20210453 Ver 1_10_PA 16-11-0005 No Archaeological Survey Req Form R-5768 US 311 NC 65 Walnut Cove Stokes_20220627

Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY REQUIRED FORM
This form only pertains to ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES for this project. It is not
valid for Historic Architecture and Landscapes. You must consult separately with the
Historic Architecture and Landscapes Group.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Project No: R-5768 County: Stokes
WBS No: 44670.1.1 Document: Ce
F.A. No: 007) Funding: State Federal
Federal Permit Required? Yes No Permit Type: nw
Project Description: NCDOT proposes improvements to the NC 65 intersection at SR 1928 (Stokesburg
Road) and US 311 in Walnut Cove, Stokes County. A portion of Norfolk Southern Railroad will be crossed.
In addition to general intersection improvements, US 311 and NC 65 will be realigned, including some new
location on NC 65. This is federally funded and permitted project, therefore, the undertaking falls under
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for purposes of archaeological review.
The Area of Potential Effects for the project are based on a wider, general project study area which can be
further refined to a more specific APE based on proposed alignments. The project length is noted as 0.4
miles, or about 2100 feet. ROW will vary, likely 60, 100 or 150 feet, depending on location. In general,
this review considers the entire wider project study area, though it focuses on construction areas within the
alignment as the APE (see Figures 1 and 2). In any case, the observations, comments and recommendations
provided with this form would likely apply within the broader area in case new design alternatives area
introduced. Note, much of the project area involves developed parcels which area expected to have urban
and infrastructure related disturbances.
Note, this review incorporates a small section of new study area as part of the APE, a railroad crossing at
Plant Street..
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
This undertaking involves improvements to existing transportation features and the inclusion by
realignment of new roadway for NC 65 approaching from the south. Much of the APE is already majorly
altered by modern urbanization, including transportation features (roads, rail), business and parking lots,
residences and modified landscaping, and utilities. Improvements to the existing roadways involves both
old and new ROW. The new location realignment of NC 65 passes across a modified but low density
business and residential parcels.
USGS mapping (Walnut Cove) and aerial photography was studied (see Figures 1 and 2). The project area
along US 311 and NC 65 passes through a portion of Walnut Cove, a small town that appears to be mainly
developed in the middle to late twentieth century. On the south side of Town Creek Fork and the railroad,
this southern portion of town is somewhat removed from central downtown of Walnut Cove. The rolling
topography includes hilltops and hillsides, but also more level terrain near the rail bed and creek floodplain.
Soil types include Clover-Urban land complex (CrB), making up a about two thirds of the APE. Other soils
are the Clover fine sandy loam (increasing sloped from 2-8 to 15-25 percent slopes; CfB, CfC, and CfD).
A small amount of Dan River and Comus Soils (DaA 0-4 percent slopes), is present along the creek.
Generally, the soils data provides some insight for archaeological site probability, though it is not as
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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16-11-0005
informative in this case, due to the types but also the town setting. The urban-classified soils are typically
developed and have undergone notable modification which reduces the probability for encountering intact,
significant resources. Sloped soils are less attractive for sustained human activity, therefore are much less
likely to contain recognizable archaeological sites.
Virtual drive-by was available on Google Maps and Bing Maps. The inspection confirms the modified,
disturbed nature of the APE. Pockets of less disturbed soil may exist around the residences, but they are
small. Evidence of previous street configurations were noted, further disturbance within the APE. Further,
new housing has been constructed within the APE, resulting in the mechanized clearing of lots. A cemetery
is present in the project vicinity that is associated with the Stokesburg United Methodist Church, though it
is outside of the study area and archaeological APE and will not be impacted by the project.
Several historic maps of Guilford County were examined. This portion of Walnut Cove had many changes
during the last third of the twentieth century according to sequential USGS maps. Notably, the McAlster
Street intersection with NC 65 has different configurations since 1971 (USGS mapping, Walnut Cove;
1971, 1977, 1986, 1996). Likewise, the crossing of the railroad tracks near the US 311, NC 65 and
Stokesburg Road has changed since 1996 when USGS mapping shows it still east of the current crossing,
parallel with Stokesburge Road and crossing at an angle.
The Stokes County Soil Map, from the first third of the twentieth century (1934 MC.090.1934u), shows
no buildings near the railroad crossing. Most of the existing structures there were built in the middle to late
century. The spur RR line is present on that mapping. Interestingly, the railroad crossing is depicted in the
1930s as being similar to the existing, modern crossing (though USGS mapping above showed a different
crossing during at least 1970-1996 before reverting back in more recent times).
A number of environmental reviews for archaeology are on record with the NC Office of State Archaeology
near the project area (CH02-0461, CH05-0726, ER 00-8674, ER 88-7728, ER 15-2207). These project
included sewage lines and other undertakings. Some, were surveyed though few archaeological sites were
recorded. Of known archaeological sites, 31Sk156 is close by, near the United Methodist Church, and
consisted of primary lithic debitage. Another site, 31Sk159, is close to Plant Street (which requires
improvement to the rail crossing for use during the main project construction) though it appears to have
been destroyed during construction of a shopping center in the 1980s. That site yielded, according to the
site description, woodland and archaic chipped stone projectile points, including a Palmer type, and a
"petrified log." No impacts are expected to any known archaeological sites.
The project location was inspected by NCDOT staff archaeologist on January 18, 2017. The project APE
was walked over and photographed. Conditions were confirmed to be heavily modified. Along the
relocation of NC 65, some new houses have been constructed. Otherwise, the new location crosses
established yards with sizable outbuildings and slopes that suggests sites would not be present. Some
exposed soils showed erosion on the hillsides. The majority of the project has been modified, lessening
chance for encountering intact, significant archaeological resources.
As a result of this review and inspection, we conclude that the likelihood of encountering intact, NRHP-
eligible resources are very low based on the nature of undertaking within a largely disturbed context. The
project should be considered compliant with Section 106. No archaeological survey is recommended for
this undertaking as currently proposed.
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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Brief Explanation of why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting
that there are no unidentified historic properties in the APE:
More than a century of existing disturbances, old and new, and less than ideal landforms for habitation and
site preservation are all contributing factors in the recommendation for no archaeological survey.
Therefore, this federally funded undertaking should be considered compliant with Section 106.
SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
See attached: Map(s) Previous Survey Info Photos Correspondence
Photocopy of County Survey Notes Other:
FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST
NO ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED
5/03/2017
NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST Date
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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Figure 1. Vicinity of PA 16-11-0005, Improvements of the US 311 and NC 65 intersection at the
Norfolk Southern Railroad Crossing. The APE is overlaid on an excerpt of USGS mapping
(Walnut Cove) and shown in yellow.
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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Figure 2. Aerial map of the R-5768 project area. The APE is shown in yellow and includes
additional consideration for Plant Street towards the bottom left of the image.