Cultural Resources Survey of the Yankee Landing Development, Glynn County, Georgia

On June 12th through July 20th, 2007, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted an intensive archaeological resources survey of the Yankee Landing Property near Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia. The survey tract consisted of approximately 3,400 acres (of which 2,390 were upland and 1,015 were marsh) situated about 13.6 km (8.5 miles) west of Brunswick. This investigation was carried out originally for Coastal Land Partners, LLC (CLP), and is reported here for Sligh Environmental, Inc., after CLP sold the property and withdrew from the project. The project was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and 36 CFR Part 800, by personnel qualified under 36 CFR Part 61, Appendix A. Background research indicated that there are no previously recorded archaeological or historic architectural resources within the project tract. There is only one previously recorded archaeological site located within a 1 mile (1.6 km) buffer of the project tract. Twelve previously recorded historic architectural resources are also located within 1 mile (1.6 km) radius of the project tract. Ten of these resources are potentially NRHP-eligible, while two are ineligible. None of these resources however, are located within the project tract, nor within the viewshed of development. During this project, screened shovel tests were spaced at 30 meter (100 ft) intervals along transects placed at 30 meter (100 ft) intervals, located throughout the tract according to landforms, wetlands, and disturbance patterns. More than 10,000 shovel tests were excavated during this survey. A visual inspection of all exposed ground surfaces was also conducted. Our archaeological survey resulted in the identification of 13 archaeological sites. We identified no historic architectural resources within the project tract, and none within the APE of the project tract. There are some small segments of probable former rice fields located in the far western portion of the tract; in an area which cannot be developed. Currently they are represented strictly by channelized drainage ditches primarily visible in aerial photography. No remaining dikes, trunks, or other structural elements were identified within the property. More complete and better preserved rice fields (with at least one intact rice dike) are located to the southwest, outside of the project area; which are not visible from the property. The absence of significant structural elements, the high level of erosion within these remnant fields (leaving them indistinguishable from unaltered marsh except for the channelized ditches), and their small size lead us to recommend these past agricultural elements ineligible for the NRHP.