Hartney Terrace Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hartney Terrace Site
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Alger County, Michigan |
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| MPS | Woodland Period Archaeological Sites of the Indian River and Fishdam River Basins MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000367 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 2014 |
The Hartney Terrace Site is an important archaeological spot in Alger County, Michigan. It's also known by its special code, 20AR310. This site gives us clues about people who lived there a very long time ago, around 950 years ago. This time period is called the Woodland period. The site is located close to where wild rice grows naturally. Wild rice was likely an important food source for people back then. Because it's so important for understanding history, the Hartney Terrace Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
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Exploring the Hartney Terrace Site
The Hartney Terrace Site is a place where archaeologists, who are like history detectives, study the past. They dig carefully to find artifacts. Artifacts are objects made or used by people long ago. These objects can include tools, pottery, or even old food remains. By studying these items, archaeologists learn about how ancient people lived.
A Glimpse into the Past: The Woodland Period
The Hartney Terrace Site dates back to the Woodland period. This was a long time ago, about 950 years before today. In North America, the Woodland period generally lasted from about 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. During this time, people began to live in more settled communities. They started to grow some of their own food, though they still hunted and gathered.
People during the Woodland period also developed new technologies. They made different kinds of pottery. They also created more advanced tools for hunting and daily life. The discovery of sites like Hartney Terrace helps us understand these changes. It shows how people adapted to their environment.
Why is This Site Special?
The Hartney Terrace Site is unique because of its location. It is found near a stand of wild rice. Wild rice was a very important food source for many Native American groups. It provided a lot of energy and could be stored for a long time. Finding an archaeological site near such a resource tells us a lot. It suggests that people might have lived there to harvest the wild rice.
Archaeologists can learn about the diet of ancient people from sites like this. They can also understand how people used the land. The site's connection to wild rice makes it a key part of understanding early life in Michigan. It helps us piece together the story of the people who lived there.
Protecting Our History
The Hartney Terrace Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This is a special list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps protect the site. It means the site is recognized for its historical value.
Protecting archaeological sites is very important. These sites are like open-air museums. They hold clues about human history that we can't find anywhere else. By preserving them, we ensure that future generations can also learn from the past. It helps us understand where we come from.
