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Archaeological Investigations for Proposed Construction of a Concrete Boat Ramp and Parking Area at Zirkle Landing, Little Satilla River, Pierce County

Author(s)
Report Number
3467
Year of Publication
2001
Abstract

The Fisheries Management Section of the Wildlife Resources Division of DNR requested an archaeological survey of a proposed boat ramp location on the Little Satilla River in Pierce County. The Little Satilla forms the border between Pierce and Brantley Counties. At the time of our visit, the water level was very low and a strip of riverbed was exposed below a low bluff. The well-maintained dirt road leading from the highway to the river makes a sharp turn upstream at the landing. A loop road provides access to a short straight segment of the river. The area bordering the river is wooded except for a clearing along the loop. Surrounding fields are in various stages of silvaculture. The landing currently serves as an informal recreation area. There are several fire pits and a cut in the bluff that provides access to the river and probably serves as a boat ramp. There is a handwritten sign encouraging users to "respect your party place - pick up your bottles" and the area was better kept than many similar recreation spots. We visually inspected the exposed streambed and bank, as well as the roads and general ground surface. Low places in the road had been filled with modern bricks and there was a scatter of small machine parts (nuts, bolts, small shafts) where the loop branched off the main road. A sparse scatter of old and modern glass covered the area. Some of the glass was pre-WWI amethyst glass. We noticed rows of pilings across the stream at either end of the straight stretch. Several sunken logs were visible in the stream and others lay along the bank.