Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey for the Proposed McConnell Road-Huntsville Electric Transmission Line

A Phase I Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey was conducted for the proposed McConnell-Huntsville Electric transmission line in Paulding and Cobb Counties, Georgia. The project was carried out as part of the Programmatic Agreement (PA) in place between Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) and the Georgia State Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division (HPD). Though technically due diligence, all activities described herein have been carried out in accordance with the stipulations of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (per 36 CFR Part 800, as amended through 2004) and by personnel qualified under 36 CFR Part 61. The survey was conducted along a length of proposed corridor stretching approximately 30 kilometers (km) (18.5 miles [mi]) connecting and /or expanding four existing electrical substations in Paulding and Cobb Counties, and the creation of two more. The area of potential effect (APE) is defined as corresponding to the proposed right-of-way; it measures 23.5 meters (m) (77 feet [ft]) in width on either side of the centerline (47 m [154 ft] total width) and falls primarily along pre-existing road and utility corridors in suburban or commercial areas. This project is intended to identify and document archaeological resources within the project corridor and assess eligibility for inclusion of encountered archaeological resources on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) according to the criteria set forth by 36 CFR Part 63. It does not include a historic structures survey, as that is part of a separate undertaking and/or does not fall within the purview of the PA. During the survey, Brockington and Associates identified one archaeological site, 9PA483, and relocated and assessed four preexisting sites, 9PA42, 9PA43, 9PA45, and 9PA114, which were found to lie within the current project corridor. Four other sites (9C0563, 9PA110, 9PA131, and 9PA46) in the vicinity fall less than 100 m (328 ft) away from the corridor. Eighty additional sites lie within 1.6 km (1 mi) of the project corridor. Investigated sites include: 9PA42 is a rock pile and lithic scatter site identified within the transmission line corridor above Possum Creek in 1988. Only 16 pieces of undiagnostic quartz debitage was identified at the site and it was recommended ineligible for the NRHP. The site was revisited in the course of the current survey and the site datum was located two meters from the project centerline within a construction lot north of Ivy Gulledge Road. Additional shovel testing and pedestrian survey, found there was no longer any evidence of the rock pile or any prehistoric artifacts at this site. 9PA43 is a small scatter of 11 quartz tools and debitage located around a former ridge top logging deck above Possum Creek. It was identified during the transmission line survey in 1988 and recommended ineligible for the NRHP. This area has been significantly disturbed and additional testing and survey in this location failed to find any evidence of prehistoric cultural material in this area. 9PA45 was identified during the original Huntsville transmission line survey in 1988 as a possible twentieth century trench cutting across the project corridor. Despite several shovel tests and excavation units no artifacts were found associated with thefeature and it was not recommended eligible for the NRHP. Upon re-visitation of the site during the current survey, the site coordinates were found to be associated with an existing small drainage, and not a man made feature. Although the drainage is now tied into the storm water system of a new housing development, it appears on the original topographic map in this location. 9PA114 is a multi-component Early Archaic and nineteenth or twentieth century artifact scatter located just west of Mount Moriah Road, identified during the Etowah Pipeline survey in 1998, and deemed ineligible for the NRHP. This site had been impacted by construction of the Huntsville transmission line corridor, specifically the access road in the center. A series of 13 shovel tests excavated to relocate the site produced only one glass shard and ten historic ceramic sherds, mostly scattered alongside the new access road. The size of the original artifact scatter has been greatly reduced and prehistoric cultural material was no longer evident. 9PA483 is a rock pile located on a hilltop ridge between Possum Creek and Pickett's Mill Creek on the Frey Road switching station property. It was identified during the current archaeological survey. The haphazard stack of rocks is likely the product of clearing stones during the former farming or logging of the area, or even the construction of the existing electrical towers, and not a prehistoric feature. It is recommended ineligible for the NRHP. In addition, two isolated finds were identified within the project corridor. They consist of an Early Woodland projectile point and a historic ceramic sherd recovered in disturbed surface contexts; shovel testing at their locations failed to produce any other cultural material. We recommend that both isolated finds be considered not eligible for inclusion on the NRHP. In summary, all five archaeological sites identified within the project corridor are considered ineligible for the NRHP. Due to the heavily disturbed nature of the project corridor within existing utility corridors and recently developed land, it is unlikely that additional, undiscovered archaeological sites are located within the McConnell Road-Huntsville transmission line rightof- way. No further archaeological investigations are recommended for the project corridor.