An Archaeological Study of Willbrook, Oatland, and Turkey Hill Plantations, Waccamaw Neck, Georgetown County, S.C
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AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF WILLBROOK, OP,TLAND, AND TURKEY HILL PLANTATIONS, WACCAMAW NECK, GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA ~ I [l.I..A-A(; .A1.~CLEOL ...... " - £5 CHICORA FOUNDATION RESEARCH SERIES 11 AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF WILLBROOK, OATLAND, AND TURKEY HILL PLANTATIONS, WACCAMAW NECK, GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. RESEARCH SERIES 11 Michael Trinkley, Editor Contributors: Colin Brooker Debi Hacker Wesley K. Hall Rowena Nylund Michael Trinkley Gordon P. Watts, Jr. Chicora Foundation, Inc. Post Office Box 8664 Columbia, South Carolina .• September 1987 ISSN 0882-2042 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data An Archaeological study of Willbrook, Datland, and Turkey Hill Plantations, Waccamaw Neck, Georgetown County, S . C. I contributors , Col in Brooker ... ret al .l. p . cm. -- (Research series / Chicora Foundation, Inc., ISSN 0882-2042 ; 11) Bib1 iography : p. $15 . 00 1. Georgetown County (S.C. )--Antiquities. 2 . Willbrook Plantation Site (S.C.) 3. Datland Plantation Site (S.C.) 4 . Turkey Hi 11 Plantation Site (S.C.) 5. Excavations (Archaeology)--South Carol ina--Georgetown County. 6 . Plantat i on 1 ife--South Caro l ina -Georgetown County--History . 7. South Carolina--Antiquities . I. Brooker, Co 11 n. II. Se l" i es: Research ser i e:; (Ch i cora Foundat i on ) ; 1 1 . F277.G35A73 1987 975.7 ' 89--dc19 87-27810 CIP r One must not love sometimes only, for a passing moment, but always. There is no man who doth not sometimes love; even the wicked can do that. -- Fyodor Dostoevsky i ABSTRACT This study represents a preliminary historical and archaeological survey of the 2400 acre Willbrook Plantation development, situated in the north central portion of the Waccamaw Neck , just south of Brookgreen Gardens in Georgetown County , South Carolina. Previous work , conducted by Dr. Larry Lepionka on the development tract in 1984 , 1985 , and 1986, located and tested 11 archaeological sites. The pr imary purpose of this study is to assess these previously identifi ed . --- sites, conduct spot checks on the 2400 acres for additional sites, and incorporate historical, architectural, and underwater archaeological investigations. Secondary goals are to examine the relationship between aboriginal and historic settlement patterns and soil types, to examine the d i versity of the aboriginal occupation and associated pottery, and to evaluate the degree of diversity in the archaeological remains from the three plantations. As a result of the corraborative survey conducted by Chicora an additional 26 archaeological sites were defined , almost entirely through non-systematic reconnaissance level pedestrian surveys. Data on potential high probability areas, useful for future archaeological surveys, is generated by this study and the historical findings are compared to previous research on nearby plantations. Of the 37 identified terrestrial archaeologi cal sites, 17 are primarily historic sites, 19 are primarily prehistoric, and one contains equal prehistoric and historic components . Of these, 14 sites (three prehistoric and 11 historic) are recommended as eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The underwater study has identified one site , which includes the remains of several historic construction features associated with the main Turkey Hill plantation canal. This si te is probably eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The - architectural study examined eight structures or structural remains on the plantation and two are recommended as eligible for inclusion in the National Register . - ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables . v List of Figures . vi Acknowledgements . .. .. vii Introduction .. Michael Trinkley .............1 r Background Scope and Goals Curation Natural Setting Michael Trinkley ••••••• 0 • •• 11 Climate Geology and Soils Florestics Prehistoric Overview .. Michael Trinkley ......... 20 Previous Archaeology Archaeological Synthesis Historic Overview . Rowena Nylund . .35 Historical Overview of the Waccamaw Neck A Brief Sketch of the Allstons History of Willbrook, Oatland, and Turkey Hill Research Strategy and Methods .. Michael Trinkley ..... 60 Introduction Field Survey Site Tests Laboratory Methods and Analysis Identified Terrestrial Sites and Their Significance Michael Trinkley ................. 70 38GE291, Willbrook Slave Settlement 38GE292, Willbrook Plantation 38GE293, Oatland Cemetery 38GE294, Oatland Settlement 38GE295, Oatland "Industrial" Site 38GE296, Turkey Hill Prehistoric Site 38GE297, Turkey Hill Mainland Site 38GE298, Turkey Hill Island East Settlement 38GE299, Turkey Hill Plantation 38GE300, Allston Cemetery 38GE301, Willbrook Tenant Site 38GE336 38GE337 38GE338 38GE339 -, 38GE340 38GE341 38GE342 38GE343 38GE344 38GE345 38GE346 38GE347 38GE348 38GE349 iii 38GE350 38GE351 38GE352 38GE353 38GE354 38GE355 38GE356 38GE357 38GE358 38GE359 38GE360 38GE361, Oatland Church Preliminary Architectural Survey .. Colin Brooker .... 