Archaeological Investigations At 38lx141 For The South Carolina Electric And Gas Company

The University of Georgia conducted an archaeological survey along the seventeen miles Williams-Mt. Pleasant 230 KV Transmission Line of South Carolina Electric and Ga Co. The survey was undertaken as part of the environmental impact statement requirements that South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. must meet prior to obtaining the necessary permits authorizing construction. The University of Georgia contracted with Envirosphere through Bruce Howlett, Inc., environmental planning consultants. The existing Williams-Mt. Pleasant Transmission LIne near Charleston, South Carolina, was built approximately five years ago, at which time the right-of-way was cleared to encompass the existing line and the proposed line, that is presently being considered for construction. THis new proposed line will be carried on "H-frame" structures (similar to the existing line) which consists of two poles approximately 7.5 meters apart. At the time of our investigations, the line had not been surveyed for the placement of the new H-frame structures. Before the present survey was initiated, recent archaeological reports pertaining to the area were reviewed and the South Carolina State Archives and History Department and the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of South Carolina, both in Columbia, were contacted. Several known sites were also indicated on the topographic maps received from Bruce Howlett, Inc. The purpose of the study was to gather information concerning the archaeology resources along the corridor in order to better assess their significance and to determine their immediate and long term impact. A total of twenty-two sites were recorded, two of which had been reported in a previous survey report (Hartley and Stephenson 1975). Discovery of this many sites should point to the necessity for further intensive research and analysis in the area.

This report presents the results of phase II archaeological testing of three sites 38SU58, 38SU191 and 38SU222 as well as the results of a phase I survey of three tracks. The tested sites all contained prehistoric cultural materials dating to the Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian periods. Site 38SU58 was determined to be not eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historian Places, while sites 38SU191 and 38SU222 were determined to be eligible. The phase I survey revisited one previously recorded site, 38SU250 and discovered one new site, 38SU299. Site 38SU250 is recommended not eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, while Site 28SU299 is recommended potentially eligible for nomination.