20191555 Ver 1_B36 - Cherokee County - Archaeology Clearance_20191112

Project Tracking No. (Internal Use)
11-08-0404
NO SURVEY REQUIRED FORM
PROJECT INFORMATION
Project No: Str# 190036 County: Cherokee
WBS No: 17BP.14.R.61 Document: Minimum Criteria Sheet
F.A. No: na Funding: ® State ❑ Federal
Federal (USACE) Permit Required? ® Yes ❑ No Permit Type: NWP 3 or 14
Project Description:
The project calls for the replacement of Bridge No. 36 on SR 1384 (Webb Creek Road) over Webb Creek.
The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project is defined as a 600 foot (182.88 m)
long corridor running 300 feet (91.44 m) north and 300 feet (91.44 m) south along SR 1384 from the
center of Bridge No. 36. The corridor is approximately 150 feet (45.72 m) wide extending 75 feet (22.86
m) east and 75 feet (22.86 m) west from the present center of SR 1384.
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
Bridge No. 36 is north of Andrews on the southern slope of the Snowbird Mountains in the western
portion of Cherokee County, North Carolina. The bridge is plotted on the Andrews USGS 7.5'
topographic quadrangle (Figure 1).
A map review and site file search was conducted at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on September
9, 2011. No previously recorded archaeological sites have been identified within the presently defined
APE or adjacent to the APE, but three sites (310E99, 310E100, and 310E115) are within a mile radius of
the project area. In addition, no existing National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), State Study Listed
(SL), Locally Designated (LD), Determined Eligible (DE), or Surveyed Site (SS) properties are within or
adjacent to the APE. Topographic maps, USDA soil survey maps, aerial photographs (Google and
NCDOT), and historic maps (North Carolina maps website) were utilized to gage environmental factors
that may have contributed to historic or prehistoric settlement within the project limits, and to assess the
level of modern, residential, hydrological, and other erosive type disturbances within the surrounding
archaeological APE. An archaeological reconnaissance survey was conducted on October 19, 2011, to
help assess the project area.
Bridge No. 36 crosses Webb Creek roughly north to south (Figure 2). The creek flows south into the
Valley River and is part of the Hawasse drainage basin. The project area is almost entirely slope with SR
1384 cut into the hillside. A small bench or terrace is located southwest of the bridge and appears to have
been used as a modern camp site. An old school bus and campfire pit are located on the landform.
Shovel test probes revealed that only a thin layer of topsoil covering a layer of cobbles. The entire project
area is forested with disturbance coming from past road construction. Old road traces are apparent in the
northwest and southeast quadrants.
No modern spatial data from for the Cherokee County soil survey is currently available. Regardless,
slope is well over 15 percent based upon contours generated from Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)
data (see Figure 2). It is unlikely a significant archaeological site would be found on slope greater than 15
percent. Although slope is less than 15 percent along the bench, the shallow soil and lack of vertical
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integrity also makes it unlikely that a significant archaeological site would be encountered on this
landform.
Very few archaeological sites have been recorded near the project area. This is due to the rugged
topography found in the region. Three sites (310E99, 310E100, and 310E115) have been identified to
the east of the project area approximately one mile away. All three were reported by the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979 and 1983 during investigations for the proposed Andrews water
treatment facility and the raw water reservoir along Dan Holland Creek. Site 310E99 is a 19`h to 20`h
century farm trail that runs along the west bank of Dan Holland Creek from SR 1386 to the old Holland
farmstead in the north. The NRHP eligibility for this feature has not been assessed. Site 310E100
consists of two large 6-foot high metal vats used by the Teas Extract Company of Andrews to process
tannic acid for use in tanning skins. It is believed that the site was in use prior to 1956, but no
information is available as to when the site was established. The eligibility of this site is also unassessed.
Site 310E115 is a small Late Archaic and 20`h century residence. It is situated in a mountain meadow at a
confluence of two streams along a broad and level terrace. This site has been recommended as ineligible
for the NRHP. Additional archaeological investigations have also been conducted further to the north on
U.S. Forest Service property, in which only a few insignificant sites have been identified along ridge tops.
These sites are well over a mile away.
Early maps depict no distinguishable features within the project area. The 1906 USGS Nantahala
topographic map and the 1921 soil survey map for Cherokee County show no road or structures alongside
Webb Creek (Figure 3 and 4). But, a road is plotted to the east further up slope. It appears to run along
the crest of the ridge or possibly closer to Moody Branch. This road leads north from just outside of
Andrews and splits before crossing the Snowbird Mountains. The 1926 maps has both roads crossing the
mountains, but the 1906 maps shows only the eastern road successfully making it over. According to the
1906 map, the eastern road joins another road at Little Snowbird Creek on the northern side of the
mountains and follows the stream into the community of Snowbird. It eventually reaches the Cheoah
River further to the north, where it intersects with a road heading southeast into Robbinsville. This
eastern road is mentioned because the 1838 U.S. Army composite map, complied from the 1837 army
field survey of part of the Cherokee Territory, illustrates a Cherokee trail that possibly follows this roads
alignment (Figure 5). The exact location of this original trail is difficult to determine due to the scale and
schematic nature of the 1838 Army map. Whereas the early 20`h century maps have the eastern road
starting outside of the Andrews, the 1838 Army map appears to show the trail starting possibly near the
present day community of Coalville. Although the eastern road with it continual use into the early 20`h
century seems like the most direct and logical route for the trail, it is very possibly it was located further
west. Regardless, it does not appear that the trail followed this portion of Webb Creek within the project
area. The road traces to the northwest and southeast also do not appear on any of the maps. The origin of
these road traces is unknown, but they seem unlikely to be significant.
Brief Explanation of why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting
that there are no unidentified historic properties in the APE:
The defined archaeological APE for the proposed replacement of Bridge No. 36 is located primarily along
the hillside adjacent to Webb Creek. A small terrace or bench is also present, but shovel test probes
revealed only a thin layer of soil with no prospects of intact deposits. It is unlikely intact and significant
archaeological sites will be present in this area due to slope greater than 15 percent and the small extent of
the proposed bridge replacement at its existing location, which should only cause minor impacts to
undisturbed properties. The historic maps also suggest that is unlikely for any historic features to be
present within the APE. As long as impacts to the subsurface occur within the defined APE, no further
archaeological work is recommended for the replacement of Bridge No. 36 in Cherokee County. If
construction should affect subsurface areas beyond the defined APE, further archaeological consultation
will be necessary.
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SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
See attached: Map(s), Previous Survey Info, Photos, Correspondence, Photocopy of notes from county
survey.
FINDING BY NCDOT CULTURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL NO SURVEY REQUIRED
ARCHAEOLOGY HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE (CIRCLE ONE)
10/26/ 11
NCDOT Cultural Resources Specialist Date

11-08-0104
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11-08-0104
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Figure 2. Aerial photograph showing topography and development within the project area.
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11-08-0104
Figure 3. 1906 USGS Nantahala topographic map showing the approximate location of the project area.
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Figure 4. The 1921 soil survey map of Cherokee County showing the approximate location of the project
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11-08-0104
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Figure 5. Section of 1838 Army map indicating location of Cherokee trail and possible locations of the
project area.
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