Phase II Cultural Resource Investigation and Historic Evaluation of the Proposed Chambers R and B Landfill Site in Banks County, Georgia

Phase II cultural resource investigations were conducted at seven archaeological sites in Banks County, Georgia. As part of this investigation, a historic resource evaluation was conducted for the area of potential effects (APE); the APE for this project is defined as the project tract and a one-half mile radius around the project tract. These investigations were performed under contract with USA Waste Services in order to fulfill Nationwide Permit requirements for a proposed landfill expansion. The seven sites recommended potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (9BA58, 9BA60, 9BA61, 9BA66, 9BA68, 9BA73, and 9BA75) were identified during the Phase I survey of the 516 acre project tract (Lilly and Holland 1993). These seven sites were identified as having either Archaic or Lamar components, or both (Lilly and Holland 1993). During the Phase II investigations, ten-meter-interval shovel tests and at least one test unit were excavated at sites 9BA58, 9BA60, 9BA66, 9BA68, 9BA73, and 9BA75. Surface visibility at 9BA61 precluded shovel testing. Mechanical excavation was conducted at sites 9BA58, 9BA61, 9BA66, 9BA73, and 9BA75. Of the seven sites, 9BA61 and 9BA75 are considered to have significant research value and they are recommended as eligible for the NRHP. Past land use activities and subsequent erosion have compromised the integrity of the remaining five sites, which are recommended ineligible. It is recommended that sites 9BA61 and 9BA75 be preserved in place or that a data recovery plan be developed to mitigate adverse impacts to these sites. The historic resource evaluation investigated three previously identified, potentially eligible resources, 9BA64 (HS-2), 9BA72 (HS-3), and 9BA76, within the project tract and identified an additional resource, MS-1, within the APE. Exterior and interior examination of these resources included mapping and photographic recording. In addition, tax records for Banks County were examined to reconstruct property histories. Two historic resources, HS-1 and 9BA64 (HS-2), are recommended eligible for the NRHP as a result of this evaluation. Previously identified resource 9BA72 (HS-3) is now recommended ineligible for the NRHP; site 9BA75 is no longer extant and is therefore ineligible for the NRHP. Recommendations for mitigation of additional indirect effects to historic resource HS-1 include buffer zone expansion. In order to mitigate adverse effects to 9BA61 (HS-2), it is recommended that the building be photographically and graphically recorded to the standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS).