Cultural Resources Survey of the Military Utilities Consolidation Corridor

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
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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.