Archeological Survey of the Proposed Augusta State University History Walk, Phase I Richmond County, Georgia

Augusta State University wishes to construct a curving, enhanced pedestrian walkway on the north side of its campus, along Walton Way. The University is applying for federal funds (Federal Highway Administration Transportation Enhancement Act funds) for the project, and for this reason, and because the project area lies within a National Register Historic District (Summerville), an archeological survey of the area of potential effect was required. In addition to the 3 to 3.7 m wide walkway, the project includes a fence, lightly landscaped "courts" and the erection of historical markers. A concept design has been developed, but plans have not been finalized. However, all work will take place in a 29-m wide strip along Walton Way. The project area, or area of potential effect, excludes the entranceway to the campus (Lyles Road), and thus consists of two 29 by 286 m (95 by 940 ft) segments, most of which is a park-like mix of grass and large ornamental trees. The survey was conducted on November 27 and December 1, 2000. Archival information concerning resources in the area was gathered from a variety of sources, but primarily from Augusta State University archeologist Christopher Murphy, who had detected and excavated a pair of early nineteenth century trash pits in the project area during the summer of 2000. The campus was a government arsenal from 1826 to 1955, and the entire 70-ac arsenal grounds (now the campus) have been designated as archeological site 9RI1045. One standing building, a ca 1866 guard house lies in the project area. Archival resources indicated that the guard house and the pair of trash pits were the only likely resources in the project area. This was borne out by the fieldwork. The survey recovered nineteenth and twentieth century artifacts from 37 of the 40 shovel tests excavated, but this reflects a general "sheet midden" that likely encompasses most of the campus. The shovel tests encountered large areas of generally shallow fill that contained nineteenth and twentieth century artifacts. The area has been trenched, filled and landscaped many times over the past 174 years, creating the mixed sheet midden that has little archeological value. The pair of large trash pits in the western segment of the project area are significant resources, and we recommend them as contributing elements to the Summerville National Register District. Actually, it is not entirely clear whether there are two distinct pits, or two lobes of one pit. The southern pit, which was partially excavated by Christopher Murphy in the summer of 2000, has been subsequently destroyed by a very large utilities ditch. We recommend that the northern feature (Murphy's Feature 3-00) be avoided by any ground disturbing (including compacting) activity related to the proposed project. The feature is about 25 m long (east-west) by 7 m wide and extends only about 12 m south of the old fence line of the arsenal, which is clearly visible as a concrete footing. We recommend that the proposed walkway and ancillary features in the vicinity of Feature 3-00 be shifted to the south, to the previously disturbed swath of the utilities ditch. The proposed new wall/fence will not affect the feature. The precise extent of the feature and our recommended avoidance zone is delineated in Figure 6 of this report. If the feature cannot be avoided, a mitigative data recovery plan would need to be developed in consent with the GDOT and implemented before construction could begin.