The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

05/30/2026

We love when former archaeological field school students send us pictures of them working together in the field. We are so proud and happy for them all!

05/13/2026

A few spots remain in the high school and lifelong learners archaeology camps. Participants will learn about archaeology and historic Fort St. Joseph by working alongside WMU archaeologists. Don’t miss this fun learning experience, sign up today!

05/02/2026

Stop by and see us! We will happily tell you about Fort St. Joseph and our current findings.

04/30/2026

Earlier this week, Erika Hartley had an opportunity to visit the Conservation Research Lab at Texas A&M. The visit was set up to drop off two wood posts that were recovered last summer for conservation treatment (more on that project soon 🤩). While she was there, Dr. Chris Dostal, the director, showed her around the lab and she was able to check the on the progress of another project.

You may remember that several knife blades recovered archaeologically from Fort were sent off to the lab earlier this year for conservation thanks to a grant received by the Niles History Center from the America250MI program. During the French manufacturing process, the names or marks of the cutlers were often stamped on the blade. However, this information is not always immediately visible on the blade after 250-300 years in the ground. Fortunately, X-rays can help reveal what lies underneath the corrosion.

04/26/2026

Vote for Michigan!

VOTE FOR MICHIGAN! If you love Michigan, our maritime history, and the intrigue of the Edmund Fitzgerald, we need your help.

Michigan's official state archaeology poster "Twenty-Nine Bells: Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald" has been entered into the Society for American Archaeology's State Archaeology Celebration Poster Contest against posters from more than a dozen other states. Michigan's poster honors the loss of the Fitzgerald through historical photos, information, and original artwork of the ship fighting the waves of Lake Superior.

You can vote today with one click and your email address in less than a minute: https://www.cognitoforms.com/SAA10/_2026StateArchaeologyPosterCelebrationBallot

Learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald and why shipwreck preservation is essential to our understanding of Michigan's past on the poster webpage at https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/archaeology/2025-michigan-archaeology-poster/

04/15/2026

A cancellation has opened up one more spot in our Middle School archaeology camp. It won’t be there long. If you know someone who is interested in attending, fill out an application soon!

There are still openings in the High School and Lifelong Learners camps. Did you know educators can receive credits for participating in the camp? For more information, visit https://wmich.edu/fortstjoseph .

03/23/2026

Dante, a undergraduate and intern for the Niles History Center, was selected by the as the 2026 Presidential Scholar. Dante is an exceptional student who is double majoring in Anthropology and Psychology. He participated in the field school hosted at Fort St. Joseph this last summer and his honors thesis will focus on our findings in the southwestern area of the site. Congratulations Dante!

03/18/2026

To learn more about recreation at Fort St. Joseph, Kierra, a undergraduate and intern with the Niles History Center, has been researching mouth harps recovered archaeologically. Kierra is using the typology developed by Gjermund Kolltviet (2016) during the analysis, which examines the method of manufacture, shape of the cross-section, shape of the bow/head, arm length, and overall length. Five of the eight mouth harps that have been found are featured in the picture, representing three types: Horsens, Kransen, and Stafford.

01/20/2026

We are now accepting applications for WMU’s Archaeological Field School! More information about the field school and our project can be found on our website: wmich.edu/fortstjoseph. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].