146 Introduction Survey of Buildings Conclusion Remote Sensing Reconnaissance and Assessment of the Willbrook Canal .. Gordon P. watts, Jr. and Wesley K. Hall .. 158 Introduction Site Locations and Conditions Research Methods Findings Conclusions Conclusions . Michael Trinkley . .16~ Appendix 1. Deep Creek Pottery Type Descriptions. Michael Trinkley . .176 Appendix 2. Metric Analyses of Projectile Points .....180 References . .......181 .• ~ iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Sites reported by Fogg-Amed . .. .22 2. Artifact pattern analysis for 38GE291 . .. .. 73 3. Various archaeological patterns ........... 74 4. Mean ceramic date for 38GE291 .. .. .75 5. Willbrook house and rubble piles artifact patterns .. 80 6. Mean ceramic date for the Willbrook Plantation house ruins ....................... 80 7. Artifact pattern analysis for the Will brook Plantation rubble piles . 81 8. Artifact pattern analysis for the Willbrook kitchen .82 9 . Mean ceramic date for the Willbrook kitchen ..... 83 10. Artifact pattern analysis for Willbrook Structure C .84 11. Mean ceramic date for Willbrook Structure C ..... 85 12. Artifact pattern analysis for the Oatland Settlement .94 13. Mean ceramic date for the Oatland Settlement ..... 96 14. Artifact pattern analysis for the Oatland "Industrial" site ........................ 98 15. Mean ceramic date for the Oatland "Industrial" site .99 16. Prehistoric sherds from 38GE294 and 38GE296 ..... 102 17. Prehistoric sherds from 38GE296 ........... 103 18. Artifacts recovered from the Turkey Hill Mainland site ........................ 106 19. Mean ceramic date for the Turkey Hill Mainland site .107 20. Artifact pattern analysis of the Turkey Hill Island East site ..................... 109 21. Mean ceramic date for the Turkey Hill Island East site. .. .......... 110 22. Artifact pattern analysis of Turkey Hill Plantation .118 23. Mean ceramic date for Turkey Hill Plantation ..... 119 24. Artifacts recovered from the Willbrook Tenant site .. 124 25. Mean ceramic date for the Willbrook Tenant site .125 26. Mean ceramic date for 38GE336 . .. ... 126 27. Historic artifacts recovered from 38GE337 ...... 128 28. Mean ceramic date for 38GE337 . .. ... 128 29. Historic artifacts recovered from 38GE340 ......131 30. Mean ceramic date for 38GE340 . .. .. 131 31. Artifacts recovered from 38GE345 . .. ..... 134 32. Artifacts recovered from 38GE348 ........... 137 33. Artifacts recovered from 38GE350 . ... 139 34. Magnetic anomalies at Willbrook Canal, 38GE335 . .163 35. Summary of identified sites . .. .170 -. v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Willbrook Plantation area .............. 2 2. Territory of the Winyah and Waccamaw Indians ..... 30 3 . Chronology of the Woodland and Protohistoric periods .34 4. 1732 plat of the Willbrook marshes .......... 42 5. 1733 lands on the northwest bank of the Waccamaw .44 6. 1798 plat of Willbrook Plantation . .. .50 - 7. 1872 plat of Will brook Plantation . .. .54 -- 8. 1919 plat of Oatland and Turkey Hill plantations ... 57 9. 1931 plat of Willbrook, Oatland, and Turkey Hill plantations ................... 59 10. Willbrook survey. .. .65 11. Enlarged view of the 1709 Willbrook Plantation complex . .. 0 •••• 71 12. Willbrook Plantation complex, 38GE292 ........ 77 13. 1895 Willbrook Plantation house . .. 79 14. Tombstone of Albert Doctor, 38GE293 ......... 80 15. Oatland Cemetery, 38GE293 .............. 89 16. Archaeological sites 38GE294 and 38GE295 ........93 17. Turkey Hill Mainland site, 38GE297 .......... lOS 18. Turkey Hill Plantation, 38GE299 . .. .... 114 19. Distribution of historic artifacts at Turkey Hill Plantation, 38GE299 ................ 115 20. Distribution of brick at Turkey Hill Plantation, 3 8 GE 2 9 9 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• ••• l16 21. Allston Cemetery, 38GE300 .............. 121 22. Willbrook Canal, 38GE335 .............. 161 23. Magnetic contour and probe maps of Willbrook Canal .. 164 24. Willbrook Canal floodgates, 38GE335 ....... 166 25. Willbrook Canal Trunk, 38GE335 . ...... l67 26. Deep Creek Series . .. ... .179 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was funded by The Litchfield Company of Easley, South Carolina in the amount of $19,757.50. While the work was conducted at the behest of the Army Corps of Engineers, the S.C. Coastal Council, and the S.C. Department of Archives and History, I wish to thank Steven W. Goggans, Manager of Litchfield Architectural Division at pawleys Island for his support and interest in the history of the Willbrook area. In addition, I wish to thank Andy Thompson, project foreman, for his assistance during