Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed US Highway 78 Improvement Project

Summary

"In July–August 2006, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted an intensive cultural

resources survey of the proposed US Highway 78 Improvement Project in Dorchester County,

South Carolina. This work was conducted through Davis & Floyd, Inc., for the Dorchester

County Sales Tax Authority in advance of road improvement activities along this portion of

US Highway 78.

The project corridor is approximately 39.6 kilometers (24.6 miles) long. The proposed

project is located along existing US Highway 78 beginning in northeast Summerville at

secondary road S-65 (West Richardson Avenue) and continuing northwest along the existing

alignment to secondary road S-167 (Sugarhill Road) in St. George.

The architectural survey universe extends 90 meters (300 feet) on either side of the

existing US Highway 78 (as well as all other intersecting roads requiring improvements) and is

180 meters (600 feet) wide along its entire length. The archaeological survey universe (edge of

proposed new right-of-way [ROW]) varies from 16.8 to 22.9 meters (55 to 75 feet) to each side

of the proposed highway centerlines. Investigators investigated the area between the existing

ROW and the proposed new ROW on either side of the proposed highway centerlines.

We identified 16 new historic architectural resources (Resources 1154–1169) within the

architectural survey universe that are possibly over 50 years of age. The SHPO determined that

Resource 1156 is eligible for the NRHP, but the US Highway 78 Improvement Project will not

affect the resource. The remaining architectural resources are not eligible for the NRHP. No

further management consideration of these resources is warranted.

The Southern Railroad ROW along the south side of US Highway 78 follows the route of

the former Charleston to Hamburg/Augusta Railroad (built in 1832–1833). Continuing use of

the rail line and subsequent development of the region has compromised the historic integrity of

this resource. We recommend this segment of the former rail route not eligible for the NRHP.

The continuing use of the rail line within the existing railroad ROW precludes any acquisition of

these lands for the proposed improvements.

We identified five archaeological sites (38DR343, 38DR344, 38DR345, 38DR346, and

38DR347) and five isolated finds (Isolates 1–5) within the archaeological survey universe. We

recommend archaeological sites 38DR343–38DR346 and Isolates 1–5 not eligible for the NRHP.

iii

No further management consideration of these resources is warranted. We recommend site

38DR347 potentially eligible for the NRHP. Site 38DR347 is located along US Highway 78

where the highway crosses the western end of Four Holes Swamp. A high bluff is located on the

western bank of the swamp. In order to preserve the site and to reduce the possibility of erosion,

Dorchester County will minimize impact to the bluff overlooking Four Holes Swamp. The

existing ROW in the area of site 38DR347 is 11.4 meters (37.5 feet) to each side of the highway

centerline. The project in the area of site 38DR347 will only involve 1.22-meter (four-foot)

shoulder paving and grass shoulder reconstruction of the existing roadway for safety reasons.

There will not be any new ROW acquired in the area of site 38DR347. The bluff and slope on

the southern side of the bridge, immediately adjacent to Four Holes Swamp, will not be disturbed

by this construction. Therefore, proposed improvements to US Highway 78 will have no adverse

effect on site 38DR347. Construction of the US Highway 78 Improvement Project as currently

designed will not adversely affect any historic properties or potential historic properties. Further

management of the proposed US Highway 78 Improvement Project as currently designed with

regard to cultural resources is not warranted."

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Dorchester County

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1938 to 1938 (The Works Progress Administration built new bridges for US 78 over Indian Field Swamp)

Calendar Date: 1897 to 1897 (Part of St. George's and St. Paul's Parish combined to form Dorchester County)

Calendar Date: 1830 to 1830 (The area saw the use of it's first railroad built by the SC Canal and Railroad Company)

Calendar Date: 1866 to 1866 (Colleton county is created after St. George's Parish is abolished)

Calendar Date: 1721 to 1737 (Two acts during this period established a road from Izard's Cow Pen to Orangeburg which would later become a section of US 78)

Calendar Date: 1717 to 1783 (Land tract part of St. George's Dorchester Parish)

Calendar Date: 1781 to 1781 (Four Holes Bridge was the target of several raids against British forces)

Calendar Date: 1781 to 1781 (British commander Francis Rawdon move his troops through the area)

Calendar Date: 1803 to 1803 (William Hartley opens his tavern which also served as the first post office in the area)

Calendar Date: 1863 to 1863 (Maj. General J. F. Miller suggest putting Confederate forces at Four Holes Bridge to defend the region)

Calendar Date: 1798 to 1865 (Records from this period were burnt during a courthouse fire)

Calendar Date: 1861 to 1865 (The American Civil War)

Calendar Date: 1770 to 1770 (A new act developed regarding the previous 1753 act where upon construction of a bridge for the Orangeburg Road was renewed)

Calendar Date: 1753 to 1753 (An act was passed to build a bridge across Four Swamps as a part of Orangeburg Road but due to debate it was not acted upon)

Calendar Date: 1775 to 1783 (The American Revolutionary War)

Calendar Date: 1780 to 1780 (The bridge officially started being used)

Calendar Date: 1865 to 1865 (The area saw extensive action due to the crucial bridge crossing and the use of the swamp as a natural defense)

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): David Kelley; Jonathan Leader; Jennifer Bragg; Mike Meetze; Jennifer Salo

Contributor(s): Jason Ellerbee; Ed Salo; Chad Long; Jim Way; Jessica Downs; Scott Kitchens; Brian Falls; Jimmy LeFebre; Paul Zloba; Nicole Isenbarger; Damon Jackson; Erik Mischker; Inna Burns; Allison Wind

Field Director(s): Suzanne Johnson

Lab Director(s): Emily Jateff

Principal Investigator(s): Johshua N. Fletcher

Sponsor(s): Davis & Floyd, Inc.; Dorchester County Sales Tax Authority

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

Notes

General Note: "... We identified five archaeological sites (38DR343, 38DR344, 38DR345, 38DR346, and 38DR347) and five isolated finds (Isolates 1–5) within the archaeological survey universe. We recommend archaeological sites 38DR343–38DR346 and Isolates 1–5 not eligible for the NRHP. No further management consideration of these resources is warranted. We recommend site 38DR347 potentially eligible for the NRHP. Site 38DR347 is located along US Highway 78 where the highway crosses the western end of Four Holes Swamp. A high bluff is located on the western bank of the swamp. In order to preserve the site and to reduce the possibility of erosion, Dorchester County will minimize impact to the bluff overlooking Four Holes Swamp. The existing ROW in the area of site 38DR347 is 11.4 meters (37.5 feet) to each side of the highway centerline. The project in the area of site 38DR347 will only involve 1.22-meter (four-foot) shoulder paving and grass shoulder reconstruction of the existing roadway for safety reasons. There will not be any new ROW acquired in the area of site 38DR347. The bluff and slope on the southern side of the bridge, immediately adjacent to Four Holes Swamp, will not be disturbed by this construction. Therefore, proposed improvements to US Highway 78 will have no adverse effect on site 38DR347. Construction of the US Highway 78 Improvement Project as currently designed will not adversely affect any historic properties or potential historic properties. Further management of the proposed US Highway 78 Improvement Project as currently designed with regard to cultural resources is not warranted."

File Information

	Name	Size	Creation Date	Date Uploaded	Access
	us-78-final-report.pdf	58.03mb		Jun 12, 2013 3:03:23 PM	Confidential
	redacted-us-78-final-report.pdf	41.81mb		Jun 13, 2013 2:05:11 PM	Public