The 14th Annual Midwest Historical Archaeology Conference

Dr. Nassaney delivering his lecture at the MHAC.
 Photo by Stacey Camp.

The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project was well represented at the 14^th Annual Midwest Historical Archaeology Conference in Chicago, IL, October 19-20, 2018. The conference theme, "Contested Sites in Archaeological and Contemporary Contexts", was an opportunity to hear presentations on various sites and projects in which alternate interpretations co-exist. Among the FSJAP veterans in attendance were Amelia Harp, Aaron Howard, Gary Thompson, and myself.

Amelia Harp’s presentation, “Cross-Cultural Concerns in Collaborative Contexts,” was based on her M.A. practicum completed at Georgia State University earlier this year. She discussed how collaboration occurs at Fort St. Joseph and the ways in which involvement in the archaeology at the Fort differs between interest groups. She suggested that academics should examine the factors that limit stakeholder involvement, if they aim to be as inclusive as they claim.

I also provided some reflections on collaboration in my presentation “Public Archaeology: A Two-Edged Sword?” While archaeology has benefited from increasing public interest and involvement, public participation in and opinions about archaeology can heighten the likelihood of divergent interpretations of the past and lead to contestation. I briefly discussed two case studies in which local constituents rejected my archaeological efforts and their results. I concluded that it is difficult for archaeologists to be accountable to all the publics they potentially serve when various groups hold different and competing values.

The Pullman Clock Tower (1880) at the Pullman National Monument.
Photo by Rebecca Graff. 

After our presentations on Saturday morning, we spent the afternoon touring contested sites in Chicago. Jackson Park was home to the 1893 Columbian Exposition and has been chosen as the site of the new Obama Presidential Center. Those is favor of the Center at this location appear to be less concerned with the nineteenth-century heritage that will be destroyed by construction. The Pullman National Monument is another place where divergent histories can be constructed due to the diversity of people who occupied this industrial town and the interests of a wide range of preservationists. Work at this site will soon commemorate Pullman and his workers of all nationalities and racialized groups.

Those of us on the tour braved stiff winds, rain, and even a little snow to see these sites and discuss the contested histories they endanger. The conference underscored the idea that many people are interested in heritage, though often for different reasons. Conflicts are most likely to be resolved when relations of trust can be built and lines of communication are left open.

Michael S. Nassaney, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

Western Michigan University