Archeological Investigations of the Parking Lot and Alternate Areas at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation Historic Site on the Altamaha River

Phase H archeological investigations were conducted in an existing parking lot and alternative locations for the parking lot on the Hofwyl-Broadfield State Historic Site in Glynn County, Georgia. This work was performed for the Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in response to plans to improve the parking lot. Because a Phase I investigation had noted brick and artifacts eroding from the lot, the area warranted further archeological testing to determine if significant archeological remains (i.e., those eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places) would be affected by the proposed parking lot improvements. The area was investigated with extensive shovel testing, systematic surface collection and the excavation of four 1 x 2 m test units. The remains of a small chimney base, a posthole and a ditch were located close to the surface in the parking lot, along with a dense array of artifacts and is believed to be the location of a servants' quarters associated with the Broadfield main house. An area 70 m to the south, alleged to be the site of the Broadfield House (Area D), was also shovel tested and found to contain significant remains. Alternative parking lot location A, between the existing parking lot and Area D, also appears to contain significant historic period remains. Alternative parking lot locations B and C, to the southeast of the current parking lot, did not contain significant remains. We have designated the structural and artifactual remains in the area around the current parking lot and areas A and D as archeological site 9Gn252, the probable Broadfield house site and closely associated outbuildings. We recommend that 9Gn252 is eligible to the National Register of Historic Places at the state level of significance. Vehicular traffic at the existing parking lot is currently impacting the site, and proposed improvements would severely impact it. We recommend that the parking lot be moved to Alternative Area B or C and that the existing lot be abandoned, preserved and protected by carefully planned regrassing that does not disturb the ground surface (that is, that does not involve plowing or disking). If moving the lot and preserving the remains in the present lot are not feasible then we recommend that a data recovery program be undertaken to recover the important archeological information currently exposed in the lot.