Phase II Archaeological Testing at Site 9ST272, Proposed Currahee Development Tract, Stephens County, Georgia

Site 9ST272 was identified during the Phase I cultural resources survey of the proposed Currahee Development Tract in Stephens County, Georgia (Quirk and Parson 2006). Based on the presence of intact structural features and relatively deep soils, the site appeared to present the potential to yield additional significant archeological information regarding 19th and early 20th century settlement of the upper Savannah River basin. From March 6 through 9, 2006, R.S. Webb & Associates conducted Phase II field investigations to clarify the NRHP eligibility status of Site 9ST272. Chain of title research was conducted on March 28 and 30, 2006, at the Stephens, Franklin, and Habersham County courthouses, and focused on the county deed and plat books on file at the Clerks of the Superior Court for each of these three counties. This project was conducted on behalf of Currahee Partners LLC of Toccoa, Georgia. Archeological testing consisted of the excavation of four 1.0 by 1.0 meters (m) test units and two 0.5 by 0.5 m test units. The 1.0 by 1.0 m test units were excavated in arbitrary 10 cm levels into sterile substrate. The 0.5 by 0.5 m test units were excavated by natural soil strata. All excavated soils were screened through 0.64cm hardware cloth. Recovered artifacts were bagged by unit, level, and stratum (when applicable). At the base of each level or stratum, the unit was troweled and inspected for the presence of cultural features or soil anomalies. Following test unit excavation, two walls of each unit which best illustrated the natural stratigraphy were drawn and photographed. The recovered artifact assemblage suggests that Site 9ST272 was initially occupied between 1900 and 1924, with site use through the middle 20th century. The contextual clarity of early site deposits has been disturbed from continual site use. Structural remains include a house pad, foundation stones, two fallen stone chimneys with partially intact hearths, a section of articulated brick chimney, a possible well, a cellar, a section of a stacked stone terrace, and an adjacent overgrown dirt road or driveway. House ornamental plants including daffodils, rose bushes, and the groundcover Vinca minor. A possible refuse disposal area was detected approximately 20 m north of the house pad. A secondary discard area was detected several meters behind the house pad. The artifact assemblage represents domestic site activities. Site 9ST272 is recommended ineligible for the NRHP under Criterion D (Information Potential). The justification for this recommendation is that the archeological deposits from the initial period of occupation exhibit little or no contextual clarity due to the mixing of deposits from continual occupation of the site. Site 9ST272 is not likely to yield additional important information on historic activities within the Tugaloo River drainage. No additional work is recommended for Site 9ST272. The proposed undertaking will have no adverse effect on cultural resources recommended eligible for the NRHP.