We all know dams hold water, but they can also preserve archaeological information. The recent dynamiting of the Eagle & Phenix dam in the Chattahoochee River adjacent to downtown Columbus has revealed considerable data on the industrial history of the mill complexes that lined this stretch of the river. The water also concealed many archaeological artifacts. Read about what destruction of the dam has revealed, and the exhibits that will be created to tell the story of the Eagle & Phenix dam and the mills it served.

The naval stores industry was important to Georgia’s economy for generations. Naval stores are made from the sap of pine trees. This industry was concentrated in the piney areas of the Coastal Plain. Visit the Million Pines Rest Area north of Soperton and learn about harvesting pine sap.

There’s a little-known type of archaeological site called a transportation site. Transportation sites are of many sub-types, including railroads and railroad depots and yards, roads and trails, canals, and wharves and docks. These are archaeological sites but not residential sites. Read more in the full story, which focusses on the Brunswick-Altamaha Canal, which SGA members and guests visited during the tour of archaeological sites near St. Simons Island that was the focus of the SGA’s exciting 2010 Fall Meeting.

Members of the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society (GARS) worked over the weekend at the Berkmar “mystery” site—this was part of the old Wynne-Russell Plantation but is now Berkmar Middle School, Gwinnett County property. GARS members plan to record the site on 14 May, and are clearing brush, etc., in preparation for doing that with Berkmar MS 8th graders.

Despite the rains the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society (GARS) field trip in March 2011 to the Howard Cement Company site and vicinity was fun and profitable. The group also visited the Howard plantation site (including a mill and large earthen dam), another lime kiln site, and the Kingston museum and the Confederate cemetery in Kingston. Accompanying photos are of the remaining lime kilns at the Howard site.

Passport In Time volunteers from any era are invited to the Passport In Time (PIT) Reunion at Scull Shoals on Saturday, April 30th, 2011, between 10AM and 4PM. The Reunion is being held in conjunction with the Scull Shoals Festival at the old mill site on the Oconee National Forest in Greene County. The big event is jointly hosted by the Friends of Scull Shoals, Inc, and the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.

By the Oconee River between Athens and Greensboro are the ruins of a fascinating historic industrial complex—with a captivating name: Scull Shoals. Plan a road trip to this interesting place, and bring a picnic!

World Trade Center workers revealed a long-buried ship in black mud on July 13, 2010. Archaeologists have been working to record the timbers before they dry out and crumble. Follow the link in full story to a New York Times story with details and pictures. The small picture here is from a Fred R. Conrad photograph in the Times story.

In ancient times, humans lived their lives in the outdoors, although perhaps they spent some time in a cave or rockshelter. Now, the majority of people live in towns and cities. This process of urbanization has myriad implications for archaeologists. This Weekly Ponder considers the concept of the built environment.

The Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society has scheduled a field trip to the Roswell Mills site for Sunday, November 15.

Elberton’s famous subterranean granite deposit drew Italian stoneworkers in the early twentieth century, making Elberton’s demographics different from most rural Georgia communities today.

Glass bottles are quite common on historic sites, and we can often find interesting specimens at flea markets or in antique stores. This website, sponsored by the Society for Historical Archaeology and the Bureau of Land Management, provides detailed information about bottles made in the USA (and some from Canada) between about 1800 through the 1950s.

Dick Brunelle has revealed the answer to the challenge he posed to readers almost two months ago, since no one logged in and submitted the answer. He asked people who made a brick he saw in LaGrange with “LACLEDE KING” stamped on it. As a tease, he noted: The brick is more closely related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, than it is to covered bridges in Georgia. Ed. note: You must read the full story; it’s wonderful!

Identify the maker of a brick GAAS and SGA member Dick Brunelle found and photographed at Hills and Dales, the Callaway family plantation near LaGrange, and shown in the picture to the left.

Dick even gives two hints to make this puzzle easier….

Southern Research has recently carried out a number of projects in Georgia that may be of interest to the members of SGA. Barnes Cemetery Relocation, Bibb County The Barnes Cemetery was first recorded in 2007 during a reconnaissance for the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority conducted by Southern Research. The reconnaissance was required by a site certification [...]

Manufacturer’s names on products like bricks allow us to reconstruct trade relationships across regions like Southeastern North America.

View of part of the Roswell Mill ruins from the end of the tailrace. TRC recently completed archaeological monitoring at the 1854 Roswell Manufacturing Company ruins (9FU205) in the City of Roswell’s Vickery Creek Mill Park, in conjuntion with work to make the site accessible to the public. Dr. Jim D’Angelo, our resident industrial archaeology [...]

The Georgia Mountains Chapter continues with the members’ interest and research into the Gainesville limestone and lime production industry. Most work lately has been into the historic records of the industry in the Gainesville area, and crews have revisited the kiln reported here earlier, and found additional constructions in the vicinity. Some members are also [...]

The GMAS Archaeology Chapter met on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at the home of Jon Hoekstra, professor at Gainesville College, and resident of Chicopee Mill Village, which is adjacent to Chicopee Woods. Jon hikes in the woods and often ambles along stream beds in the area in search of interesting flora and fauna. One day [...]

Southern Research, Historic Preservation Consultants, Inc. has conducted historical research and field survey of a tract in Fort Gaines along the Chattahoochee River. Our research included a search of Georgia’s Historic Preservation Division’s National Register of Historic Places files, the Georgia Archaeological Site Files, The Georgia Department of Archives and History’s Virtual Archives, and the [...]

Members of the Bulloch Hall Archaeology Society, the SGA Chapter based in Roswell, organized a cleanup workday at Roswell Mill, on 11 January 2003. It was a bit cold, but, thankfully, sunny. All photographs are copyright Michael Shirk.