Archaeology Just Around the River Bend

By Naomi Washington 

    On Wednesday, July 17th, Dr. John Chenoweth from the University of Michigan-Dearborn delivered a lecture at the Niles District Library about the Battle of River Raisin. The River Raisin Archaeology Project has similar goals to that of our research at Fort St. Joseph, to tell the stories of historic lives that went largely unrecorded. The accounts of the occupation of River Raisin pick up chronologically after records of Fort St. Joseph cut off, giving us an idea of what might have been occurring simultaneously in the stretch of time that is left unanswered in later records of Fort St. Joseph. 

     In both settlements the commodity of settling near a river was economically and socially strategic. Today, we see rivers and other natural bodies of water as beautiful scenic additions to our parks and hiking trails. From the banks we can look for tadpoles and skip the perfect rock across the water surface, or we equip a kayak for a relaxing float downstream and optimistically cast out a fishing line for the afternoon. While we might take every opportunity to enjoy the water features that surround us, the uses are mostly recreational. In the 18th and 19th centuries, contrarily, settlement by rivers like the St. Joseph and River raisin were critical decisions of survival and prosperity. 

Artist's rendition of the River Raisin site (Tim Kurtz)

     Economically, rivers were highly valued transportation routes before the industrial boom of railways and highways, making settlements along the river into trading hubs that not only connected continental merchants, but also international materials that could be traded with other domestic goods. Rivers were also sources for irrigation, an essential agricultural technique that supported many local economies. Socially, rivers influenced settlement patterns like at the River Raisin where land was distributed intentionally to give settlers a portion of river front property. The encourages population growth and, consequently, cultural exchange near waterways. The collective reliance on rivers as a resource fostered a sense of community among the European settlers. Further, Native Americans, such as the Potawatomi and Miami tribes at the St. Joseph River, saw the river as a source of spiritual connection. The river connected them to their ancestors and was a crucial part of a tribe's identity. Unfortunately, with the arrival of Europeans came the displacement of many Native settlements from these sacred waterways. 

Some of the many French forts along
Great Lakes waterways 
(Western Michigan University)

     During the lecture, Dr. Chenoweth expressed that one of the goals of archaeology at highly trafficked trading sites is to gain insight into the beginnings of globalization. Due to the crucial role of rivers and waterways in the transportation and trade of goods from merchants in a range of industries, it is reasonable to credit river front settlements like Fort St. Joseph and River Raisin with the facilitation of the emergence of far reaching globalization. By enabling trade, cultural exchange between groups and agricultural success, rivers served as the foundation of an increasingly connected world. As archaeologists, a better undertstanding of the beginnings of globalization deepens our collective understanding of early interactions and the exponential repurcussions throughout history.