SunWatch Indian Village facts for kids
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SunWatch Site
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SunWatch Village
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2301 W. River Rd., Dayton, Ohio |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001500 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 1, 1975 |
| Designated NHL | June 21, 1990 |
The SunWatch Indian Village / Archaeological Park is a special place in Dayton, Ohio. It's a rebuilt village that shows how Native American people lived long ago. This village was home to the Fort Ancient culture.
The village is right next to the Great Miami River. It covers about 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of land. Experts have carefully studied the area for many years. They used what they found to rebuild the village. This helps us understand what life was like for the people who lived there. SunWatch is now an open-air museum. This means you can visit and see the village as it might have looked.
Contents
Discovering SunWatch: A Look into the Past
People first found old materials at the site in the 1960s. These were just a few clues from the past. In 1971, bigger discoveries began. The city was planning to build a sewage treatment plant. But then, important old tools and village remains were found.
Because of these amazing finds, the city changed its plans. They decided to protect this special place instead. Experts continued to dig and study the site until 1988. They learned a lot about the people who lived there.
Who Lived at SunWatch Village?
The people of SunWatch were part of the Fort Ancient culture. Their village was round and had strong fences around it. These fences were called palisades. They helped protect the village.
About 250 people lived in the village at one time. They stayed there for about 20 years. These people were farmers and hunters. They grew crops to eat and hunted animals for food.
What Did Archeologists Learn?
Archeologists are like history detectives. They study old things to learn about the past. At SunWatch, they learned many things. They found out about the homes people built. They also learned about how the community was set up.
Experts also studied what the people ate. They looked at how they buried their dead. All these clues help us understand their daily lives.
Why is it Called SunWatch?
The name "SunWatch" is very interesting. In the 1980s, experts studied some posts in the village center. They believe these posts were used to track the sun.
The Fort Ancient people were farmers. They depended on the sun for their crops. They likely used these posts to know the best times for planting and harvesting. This was like having a special calendar based on the sun.
Visiting SunWatch Today
SunWatch Indian Village opened to the public in 1988. It's a great place to learn about history. You can see the rebuilt homes and gardens. There's also a special center with more information.
You can take tours to learn even more. SunWatch also offers many educational programs. They work with Native American groups to share their culture. Sometimes, new digs happen at the site. School groups and students can even help with these studies.
More to See at Boonshoft Museum
The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is also in Dayton. It has even more artifacts from SunWatch. These are things that were dug up from the village. The museum helps tell the story of the Fort Ancient people. It shows more items than can be displayed at SunWatch itself.
See also
