An Archaeological Survey of Blue Ridge Reservoir, Fannin County, Georgia

This report details the results of a Phase I level archaeological reconnaissance and inventory of Tennessee Valley Authority owned lands located in and around Blue Ridge Reservoir, Fannin County, Georgia. This survey was conducted by the Appalachian State University Laboratories of Archaeological Science at the request of the TVA in order to fulfill the agency mandate for inventory and assessment of cultural resources located on TVA controlled lands. No specific development or modification of lands within the project area was anticipated. The survey of Blue Ridge Reservoir was occasioned by a scheduled fall maintenance drawdown which lowered lake levels to 1615 feet AMSL, 37 feet below normal winter pool levels (1652 feet AMSL) and 73 feet below normal summer pool. This drawdown exposed approximately 2100 acres of pre-1932 land surface. In addition to lands exposed by the maintenance drawdown, this reconnaissance included portions of the approximately 183 acres of above pool properties within the Blue Ridge Dam Reservation.

Survey fieldwork was accomplished in a total of approximately 120 person days between October 26, 1993 and January 16, 1994. The survey focused upon areas within the drawdown zone that exhibited unsilted surfaces with less than 20 slope; such surfaces constituted approximately 55% of the area exposed by the drawdown. Reconnaissance of these areas entailed intensive visual inspection of exposed ground surfaces during close interval pedestrian coverage. Examination of above pool areas with vegetation cover included pedestrian reconnaissance with visual inspection and excavation of shovel tests in areas with ground slopes less than 20.

The survey recovered data from a total of 84 archaeological sites comprising a minimum of 128 discrete temporal components. These components represent a broad range of human occupation, including Early Archaic (n=7), Middle Archaic (n=28), Late Archaic (n=ll), Early Woodland (n=4), Middle and Late Woodland (n=5), Mississippian (n=6), historic Cherokee (n=2), and historic era Anglo-American (n=27) occupations. Pit features, hearths, midden deposits, or architectural evidence were observed in association with seven prehistoric aboriginal components and 19 historic Anglo-American components.

The presence of intact or partially intact cultural deposits or facilities at these sites demonstrate preservation of contextual integrity and it is argued that the majority of these sites (n=42) should be considered potentially eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places under criterion D. In addition, both historic Cherokee sites (9FN199 and 9FN202) and the majority of Anglo-American sites (29 of 33 sites) are recommended for Register inclusion. Detailed chronological resolution and the existence of collateral historical records allows groups of these sites to be defined as segments of contemporaneous communities, and the individual significance of such sites is strongly augmented by consideration of the community as a whole. It is recommended that such sites be included under thematic nominations.