Phase I Cultural Resources Survey Update and Archaeological Site Revisits for the Proposed Khan County Land Tract Chatham County, Georgia

Between February 9 and 13, 2020, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted an intensive Phase I cultural resources survey update and archaeological site revisits for the proposed industrial development on the 76-acre Khan County Land Tract in Chatham County, Georgia. The proposed project consists of the construction of two warehouses, trailer and car parking areas, and associated roadway. This investigation was carried out on behalf of CenterPoint Properties in partial fulfillment of guidelines established for Section 404 of the Clean Water Act permit. This survey was requested in order to comply with state and federal laws and regulations concerning the management of historic properties affected by development activities. Background research and cultural resources survey were used to identify potentially significant resources within the project’s Area of Potential Effects (APE). Background research using Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) found that the entire project tract had been previously surveyed for archaeological resources by Owens Battle in 2004 (Owens Battle 2004). Three previously recorded archaeological sites (9CH1163, 9CH1165, and 9CH1166) were recorded by Owens Battle (2004) within the APE for the proposed project. Both 9CH1163 and 9CH1166 are prehistoric artifact scatters that contained Savannah Phase ceramics indicative of a Middle Mississippian occupation. Site 9CH1165 is a mid- to late twentieth-century still site. Owens Battle (2004) recommended all three of these sites located within the current project tract not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). However, site delineations were not completed based on current Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists (GCPA) (2019) standards and guidelines. The current cultural resources investigation revisited the three previously recorded archaeological sites (9CH1163, 9CH1165, and 9CH1166) within the APE. After completing site delineation based on current GCPA (2019) guidelines and standards, we concur with Owens Battle’s (2004) recommendations that 9CH1163, 9CH1165, and 9CH1166 are not eligible for the NRHP. Additional management considerations of the three previously recorded archaeological sites are not necessary. The historic resources survey for this investigation identified one historic resource (Resource 1) within the APE. Resource 1 is a 0.5-mile-long segment of a drainage feature located immediately north of the project tract. This drainage feature is recommended not eligible for the NRHP, and additional management consideration of this drainage feature is not warranted. In addition, the drainage feature will not be physically impacted by the proposed project. Therefore, the proposed industrial development at the Khan County Land Tract will not impact any NRHP-eligible cultural resources.