Digging up the past at NAL
Early in January, Prof. Stuart Struever, of Northwesten University's department of anthropology, proposed that a yard-by-yard survey be made of the NAL grounds for prehistoric sites. He noted that no area of the type such as NAL's 6,800 acres in north eastern Illinois ever had been properly surveyed by anthropologists and archaeologists. Much could be learned about buffalo hunting camps, agricultural base camps and transitory Indian tribes that once were apparently present in this general geographic region, Prof. Struever suggested.
Dr. Struever proposed that, as soon as the snow left the ground, a walking survey be started of the NAL site after development of a tightly-knit grid system that any historical item that might be found could be identified later as to the precise location of its discovery, etc. He urged NAL employees and others who find artifacts on the site to note exactly where they were located so that their discovery could be correlated with other data.
Through the years, there has been relatively little, if any, systematic exploration of the Fox River Valley by scholars although it promises to be an interesting sector because of its proximity to high points in land, water and fertile grounds. Time is fleeting for archaeological "digs" in this area as suburbia expands and major construction developments such as new factories and highways proceed.
With the encouragement of Dr. Robert R. Wilson, NAL's director, a group of archaeologists from Northwestern University now is conducting a survey of NAL land to locate and analyze remains of prehistoric Indian settlements in the area. To date, they have located a few areas which seem to be small hunting camps, perhaps inhabited for a day or two by a small band of Indians. They are hoping to locate several more as the survey proceeds.
Two of the archaeologists, Ann Early, of Massachusetts, a graduate student advisor, and Susan Howser, are on the site nearly every working day. They would be glad to meet with any NAL staff members to talk about what they have found to date -- and what the prospects are of finding artifacts at a later date. Phase One of their activities will end in the month of June.
"Because the remains from the sites already discovered have been widely scattered and a positive identification of sites is more difficult than under ordinary conditions, the archaeologists have asked for, and I would like to declare, a one month moratorium on collecting activities on NAL land except for certain areas.Those of you who just can't wait and want to do collecting during this period should stop at the Archaeology House (former Mensing Farm on south side of Batavia Road between main gate and village entrance) between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. or 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. any day, to find out what areas are excepted from the moratorium."
