A cultural resource survey has been completed on February 25, 2004 for the Rich Mountain Road reconstruction project in Gilmer County, Georgia. The road is an existing, un-maintained road crossing Rich Mountain, Aaron Mountain, and Little Bald Mountain in the northern part of Gilmer County. The road is the northern boundary line for the Rich Mountain Wilderness. This road was constructed and used by previous landowners in the mid 1950s and 1960s to access high elevation timber. No previous surveys have been completed along the road; however, the only known sites in the area were discovered during the 1997-98 Rich Mountain ARPA case. This led to the discovery of four sites (9GI136, 137, 138, and 139) that were being looted along the Rich Mountain road. Two of these sites (9GI136 and 9GI137) are outside the road reconstruction project limits and are not affected by the proposed project. Access into the area has been by all terrain vehicles and off highway vehicles since the road has deteriorated to the point of deep gullies, large boulders, and mud holes not passable with passenger vehicles. The cultural survey for the road reconstruction project identified four prehistoric lithic sites along the road. These sites are 9GI138, 139, and newly recorded sites 9GI149 and 9GI150. Three of the four are recommended as eligible and one is recommended as ineligible for the National Register.
Help us to continue to make advances in research, stewardship, and bringing the past to life. No matter the size of the gift, your contribution will directly support groundbreaking archaeological research through sustaining student and outreach programs, and technological innovations. To make a secure gift online to the Archaeology Lab Fund, CLICK HERE.