Phase I Archaeological Investigations of Off-Site Locations Associated with the Former Savannah Manufactured Gas Plant Site, Chatham County, Georgia.

During March and April of 2001, TRC Garrow Associates, Inc. (TRC), undertook a Phase I archaeological investigation of off-site locations associated with a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in the City of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia. The former MGP site is located at the southeast corner of East Bay and East Broad streets, within the Savannah National Historic Landmark (NHL) District. The MGP operated from 1850 to 1953, merging with the Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC) in 1966. AGLC is the current property owner. The two offsite locations are generally northeast and east of the MGP plant and are not on AGLC property. They include portions of parking lots between the Savannah Electric Building and the Marriott Hotel and sections of East Bay and River streets. TRC conducted the Phase I archaeological investigation at the request of AGLC, which, in accordance with Georgia Environmental Protection Division requirements, will be undertaking remediation of the MGP plant and the offsite locations to remove contamination from soils and groundwater. Phase I work included detailed research of the land use history of the off site areas. The goal of the investigation has been to determine if the project area has potential for containing intact cultural deposits related to the historic occupation of this section of Savannah. Based on extensive historic and documentary research of the project area, TRC has determined that the off-site project areas possess good potential for containing significant intact cultural deposits. In this report, a detailed outline of the ownership, occupation, and land use history of the two off-site locations is presented. Based on the results of the background research, TRC recommends that a Phase II archaeological investigation of the off-site locations be undertaken. This work would involve the excavation of backhoe trenches in the two off-site locations. These areas may contain intact cultural deposits related to one of the significant occupations of the site, which span from the eeighteenth through twentieth centuries. At present, TRC believes there is good potential for cultural deposits to exist that are related to the nineteenth and early twentieth century mostly commercial occupations of this area of Savannah. Businesses related to shipping and ship-building were prominent in the area, including the shipyard and wharf of Henry F. Willink, Jr., the Confederate Naval shipbuilder.