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Archaeolgical and Historical Sites on my Property

Unless you are on the far side of the moon, it’s a good bet that someone many years ago occupied portions of your land, either as a transient encampment or a more permanent one. Historical sites may be easy for the layman to spot as the evidence is both more recent and more recognizable. Building foundations, dump sites of old cans and bottles, crumbling chimney remnants are easy to see, and are relatable to our modern structures. Ancient camp sites are more difficult as they may date back thousands of years and be overgrown with vegetation. Look first for places that appear to be a pleasant place to camp with your family. Places near water, flat to gently sloping land with a slight southerly exposure are ideal, not only for you, but also for early humans. Think about the needs of early Americans. Food, shelter and water were necessities then as well as now. Small stone fragments such as chert, obsidian or basalt don’t generally occur across the landscape and usually indicate tool-making by early occupants. Shell fragments from clams, mussels and oysters often indicate an early food gathering site. Probably the biggest indicator are soils stained dark by the myriad of campfires that dotted early encampments. Your forester can be a great aid in helping to educate you as they are required to be proficient in site identification. A few hours spent with your forester will open your eyes to finding ancient sites that had gone previously unnoticed.