Schmidt Site facts for kids

The Schmidt Site, also called 20SA192, is a special archaeological site. It is found just south of the Cass River. This is near Bridgeport, Michigan. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is an important place in history.

History of the Schmidt Site

The Schmidt Site was first settled a very long time ago. This was during the Archaic period. People lived here about 6,000 to 4,000 years ago. It seems that people lived at this site all year round. They stayed there for many years.

People today first noticed the Schmidt Site in the late 1950s. The first digs, or excavations, happened in 1962. Bernard Spencer led these first digs. In 1964, James Fitting continued the work. He was from the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.

More work was done in 1971 by Richard Mock. He was from Saginaw Valley State University. Later, staff from Western Michigan University visited the site. They came back in 1973 and 1977.

During these digs, many things were found. Workers found stones and tools made of stone. They also found animal bones and charcoal. Most of the bones were from deer. But fish bones were found too. These finds help us learn about the lives of ancient people.

What is the Schmidt Site Like?

The Schmidt Site is on a small hill. This hill is just south of the Cass River. From the hill, you can see the river's marshy floodplain. Long ago, this hill was likely the shore of a big lake. This lake was called prehistoric Lake Nippissing. Or it might have been an even older lake, glacial Lake Algonquin.

The site is next to a farm field. But a large part of the site has never been farmed. Things found at the site are spread out. They cover an area of more than 40 acres. Many items were found deep inside the ground. These areas are called middens. Middens are like ancient trash piles. They contain things people threw away. These items give us clues about how people lived.