An Intensive Archeological Survey of a Portion of the Fall Line Freeway, Baldwin and Washington Counties, Georgia

An intensive archeological survey of proposed highway widening was conducted by Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. in Baldwin and Washington Counties, Georgia, along State Route 24, running east from County Road 186 in Baldwin County to State Route 68 near Sandersville in Washington County. The corridor is 35.4 km (22 miles) long and 60.9 m (200 feet) in width. The fieldwork was conducted between September 20 and October 6, 1993. Surface survey and the excavation of 408 shovel tests resulted in locating 15 previously unrecorded sites, the relocation of one previously recorded prehistoric site, and five prehistoric artifact occurrences (Table 1). Of the recorded sites on this survey two contained prehistoric material; one with Early and Middle Woodland components, and one of unknown prehistoric association. The fourteen remaining sites are of historic origin; one dates to the early-mid nineteenth century, one nineteenth century, four are late nineteenth-early twentieth century, and eight are early-mid twentieth century. None of the sites are recommended eligible to the NRHP due to sparsity of artifacts, disturbance from grading or erosion, and likelihood that the sites will provide little additional, substantial information as the result of further investigations. While none are recommended as eligible to the NRHP, site 9WG60 requires special consideration. This is a small cemetery containing at least three graves situated within the proposed new right-of-way. Either the proposed right-of-way should be shifted, or the cemetery should be moved in compliance with state regulations and DOT policy.