Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Propsed SR 66 over Brasstown Creek Improvements and Phase II Testing of the High Bank site (9TO20), Towns County, Georgia

In February 2008 and March 2011, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) completed a Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed bridge replacement and right-of-way (ROW) realignment of State Route (SR) 66 over Brasstown Creek (Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] Project No. BR-0000-00[304], P.I. No. 0000304). Phase II testing was completed in June 2011 at 9TO20, the High Bank site. The proposed project involves the replacement of a structurally deficient bridge on SR 66 over Brasstown Creek, .5 miles northwest of Young Harris, Georgia. The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological sites within the area of potential effect (APE) and a 100-foot expanded survey corridor (ESC) of the proposed undertaking so that potential adverse effects to identified resources could be evaluated. EPEI conducted the original survey for this project on February 20, 2008. Following this, work on the project was temporarily halted and minor changes were made to the proposed design. Survey was resumed and parts of the new design not covered by the 2008 survey were investigated by EPEI from March 8 to 11, 2011. Whereas the 2008 survey did not include an ESC, the 2011 survey did at the request of GDOT. No new sites were discovered during survey of the project area, but positive shovel tests were excavated at one previously recorded site, the High Bank site (9TO20), which is located within the project area. Following consultation with GDOT, Phase II archaeological testing was completed at 9TO20 to clarify the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility of the portion of the site within the APE. All work for this project was conducted for GDOT under a contract with TranSystems. Research at the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) in Athens and an examination of data available at Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historical Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) indicated a total of 14 archaeological sites have been recorded within 1 kilometer of the project area and one site, 9TO20, is located within the project area. Survey of the proposed construction corridor in February 2008 resulted in the excavation of 10 positive shovel tests at the previously recorded High Bank site. This fieldwork resulted in the expansion of the known site boundary and yielded data that indicated the presence of an Early or Middle Woodland period component and suggested the possibility of intact buried cultural deposits that could yield significant information for the prehistory of the region. Subsequent design changes and the establishment of an ESC resulted in an expanded survey area, which was surveyed in March 2011. This work resulted in the excavation of five additional positive shovel tests within the boundary of 9TO20 and Phase II testing was recommended for the site to clarify the NRHP eligibility for the portion of the site in the APE. Following consultation with GDOT, a testing plan calling for the excavation of two 2-x-2 meter test units within the APE was developed. Based on the results of this work, the overall eligibility of 9TO20 is unknown, but the portion of the site within the APE does not contribute to its eligibility. This determination was made due to the fact that test units revealed severe subsurface disturbances that have resulted in extensive mixing of cultural strata and secondary deposition due to repeated flooding and many years of plowing. EPEI does not recommend further work at the High Bank site within the APE of the currently proposed project. If plans should change to include portions of the site not investigated by EPEI, additional work may be needed.