Archeological Survey of the Proposed Widening of Jones Bridge Road, Fulton County, Georgia

In June 1997 Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. conducted an intensive archeological survey of a 9.2 km (5.8 mi) long corridor for the proposed widening of Jones Bridge Road in northern Fulton County, Georgia. The survey was requested by Fulton County in anticipation of receiving State Department of Transportation funds for the project. For projects it funds, the state DOT requires consideration of potential effects to cultural resources in accordance with Federal Highway Administration standards. Standing structures are to be evaluated in a separate report. Therefore the present survey dealt with only archeological resources. The project consists of the widening of the existing, two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway with a 6.1 m (20 ft) median. Combining archival research (mainly the use of old maps and aerial photographs) with field survey (visual inspection of exposed ground surfaces and shovel testing of obscured ground surfaces) 11 archeological sites and one artifact occurrence were discovered in the area of potential effect. All of the sites are late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century house sites. In addition, two of the house sites include a few prehistoric lithics. The single occurrence also consists of a prehistoric lithic. Many of the sites have been almost completely destroyed for the residential and commercial development that has taken place on Jones Bridge Road in the past decade, but a few of the sites are moderately well preserved. However, none are likely to yield significant, new information about historic or prehistoric lifeways or history. None are associated with events or persons significant in our past. Therefore, we recommend that these cultural resources are not eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, and that no significant archeological resources will be adversely affected by the proposed undertaking.