Fort St. Joseph receives Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation
NILES, Mich.—Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project and the city of Niles has been awarded the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation.
“These awardees are helping us build a stronger Michigan by preserving the places and stories that define who we are,” says Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Their work honors our shared past while creating vibrant spaces where people want to live, work, and invest. Historic preservation is key to our ‘Make it in Michigan’ strategy of supporting jobs, growing local businesses, and fostering pride across our communities.”
Fort St. Joseph is home to the WMU Archaeological Field School, where Experience-Driven Learning is front and center as students have the opportunity to unearth history and build skills in excavation, artifact analysis and public outreach.
Created by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the award, now in its 22nd year, celebrates outstanding historic preservation achievements that reflect a commitment to the preservation of Michigan’s unique character and the many archaeological sites and historic places that represent the state’s rich past.
“The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project offers institutional pride in terms of its longevity, partnerships with local communities and Experience-Driven Learning opportunities for students,” says Dr. Staci M. Perryman-Clark, director of WMU’s Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies “The Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies is thrilled to continue its partnership with the city of Niles and greatly appreciates the state-wide recognition and honor.”
In 2003, the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project was among the first recipients of the award.
“We’ve evolved so much since then, so getting the award again to recognize how the Project has changed and created different programs and outreach initiatives to increase student and community involvement; that’s what’s really nice,” says Erika Hartley, director of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project. “We try hard to share our research and knowledge on this aspect of our local history with as many people as possible, so being recognized for this award will help us continue to do that. It also means a lot to see that other people across the state also value what we can offer with this project, both academically for archaeological research and student engagement as well as community participation.”
Hartley says it also demonstrates WMU’s passion for the project to the community. “We are trying to involve the public as much as possible and get them as excited as we are about this historic site.”
A historic site
Fort St. Joseph was established by the French in 1691 on the banks of the St. Joseph River. For nearly 100 years, it was a hub of colonial activity that brought together settlers, soldiers, fur trappers, and nearby Potawatomi and Miami settlements. After the United States claimed the territory in 1781, the fort was abandoned and eventually lost to time. Starting in 1998, a partnership between Western and the local community has rediscovered the fort’s location, and helped inform the community about its past. This long-term collaboration today teaches aspiring archaeologists the field techniques needed for their future careers and shares what is found here through community events and a dynamic social media presence.
The awards ceremony, held annually during National Historic Preservation Month, took place in Heritage Hall at the Michigan State Capitol on May 8. In addition to the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project, six other preservation projects were also honored in communities that include Rogers City, Charlevoix, Niles and Detroit.
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