Archaeological Salvage Investigations in the Bay Street Urban Renewal Area, Brunswick, Gynn County

This final report presents the data gathered during fifteen weeks of intensive archaeological field testing and excavations in a fourteen block section of the waterfront area of Brunswick, Georgia. The investigations were conducted under two separate contract agreements between the City of Brunswick and West Georgia College. The City of Brunswick through the Department of Urban Redevelopment provided the funding while West Georgia College made available the necessary professional personnel, equipment and facilities for conducting the field and laboratory analysis. The area under investigation was part of the proposed Bay Street Urban al Area (HUD Project No. GA 110), which projected extensive demolition commercial and residential structures, filling in of low areas along the er front, excavation for major sewer and other utility lines, and the construction of a four lane extension of U. S. Interstate 95. Under the vision of the National Environmental Policy Act (Public Law 91-190, STAT. 852:42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), a cultural assessment of the area was weary to determine the archaeological and historical resources and the effects of the project upon these resources. In the fall of 1974, (Sept 2 - 21) archaeological test excavations under the direction of Craig Sheldon, Jr., were conducted within the Bay Street project area. The results of these preliminary investigations (Sheldon, 1974) indicated that a considerable archaeological potential existed in the area. In addition to numerous 19th Century (and perhaps 18th Century) artifacts, a well, a section of the original shoreline, a possible cellar and two tabby foundations were found. In October of 1974, the Bay Street Urban Renewal area was determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places as the Bay Street National Historic District. As a result of a memorandum of agreement signed between the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, additional excavations were called for, in order to mitigate the loss of archaeological and historical data. A second contract agreement between the City of Brunswick and West Georgia College was signed, providing for twelve additional weeks of field investigations in the Bay Street area. A West Georgia College crew under the direct supervision of Craig T. Sheldon, Jr., conducted these investigations from December 16th to December 20th, 1974 and from December 30th to March 12th, 1975.