Cultural Resource Overview: Bartow County Water Department Property

Brockington and Associates, Inc. contracted with the Bartow County Water Department to conduct a cultural resources evaluation of approximately 400 acres within the Etowah Valley Historic District. This evaluation consisted of several stages, including a reconnaissance of an approximately 200 acre tract, survey along a 4,000 ft. long corridor, and scraping along Pumpkinvine Creek. Supplemental to this field survey is an in-depth archival and background search in order to provide a detailed overview of all cultural resources located within this tract of county property. The purposes of this project were to provide information on known archaeological sites within the 200 acre tract and to evaluate the potential impacts of planned construction activities on the cultural resources located on the water department's property. The specific construction activities planned are a water treatment facility, a force main sewer line, and the lining of the Pumpkinvine Creek shoreline for erosion control. The study tract is located at the eastern end of the Etowah Valley Historic District, approximately 3 miles south of Cartersville, Georgia. Archival research revealed seventeen previously recorded archaeological sites within the project tract. These sites include five sites with prehistoric components, eleven sites with both historic and prehistoric components, and one historic cemetery. Project activities resulted in the identification of two previously unrecorded archaeological sites (9BR873 and 9BR874), and the revisit of six previously recorded sites. Overall, the various stages of this project have led to the protection of six archaeological sites located on Bartow County Water Department property. Construction activities have been modified in order to avoid these sites. Included in the sites which will be left undisturbed are 9BR98, which has a buried Swift Creek midden, and 9BR12, at which 77 cultural features were identified. The Bartow County Water Department has proceeded with development of county property with all due concern for serving the needs of the county residents and protecting the archaeological heritage of the region for all Georgians. The end result is that their planning has allowed for county development without impacting significant archaeological sites.