Fort St. Joseph\, first established as a mission in the 168 0s by French Jesuits\, was one of the earliest European settlements in the western Great Lakes region. By the 18th century\, the Fort had become an important link in the chain of similar frontier settlements that staked ou t the far reaches of New France\; for almost 80 years\, French priests\, e nlisted men and traders lived at Fort St. Joseph in close contact with Nat ive groups also living in the area\, specifically the Potawatomi and Miami .
\nArchaeological investigations at Fort St. Joseph have unearthed thousands of religious\, military\, and domestic artifacts\, revealing det ails about the people who once occupied this frontier outpost. Excavations and collection-based research are conducted by the staff and student part icipants of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project\, a partnership bet ween Western Michigan University and the City of Niles. Erika Hartley\, Di rector of the Project\, will discuss the archaeological work occurring at the fort and will share a presentation showcasing the dig.
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