An Intensive Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of the Westgate Property, Chatham County, Georgia

In February of 2007, an intensive cultural resource assessment survey was conducted by Bland and Associates, Inc. (BAI) of a 34-acre tract located within Chatham County, Georgia (Figure 1). This project was undertaken to comply with federal (Department of Army Permit Application No. 200471334) and State (GADNR-HP Permit No.061011-003) regulations regarding the identification and management of historic properties that might occur within the project tract. Specifically, a letter dated 26 October 2006 from Elizabeth Shirk, Environmental Review Coordinator, Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (HPD-GADNR) to United States Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District requested this survey. The project is called "Expand Commercial Center, Westgate Boulevard, US 17 and 1-516, Chatham County, Georgia." The project tract is the proposed site of commercial properties which are to be located along Westgate Boulevard. This project was undertaken at the request of Kern Coleman & Co., LLC. The goals of this project were to locate, identify, delineate, and evaluate cultural resources within the tract. This project entailed intensive shovel testing of the project tract (n=79), as well as surface inspection; no cultural material was encountered during shovel testing, or surface inspection. Other than the fact the tract has been modified through earth moving with heavy equipment in the 20th century for the construction of an industrial park and highway interchange, there has been little development and land use within the project tract. Modern, roadside refuse and various other discarded items were the only cultural material noted in the parcel. In summary, no archaeological sites, historic structures, or isolated finds were encountered within the project tract during fieldwork. Based on these results, no further archaeological investigation or preservation is warranted within the current project area. It is recommended that the proposed project be authorized to proceed as planned without further concern for impacts to cultural resources.