Fish and Wildlife Journal

(Return matching records with ALLANY of these words.) 		  
................................................................
state   
regions   
................................................................
Clickable FWS Regional Map of US
................................................................
HOME
Journal Entry   Back
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Works with Partners to Preserve Archaeological Resources
Midwest Region, April 20, 2005
Print Friendly Version
The lower Saginaw Valley has been a central place for human habitation in the Saginaw Bay area for more than 6,000 years. In fact, the Saginaw Valley has more documented archaeological sites than any other comparable region in Michigan. The area that is now within the refuge was an important hunting and gathering area for many early cultures, and later Native American tribes like the Odawa and Ojibwa. Consequently, significant cultural resources are present on the refuge. However, these resources are threatened by fluvial and cultural erosion and are vulnerable to illegal collection.

Shiawassee NWR is entering its seventh year of working in cooperation with Jeffrey Sommer of the Historical Society of Saginaw County to study and preserve its archaeological resources. Over 240,000 artifacts have been retrieved and cataloged, including ceramics, stone tools, bone artifacts, copper artifacts, fire-cracked rock, and a variety of plant and animal remains. Prehistoric artifacts representing Middle and early Late Woodland occupations (ca. AD 0 - 1000) predominate. However, Late Archaic through Early Woodland period (ca. 3000 - 100 BC) artifacts and several Late Woodland and Late Prehistoric (ca. AD 1000 ? European contact) items are also present in the recovered assemblages. All artifacts, field notes, and associated materials are curated in the archaeological repository of the Historical Society of Saginaw County per Cooperative Agreement. Through this project, Shiawassee NWR is garnering more complete information about its archeological resources than any other refuge in Region 3.

Contact Info: Midwest Region Public Affairs, 612-713-5313, charles_traxler@fws.gov



Send to:
From:

Notes:
..........................................................................................
USFWS
Privacy Disclaimer Feedback/Inquiries U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bobby WorldWide Approved