Archaeological / Historic Survey of the Leon Rawls Borrow Pits #2 and #5

In its letter to Johnny C. Johnson, Inc. the Archaeology Branch identified this property as a high probability locale due to its apparent proximity to a first rank stream indicated on the 15 minute series USGS topo quad for Burgaw . Upon arrival in the field, however, it was immediately obvious that this locale was of a very low order of site location probability. The first rank stream was not a stream at all but a low swampy area that had been ditched for drainage . Examination of the soil profile at the property indicated that much of the property contained the dark grey humic zone that typifies land that has been subjected to a permanently high water t able. This soil profile is common in the mid-coastal plain and indicates a very wet ground condition . Thus, there was not only no stream in the area, but the land would have been wet and virtually uninhabitable. No evidence of any past cultural activities were located on this property either on the surface or in the augur tests . This negative result is not surprising given the land conditions.