An Archeological and Architectural Reconnaissance of the Phase II Portion of the Albany Riverfront Development, Dougherty County, Georgia

A reconnaissance-level archeological and architectural survey of the proposed phase 11 portion of the Albany riverfront development was conducted by Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. in early May, 1997. The survey involved a site file search, library research, and two days of fieldwork along the Flint River. As expected, this established that prehistoric archeological sites are numerous and large. Most appear to be quarry related, i.e., they are characterized by large numbers of chert (flint) flakes, which are the by-product of stone tool manufacture. One site, badly looted, also produced quantities of prehistoric pottery dating from ca. 2000 B.C. - A.D. 1200, as well as fragments of historic Creek Indian pottery (ca. 1800). Documentary research establishes that the Creek town of Otellewhoyauna (a.k.a. Hurricane Town) is in the southern portion of the project area, encompassing this looted site. Efforts should be made to stop this looting by notifying landowners of Georgia Code section 12-3-621. The architectural reconnaissance determined that very few historic buildings are in the study area. The Jane Huckabee Miller house, built in 1948, is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places despite the fact that it is not yet 50 years old. It was designed by the renowned architect, Edward Vason Jones. It was badly damaged by the 1994 flood. Another house, located immediately south of Radium Springs, dates to the early twentieth century and may be eligible to the National Register. The proposed development will include bicycle paths, walking trails, and as yet unspecified other features. When the final design is developed, we recommend that an intensive archeological survey be performed to locate and evaluate the significance of archeological sites that may be affected by construction. Likewise, more study is required to determine if the project will affect any significant historic structures.