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Mackinaw City, Mich. — October is Michigan archaeology month, and as part of this statewide celebration Mackinac State Historic Parks (MSHP) will present “Archaeology Day” at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.

            Join MSHPs’ Curator of Archaeology Dr. Lynn Evans and Michilimackinac archaeologist Lynda Kennard for a 10:30 a.m. walking tour of Colonial Michilimackinac’s rich archaeological sites. The tour will emphasize many displays and structures important to Michilimackinac archaeology, including the powder magazine, which showcases some of the structure’s original timbers that survived the site’s 1781 demolition by fire, the Solomon-Levy House, showcasing fur trade artifacts, and the Treasures of the Sand archaeology exhibit in the tunnel beneath the Northwest Rowhouse. This exciting exhibit houses the most interesting and unique of the parks’ more than 1 million recovered Michilimackinac artifacts.

            At 2:30 p.m. Dr. Evans will present a slide presentation titled Archaeology at Michilimackinac in the church of Ste. Anne de Michilimackinac. This presentation will cover the process of archaeology and the results of this summer’s excavation.

            Colonial Michilimackinac is the site of one of the nation’s longest ongoing archaeological digs, and Michigan’s longest. The project dates back to 1959 when the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the seven-member governing board of MSHP, embraced the need for archaeology before reconstruction of the historic fort and fur trading village. At this time, the commission contracted the Museum of Michigan State University to conduct archaeological digs every summer. In the first summer alone, over 50,000 artifacts were cataloged. In 1970 the Park Commission hired its first staff archaeologist, Dr. Lyle Stone, who in addition to bringing international acclaim to the site through his well researched dissertation FortMichilimackinac: 1715-1781, also set up the parks’ first archaeological lab.   MSHP will be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Colonial Michilimackinac archaeology program in 2009 with special events. Look for more information about these events in early 2009 on MackinacParks.com.

            Much of Colonial Michilimackinac, a national historic landmark, has been reconstructed based on archaeological excavations, including 13 buildings and structures. This fort and fur trading village was founded by the French in 1715. Over the winter of 1779-1780 the fort was dismantled by the British and moved across the Straits of Mackinac to Mackinac Island in order to offer better protection during the American revolution. What wasn’t moved was burned.

 

The fort is depicted today as it was in the 1770s when occupied by the British. Costumed, historic interpreters add “living history” to the site by providing rifle firing, cannon firing, and cooking demonstrations, among many other activities. The reconstructed buildings offer a glimpse back in time with period settings and interactive displays and exhibits. In addition, from June through August, archaeologists perform the archaeological digs where visitors can watch and ask questions.

Mackinac State Historic Parks, a pure Michigan family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Its sites—which are accredited by the American Association of Museums—include Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park, and Historic Downtown on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park in Mackinaw City. Mackinac State Historic Parks is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 to protect, preserve and present the parks’ rich historic and natural resources for the education and recreation of future generations. Visitor information is available at 231-436-4100 or on the web at www.MackinacParks.com.