Fort St. Joseph also hosts its free open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 5, at the corner of Fort and Bond streets in Niles. Attendees can meet Western Michigan University archaeologists working at the archaeological site, observe period demonstrations at the Living History Village, explore ongoing excavations at the site, participate in children’s activities and crafts, view recently uncovered artifacts, listen to period music and participate in period dance, and learn more about technology at Fort St. Joseph, past and present.
About Fort St. Joseph
WMU's Department of Anthropology pinpointed the fort's location during an initial survey in 1998. Excavations began in earnest there in 2002 when WMU began conducting its annual archaeological field school at the fort site. Since then, faculty researchers and students at the University have continued working to uncover and interpret the fort's physical remains.
First established as a mission in the 1680s by French Jesuits, the fort was one of the earliest European settlements in the western Great Lakes region. It was an important part of a chain of settlements that facilitated the fur trade between Native Americans and the French, and took on the roles of garrison and trading post during much of the 18th century.
http://www.wmich.edu/news/2018/07/47845
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