Greetings!
The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project is a community partnership between Western Michigan University and the City of Niles that is dedicated to exploring the history of New France in the St. Joseph River valley of southwest Michigan. The focus of the project has been the investigation and interpretation of Fort St. Joseph, an eighteenth-century mission, garrison, and trading post that was discovered by Western Michigan University archaeologists in 1998. The Project has since grown to include a variety of voices and participants in planning, implementation, and public outreach. Among the Project’s most active supporters have been the historical re-enactors who often attend our annual open house to portray eighteenth-century life. Through their authentic re-enactments, these volunteers share their knowledge of the past and passion for local history with the public.
Through a generous grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, and long hours of work from volunteers and staff at Western Michigan University, the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project is proud to present its most recent video production: Militia Muster at Fort St. Joseph. This film provides a variety of interviews and perspectives on the art of historical re-enacting, as well as the importance of the archaeological work taking place and what it adds to the historical narratives. We have provided a link to the video below, and encourage any educators, history buffs, and others to make use of the film to enhance their understanding of public archaeology and eighteenth-century life. We thank you for taking the time to view our blog, and hope you take advantage of this resource. For more information about the project, please contact me at the email address provided . Feel free to forward the link to others and tell us what you think about this video. On behalf of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project and the Michigan Humanities Council, thanks for your interest and support!
Sincerely,
Michael Nassaney, Ph.D.
Executive Producer, Militia Muster at Fort St. Joseph
Principal Investigator, Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project
