Michigan Archaeology Day

Hey Buddy! Raegan here, and just as excited about archaeology as ever! On October 13^th, the Fort St. Joseph team and I were able to go to Michigan Archaeology Day and discuss some of the research that we have been working on. When we first got to the Michigan History Center and set up our table it was really neat to see how everything was thoughtfully organized. For example, the Fort St Joseph booth was placed near the French fur trade exhibits and the flint knapping demonstration was placed near the geological exhibits.

Earning bronze throwing an atlatl!

During the day it was really cool to sit at the table and have the public, as well as other archeologists, stop by and get to know a little bit about the Project. Everyone that came by was really interest in the artifacts and the history behind the fort. They asked a lot of questions about what made Fort St. Joseph special and how the fort was discovered. There was also a scavenger hunt for the kids and our table was one of the stops along the way. The kids had to stop by and ask a thoughtful question before they got an archaeology themed key chain (they were actually super cute and I definitely didn’t grab an extra for my own keys).

I also had a chance to go around to the different booths and check out what other archaeologists from around the state were working on. The flint knapping booth was one of the cooler demonstrations and showed how many different stone tools were made. Knapping is a chipping method used to make stone tools with a hammer stone and can be used on many different types of stone, not just flint. There was also a station outside where visitors were able to throw atlatls! I took a couple of shots at it and no big deal, but if it was an Olympic sport, I would at least take the bronze. There were lots of other booths set up that showcased different excavations all over the state and it was really cool to see just how much archaeological work is happening so close!

One of the major highlights of the event was a presentation on the Edmund Fitzgerald by Chris Winters from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. It was a really interesting to see his perspective of the Edmund Fitzgerald and how that played a part in his book The Legend Lives On. Overall, Michigan Archaeology Day was a really terrific experience and I am so glad that I was able to attend. It was a great chance to show off all of the cool work that we’ve been doing and get to see what else is happening in the world of archaeology! A big thanks to everyone that came out to Lansing and stopped by!

See ya later, buddies!

Raegan