Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

Location: Niles, MI 49120, USA

Season: June 25, 2020 to August 14, 2020

Application Deadline: March 20, 2020

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://wmich.edu/fortstjoseph/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Western Michigan University and the City of Niles, Michigan

Project Director:
Dr. Michael Nassaney

Project Description:

Western Michigan University will host its 45th annual archaeological field school in partnership with the City of Niles under the auspices of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project, an award-winning, community-based research program aimed at investigating and interpreting the 18th century French trading post of Fort St. Joseph. Discovered in 1998, the site has yielded significant evidence of colonial life on the frontier of New France in the form of domestic, commercial, and religious artifacts; architectural remains and other features; and a well-preserved assemblage of plant and animal remains. Students receive training in site survey, excavation, data recovery, recordation, artifact identification, curation, community outreach, and public interpretation. In addition, enrolled students have the opportunity to assist in training middle/high school students and lifelong learners in archaeological techniques, thereby reinforcing their own learning. They also benefit from attending a public lecture series and participating in preparations for an archaeology open house in which they present their findings to a public audience of all ages. The 2020 field school will work to identify further architectural evidence at the Fort and search for other archaeological remains associated with fur trade activities in the region.

Period(s) of Occupation: 18th-Century French Colonial Archaeology

Notes:
Registration in the field school is open to all University students in good standing. Students can earn 6 college credits for the cost of WMU tuition and a $500 course fee that covers transportation, equipment, and housing. Out of state tuition will apply. Applications are available through Western Michigan University after January 6, 2020.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Room and Board Arrangements:
The field school's tuition will cover room and board. Students will be staying staying in a rented space at the field station in Niles, Michigan.