Phase I Cultural Resource Investigations of a 22-acre tract on Hutchinson Island, Chatham County

TRC Garrow Associates, Inc. (TRC), under contract to Wright Padgett Christopher (WPC), conducted a cultural resource survey of a 22-acre tract on Hutchinson Island, Chatham County, Georgia. Archaeologists William Green and Ramona Grunden, and Historian Jeffrey Holland conducted the survey on August 14 and 15, 2002. The 22-acre tract, which includes Slip No. 3, is situated on the south shore of Hutchinson Island, directly across from the city of Savannah. Archaeological survey and historical research revealed that the entire project area, including the slip, had been heavily disturbed by nearly a century of dredging, filling, and other land altering activities. As a result, no archaeological sites were found during the survey. Within Slip No. 3 are wooden pilings that are the remnants of Pier No. 3. The pier was originally constructed sometime between 1898 and 1925, but there is no evidence of the original wharf, nor does the area surrounding the pilings retain any of its historic integrity. As a result, TRC recommends this resource ineligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The historic structure survey sought to identify all aboveground resources 50-years old or older within the project Area of Potential Effect (APE). The APE was defined as the 22-acre tract plus any area that had a visual connection to it. During this field effort, all of the roadways on Hutchinson Island within 0.5 miles of the project area were investigated for both previously identified and unidentified historic resources. Once a historic resource was identified, a determination was made as to whether the resource had a visual connection to the project area and, thus, was located within the APE. The results of the architectural research revealed that the Savannah Historic District, located across the Savannah River from the project area, is both a National Register District and a National Historic Landmark (NHL). In addition, several structures within the district are individually listed in the NRHP and are within 0.5 miles of the project area, including the William Scarborough House, and the Owen-Thomas House, both designed by noted architect William Jay in the early eighteenth century. Of these properties, only the Savannah Historic District river-front area is within view of the project tract. Despite the proximity of the district, any construction on the project tract will not affect the historic district unless it exceeds the height of nearby structures, such as the Savannah International Trade Center Building (approximately 50 feet) located immediately to the east and the Westin Hotel (approximately 200 feet), located approximately 300 m to the east. Current plans are to use the area for light commercial or recreational construction, so unless these plans change, TRC recommends that there will be no historic properties affected by the proposed undertaking.