vacant, since it is depicted as a large tract not subdivided into lots or blocks. However, since individual structures are not depicted on these maps, we cannot be certain of this. Our field inspection of the tract revealed that almost all of the combined tract is occupied by the apartment building, its parking lot or the adjoining early twentieth century house. There is very little ground area, the main portion being a small front yard of the house. It is certain that the grading needed to build the apartment building destroyed any archeological sites that might have existed. Similarly, while much less intensive, the foundations for the house on the property also would have seriously disturbed any archeological remains that might have existed.

In regard to the house itself as an archeological site of significance, we believe that it is not archeologically significant. The back (western) half of the narrow lot has been graded and paved as a parking lots. The north, south and east edges of the lot have been graded to allow for a parking lot to the north, a driveway to the south, and to the east a sidewalk and possible widening-of Lumpkin Street. Thus, there is very little undisturbed ground surface left on the lot to have any archeological potential. The remaining ground surface is essentially only the small front yard, and front yards of houses have very little archeological potential. In addition, twentieth century houses, especially standing, well maintained ones, almost never are considered archeologically significant (eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places) because they are simply too recent to have important research value. They can be better researched, if desired, through aerial photographs, maps, archival documents, tax records and informant. interviews. The house is not known to be associated with persons or events important in local or state history.

We conclude that maps and records indicate that no graves or significant archeological sites exist on the lot and field inspection confirms that no graves or significant sites exist on the lot.