Update from Our Archaeology Intern

Hello everybody, 

Today, I wanted to write to tell you all about my experience over this first semester of working weekends at the Fort St. Joseph Museum in Niles. Since my family and I have lived in Edwardsburg my entire life, I have the fortunate opportunity to not only work and gain experience in the lab as an intern here at WMU, but I also get the experience of working at the Fort St. Joseph Museum. At the museum, we store and display not only artifacts related to Fort St. Joseph but also other artifacts and historical information on the history of Niles, MI, and the surrounding area. Additionally, the building that houses the Fort St. Joseph Museum is a historical carriage house associated with historic Chapin Mansion.

One of my favorite parts about working at the museum is talking to new visitors about the Fort St. Joseph exhibits, as that is where I have the most knowledge. So far, I have had a few people from Berrien Springs and other surrounding towns come to visit the museum for the first time. They have all been fascinated by the artifacts on display. They expressed surprise at how small musket balls are and did not expect to see such items. Additionally, some were unaware that the glass in the 18th century at Fort St. Joseph was not made in Niles but was instead brought in from Europe.

Another aspect of working at the museum that has made it very enjoyable for me is the holiday events that we have put on. So far, we have organized two out of our three major holiday events. Our first one, held on November 18th, was our most successful event, with well over 400 people arriving at the museum to tour the decorated Chapin Mansion. Visitors also had the opportunity to meet live reindeer, Rudolph, the Grinch, and, over next door at the library, they had Santa Claus. It was a very fun event, and many families who had never visited the museum came through to learn about Niles and Fort St. Joseph.

Our second event was for Small Business Saturday. We hosted an open house from 12-2pm at the Chapin Mansion, allowing people to come through, talk to docents, and learn more about the history of the Chapin Mansion while also seeing it decorated for the holidays. Our final event has not happened yet, but it is coming up on December 16th from 4-7pm. We will be having our Evening Open House, where people can come and see the Chapin Mansion and the Fort St. Joseph Museum at night, appreciating the holiday lights on the Chapin Mansion.

In addition, you can visit the Niles History Center Thursdays through Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Tours of the Mansion are held on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 1 pm, and they cost $5 per adult. All individuals aged 18 and younger may attend for free. I work on Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. I hope you come to see me at the museum or at our evening open house. 

As always, thank you for reading.

Carson