Article Title

Intensive Archeological Survey Of Airport Road - Area 1 City Of Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas

Authors

Caitlin Gulihur
Ann M. Scott

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

The City of Georgetown has proposed the Airport Road – Area 1 project, approximately 3,300 linear feet of improvements to Airport Road in north Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas. The project engineer, Kasberg Patrick and Associates LP, retained Terracon Consultants, Inc. to conduct a systematic, intensive pedestrian survey of the approximate 4.76-acre project area. Because the City of Georgetown, a political subdivision of the State of Texas, sponsored the project, the proposed undertaking is subject to compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas and oversight from the Texas Historical Commission. In addition, the survey meets the standards for compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, should a US Army Corps of Engineer permit be necessary or federal funding be utilized for the project. The cultural resources survey was carried out in advance of ground disturbance under Texas Antiquities Permit Number 8031, issued to Ann M. Scott, PhD, RPA, Principal Investigator. Fieldwork was carried out by Dr. Scott, with assistance from Caitlin Gulihur, MA. Records will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.

The 3,300-linear-foot by 30- to 50-foot wide alignment (4.76 acres) was considered the Area of Potential Effect (APE). Survey of the APE consisted of systematic pedestrian coverage, including discretionary shovel tests. The work was carried out on May 24, 2017. Several linear feet of the project area were agricultural fields and residential yards with ground visibility of up to 90%. Three shovel tests were excavated in areas that had less than 30 percent ground visibility or placed in areas previously undisturbed; no artifacts were observed in these shovel tests. No archaeological sites were recorded or revisited during the course of this survey. No historic properties eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or for designation as a State Antiquities Landmark were identified. It is Terracon’s recommendation that no historic properties will be affected and that the proposed project proceed as currently designed. In the unlikely event that human remains are discovered during construction, construction should cease in the vicinity of the remains and Terracon, the Texas Historic Commission’s Archeology Division, or other proper authorities should be contacted.

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