Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey for the Proposed Thomas-Warthen Electric Transmission Line

A Phase I Intensive Archaeological Resources Survey was carried out for the proposed Thomson-Warthen electric transmission line in Washington, Glascock, Warren, and McDuffie 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 3 6 CFR Part 61. The survey was conducted along a length of proposed corridor stretching approximately 60 kilometers (km) (38 miles [mi]) which crosses the Ogeechee River, the major drainage of the region, and several of its tributaries in the western half of the corridor. The proposed right-of-way measures 23.5 meters (m) (77 feet [ft]) in width on either side of the centerline (47 m [154ft] total width) and falls primarily within active or former agricultural fields or logged and reforested woodlands. This project is intended to identify and document archaeological resources within the property boundaries, 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 an historic structures survey, as that is part of a separate undertaking and/or does not fall within the purview of the P A. During the survey, Brockington and Associates identified a total of eleven previously unknown archaeological sites (Sites 9GL16 through 9GL20; 9WG168 through 9WG173) and two prehistoric isolated finds (IF-I and IF-2) within the project corridor. Only one previously recorded site lies within this corridor (9MF502). During the Phase I Survey, Brockington assessed the current condition of site 9MF502, which has been recently impacted by improvements to SR 17. All other sites in the vicinity fall at least 150 meters away from the corridor. Newly recorded sites include six prehistoric artifact scatters (9GL18, 9GL19, 9GL20, 9WG 168, 9WG 169, and 9WG 172), three historic sites (9WG 170, 9WG 171 and 9WG 173), and two historic sites with minor prehistoric components (9GL 16 and 9GL 1 7). Historic sites are generally artifact scatters with evidence of house foundations or wells, but also include a late nineteenth to early-twentieth-century cemetery and a nineteenth-century stoneware kiln site. Two isolated finds were identified within the project corridor. They consist of two chert flakes (IF #1) and two chert flakes and a residual sherd (IF #2). Both isolated finds were recovered in disturbed contexts, and additional 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.