Michilimackinac Archaeology 2021 Has Begun
The 63rd archaeological field season at Michilimackinac got underway June 1. This will be the 14th season at the current project, the excavation of House E of the Southeast Rowhouse.
The 63rd archaeological field season at Michilimackinac got underway June 1. This will be the 14th season at the current project, the excavation of House E of the Southeast Rowhouse.
Between 1998 and 2007 Mackinac State Historic Parks excavated the east end unit of the South Southwest Rowhouse. One of the most interesting categories of artifacts excavated at the house was gun parts.
Opening day for Mackinac State Historic Parks’ sites is a little more than two months away, and MSHP staff have been busy readying new tours, exhibits, publications, and more.
Mackinac Island is blessed with a lovely natural harbor. The beach terrace above it has always been a center of activity. Today this area is the business district and Marquette Park. Hundreds of years ago this area was a bustling village.
In 2004, Mackinac State Historic Parks began a long-term project to restore the original buildings at the Old Mackinac Point Light Station and reconstruct the missing elements.
The second half of the archaeological field season had similar themes to the first half (see the first half recap here). Again, the most interesting artifact came from the central root cellar.
Halfway through the archaeology season we have found some interesting artifacts, the end of some features, and more questions. The root cellar in the southeast corner of the house has
Watching the sawmill operate is one of the highlights of a visit to Historic Mill Creek. Seeing the original grist mill stones reunited in the American Millwright’s House is the result of good historical detective work. However, milling was the not the only enterprise at Mill Creek.
After a very long wait, MSHP archaeologists were excited to remove the straw and plastic sheeting from the archaeological site and begin preparing the site for excavation.
