Archaeological Historical Investigations at the Site of the Proposed Conasauga River/river Road Reservoir

The Conasauga River drainage basin has figured importantly in the cultural history of the American southeast. Among the numerous landmark events which have transpired in the general region of northwestern Georgia are the transit of the Spanish Conquistadores, the brief flourit of the Cherokee Nation and the subsequent indelible stain of the "trail of tears," the first gold rush in the nation's history, and several dramatic, and perhaps crucial, battles of the Civil War. In terms of the prehistory of the area, as compared with other regions of the state and similar parts of adjacent states, it can be claimed that the upper Conasauga and Coosawattee fluvial systems are a veritable terra incognita. Little in the way of archaeological survey or data recovery has been undertaken in the project vicinity, and much more is unknown than is known about specific human environmental adaptation or cultural patterns. The information provided by this study, however, affords a small glimpse into the larger research horizons of the entire upland river system. The Phase I Archaeological/Historical investigations at the site of the proposed Dalton Utilities River Road Reservoir are documented in this report. A combined program of literature and records research and field work was utilized for the study, which involved the application of systematic techniques of surface collection and shovel and auger testing. Historic occupations of the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century were recorded, and four prehistoric sites and a number of isolated artifacts were discovered.