Archaeological Survey and Testing at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia

: An archaeological survey was carried out at Hunter Army Airfield in order to determine at what times and in what ways earlier cultures used this area. Nine sites were located. The earliest is a small campsite briefly occupied by Native Americans of the Deptford culture sometime between 500 B.C. and 700 A. D. A second Indian site is a shellfish gathering camp in the saltmarsh by the Little Ogeechee, occupied by people of the Savannah culture sometime between 1000 and 1400 A.D. Seven historic period sites, established between 1775 and 1850 and occupied for varying lengths of time, were also found. These appear to have been small, rural farmsteads, probably occupied by tenants rather than landowners. The Hunter area was sparsely settled until recent years due to poor drainage which discouraged both residential and agricultural uses of the land. More extensive archaeological research was carried out at one historic site which was threatened by the planned widening of White Bluff Road. It was found that no important information will be lost and Construction can be allowed to proceed as planned.