• Photo of a person working on archeological dig

    The 2023 Archaeological Field School begins in June. Check out our blog and social media pages for updates.

  • A black and white photo include five men holding a sign that says "support the fort"

    Learning to Dig It. Personal commentary and video from Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Field School.

    View Video
  • woman standing in a snowy scene with snow shoes and warm clothes
  • Floodplain site

    Main floodplain site where the students dig.

  • A gun side plate in the palm of a hand

    A fragment of a decorative side plate from a French trading gun

News

The 2023 Archaeological Field School application is now available.

If you need any help or support, please reach out to us at coas-iias-fsj@wmich.edu.

Dr. Michael Nassaney, Professor Emeritus, has a recent published article, Reflections on the American Experience in Archaeological Perspective Book Series, in the Historical Archeology Journal. 

2023 Archaeological Field School

The Western Michigan University archaeological field school begins on June 29. Staff and students will provide regular updates on the Project’s blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

APPLY HERE FOR the 2023 Field School

 Archaeology Summer CAMP Program

Sponsored by Western Michigan University and the City of Niles, the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Summer Camp Program provides an opportunity for the public to investigate and interpret the history and archaeology of Fort St. Joseph, an 18th century mission, garrison, and trading post. 

Campers will learn about archaeology and the history of Fort St. Joseph at the Niles District Library. In addition, they will perform lab activities and excavate at the site alongside WMU archaeologists and field school students. Please see the camp flyer for additional details.

Camp Dates & Applications

  • July 17 - 21: Entering Grades 6-12
  • July 24 - 28: Entering Grades 6-12
  • July 31 - August 4: Lifelong Learners and Educators

Registration information can be found at www.nileshistorycenter.org. For questions or more information about the camps, please contact the Project's Public Education Instructor, Tim Bober, at timothy.bober@wmich.edu

2023 SUMMER ARCHAEOLOGY LECTURE SERIES

The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project will host its annual Summer Archaeology Lecture Series on Wednesdays this July and August at 6:00pm in collaboration with the Niles District Library. 

➢  July 19 - Public Archaeology: 25 Years of Community Outreach 

Emily Powell, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Kingman Museum 

Virtual lecture - Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2491953910 

➢  July 26 - Archaeology Matters: Public Archaeology in Michigan and the Significance of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological  Project

Stacy Tchorzynski, Archaeologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources                       

Virtual lecture - Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2491953910 

➢  August 2 - People of the Post: 25 years of Training Public Archaeologists at Fort St. Joseph

Andrew Beaupré, Research Assistant Professor and Station Archeologist, Arkansas Archeological Survey, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 

In-person at the Niles District Library, 620 E Main St., Niles, MI 49120 

2023 Archaeology OPEN HOUSE

Come visit and explore the nationally recognized archaeological site of Fort St. Joseph during the Project’s annual Archaeology Open House! This year our event will be held on August 5-6 from 10 am to 4 pm. More information to come. 

The Fort St. Joseph newsletter

The newsletter includes recent news about archaeology work and research, upcoming events, opportunities to get involved, and alumni of Fort St. Joseph. To subscribe, please fill out this brief form

Videos of Public Archaeology at Fort St. Joseph