Intensive Cultural Resources Survey of the 1900 Acre Berwick Tract, Chatham County, Georgia

In February and March 1999, Brockington and Associates, Inc. conducted intensive cultural resources survey of a 1,900 acre portion of the Berwick Tract in Chatham County, Georgia (Figure 1) for Union Camp Realty Corporation. Proposed residential and commercial construction within the project tract necessitated this study, in order to comply with cultural resource management provisions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations (33 CFR 320-330) implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (as amended, 1992), and 36 CFR 800 (Protection of Historic Properties). Project activities included background research, archaeological and architectural field survey, and evaluation of all cultural resources within the project tract for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Cultural resources survey of the Berwick Tract revealed that much of the area has been heavily impacted by rice agriculture, silviculture, and road maintenance. This activity, in particular modern timbering with the use of heavy equipment, has in many cases left the area too disturbed to allow for the preservation of intact archaeological deposits. Based on previous disturbance, this tract exhibited low probability for well-preserved archaeological deposits. Field survey confirmed this hypothesis. Five previously unrecorded archaeological sites (9CH893, 9CH894, 9CH895, 9CH896, and 9CH897) and four isolated finds (Isolates 1-4) were recorded in the Berwick Tract during field survey. No architectural resources are present in the tract. All of the sites and isolated finds identified within the Berwick Tract are recommended ineligible for the NRHP. Since no significant cultural resources were identified within the boundaries of the proposed Berwick Tract development, cultural resources clearance to proceed with this development is recommended.