Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village facts for kids
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Mitchell Site
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 Location in South Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Indian Village Rd., Mitchell, South Dakota |
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| Area | 41.1 acres (16.6 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000712 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
The Mitchell Site is a very important archaeological site in Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota. It is also known as 39DV2. This site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. At that time, it was the only site from the Lower James River area that scientists could accurately date.
Today, the site is protected under a special dome. It is run by a group called the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. You can visit this place to see how archaeologists are still finding old objects. There is also a museum called the Boehnen Memorial Museum. It has a rebuilt ancient home and many cool items found at the site.
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What Was the Mitchell Site Like?
The Mitchell Site is located north of downtown Mitchell. It sits on the east side of Indian Village Road. The site is on a high spot overlooking Lake Mitchell.
This area was once a busy village. It had many homes called lodges. A ditch and a tall wooden fence, called a palisade, surrounded the village. These features likely helped protect the people who lived there.
How Did People Get Food?
The people living at the Mitchell Site got their food in many ways. Scientists have found tools for preparing food. They also found tiny burned seeds. This tells us that these people grew a lot of their own food.
Tools like hoes and squash knives show they were farmers. They grew important crops such as corn, beans, and squash. They also grew sunflowers and tobacco.
Discovering the Past: Archaeology at the Site
The Mitchell Site was first studied by archaeologists in 1922. Back then, they found about 45 places where earth lodges once stood. These homes were spread out on a piece of land near Firesteel Creek.
Over time, the creek was dammed to create Lake Mitchell. Also, a golf course was built south of the site. This construction changed the ditches that once surrounded the village.
In 1938, a team from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) dug up two house areas. The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. In 1971, another house was dug up. It showed signs of being destroyed by fire. But it also gave amazing details about how the homes were built.
In 1975, a special non-profit group was started. Their goal was to keep doing archaeological work. They also wanted to protect this important historical site for everyone to learn from.
See Also
