Cultural Resources Survey of the Military Utilities Consolidation Corridor

Summary

In July and October 2008 Brockington and Associates,

Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of the

proposed Military Utilities Consolidation project

corridor in Beaufort County. This project was carried

out for Sligh Environmental Consultants, Inc., on behalf

of the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority, in

partial fulfillment of guidelines established by the US

Army Corps of Engineers for general and nationwide

permits. This investigation examined an 8.1-mile-long

segment of the 13.9-mile sewer line corridor. The 5.8

miles of sewer line corridor not examined during this

investigation were located on the Marine Corps Air

Station or the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot

and are not part of the area that is covered in the general

and nationwide permit applications. The area examined

for this investigation includes the portion of the project

corridor that is a part of the general and nationwide

permit applications. This work was conducted in

compliance with federal and state laws and regulations

concerning the management of historic properties (i.e.,

archaeological sites, buildings, structures, objects, or

districts listed on or eligible for the National Register

of Historic Places [NRHP]) affected by development

activities in the Coastal Zone of South Carolina.The proposed project includes the installation

of a sewer line in the project corridor. It is anticipated

that the installation of this sewer line would entail

disturbance of a 10-meter-wide section within the

project corridor. The project’s area of potential effects

(APE) for archaeological resources is defined as the

length (8.1 miles) and width (10 meters) of the project

corridor. The project’s APE for architectural resources is

defined as the viewshed of the project corridor.

This investigation included archival research,

historic architectural survey, and archaeological survey.

Archival research indicates that there are 18 previously

recorded historic resources in the vicinity of the

proposed corridor; five of these 18 previously recorded

resources are within the APE. These five previously

recorded resources (Structure 025-340, Structure 025-

342, Structure 025-346, Structure 025-344, and Structure

025-316) were found to be within the viewshed; however,

none of these previously recorded resources are located

within the actual pipeline corridor. Only one of these

five previously recorded resources (Structure 025-316)

is potentially eligible for the NRHP. However, due to the

distance between these five historic resources and the

alignment of the proposed pipeline corridor, no adverse

effect will occur to this historic property.

Archival research also identified 46 previously

recorded archaeological sites in the vicinity of the

project corridor. One of these sites, 38BU2091, is located

within the project’s archaeological APE. Site 38BU2091

was recommended not eligible for the NRHP by New

South Associates in 2003. The remaining 45 previously

recorded archaeological sites are not located within an

area of direct or indirect impact for the proposed project

and will not be affected by the proposed project.

Historic architectural survey identified one

previously unrecorded historic resource (Resource

5044). This resource, a portion of the Port Royal

Railroad, was constructed in 1871. Approximately 450

meters of the proposed pipeline corridor is located

within the viewshed of the Port Royal Railroad. An

abandoned section of the railroad spur, Resource

5044.1, was constructed possibly as early as 1943.

This spur connects the Marine Corps Air Station to

the Port Royal Railroad. The project corridor follows

along approximately 350 meters of this railroad spur.

The spur exists today as an abandoned rail bed without

tracks or ballast. We recommend both the Port Royal

Railroad (Resource 5044) and the associated railroad

spur (Resource 5044.1) not eligible for the NRHP.

Archaeological survey investigations revisited

a portion of previously recorded site 38BU2091 and

identified three previously unrecorded archaeological

sites (38BU2266, 38BU2267, and 38BU2268). Based

on results of our investigations, we concur with New

South Associates’ recommendation that 38BU2091

is not eligible for the NRHP. Site 38BU2266, a small

Late Woodland ceramic scatter, is recommended not

eligible for the NRHP, and no further management of

this site is warranted. Sites 38BU2267 (a Late Woodland

ceramic scatter) and 38BU2268 (an Early Woodland–

ma n ageme n t s u mmar y

Brockington and Associates iii

ma n ageme n t s u mmar y

Mississippian ceramic scatter and shell midden) are both

recommended as potentially eligible for the NRHP, and

avoidance of these sites is preferred. We also surveyed

an alternative route that places the project corridor 25

feet to the south of 38BU2267, within the disturbed

existing right-of-way of SC Route 170 (avoiding any

impacts to 38BU2267) and an 825-foot realignment

that avoids both 38BU2266 and 38BU2268. No cultural

resources were identified within these alternative routes;

therefore, selecting and using the alternative routes that

would avoid any impacts to 38BU2267 and 38BU2268

is recommended. If the alternative routes cannot be

used for this project and avoidance of either 38BU2267

or 38BU2268 is not possible, then we recommend

conducting Phase II Archaeological Testing to provide

definitive NRHP recommendations.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Beaufort County, SC

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): Will Brockenbrough

Field Director(s): Shannon Dunn

Principal Investigator(s): Alex Sweeney

Sponsor(s): Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority; Sligh Environmental Consultants, Inc.

Prepared By(s): Brockington and Associates, Inc.

Notes

General Note: Sites 38BU2267 and 38BU2268 were the only areas recommended potentially eligible for protection under the NRHP act. Brockington and Associates recommended that further testing be done and that the area be avoided during construction in the area.

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