Swan Island Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Swan Island Site
|
|
Vicinity of the site; it lies in the treeline in the background
|
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Northern side of the junction of the Wabash River and the Crawford/Lawrence county line |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Palestine, Illinois |
| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001142 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1978 |
The Swan Island Site is an important archaeological place in Crawford County, Illinois. It is located north of where the Wabash River meets the Lawrence County line. This site is a shell midden, which means it has many old shells left behind by people. It sits on a sandstone ridge near the Wabash River.
Ancient people from the Riverton culture lived here during the Late Archaic period. This was a very long time ago! As of 1978, the Swan Island Site was one of only three known places connected to the Riverton culture. These people lived in the central Wabash Valley and had special ways of making tools.
Discovering the Swan Island Site
Archaeologists first found the Swan Island Site in the 1950s. Later, in 1961, Dr. Howard Winters from the Illinois State Museum began digging there. These digs helped experts learn a lot about the Riverton culture and how they lived.
A Special Historical Place
The Swan Island Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1978. This means it is a very important historical or archaeological site in the United States. It is one of three archaeological sites in Crawford County that are on this special list. The other two are the Riverton Site and the Stoner Site. These three sites were the only known places of the Riverton culture as of 1978.
