Through the Fort St. Joseph Archeology Camp Program, those with a passion for discovery could have the chance to uncover history.

The camp sessions are offered to those in the sixth-grade and up, including adults.

Participants will have the chance to delve into the Fort St. Joseph’s history. They will also get to work alongside Western Michigan University archeologists and students at the excavation site along the St. Joseph River. Campers will get to conduct wet screening, artifact analysis and mapping, among many opportunities.

The Fort St. Joseph Archeological Project is a partnership between the City of Niles and Western Michigan University. WMU education
instructor Tim Bober is helping to lead the project.

Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau said the camp presents a unique learning opportunity.

“Last year one of the adults said they had learned more in a week about archaeology than in his whole life,” Arseneau said.

Fort St. Joseph’s story is perhaps made interesting not just because of its origins, but also due to its tumultuous history, which saw four separate countries claiming its occupation, earning Niles’ its other namesake as the City of Four Flags.

In 1691, the fort was founded by the French and was utilized as a trading post and military garrison. In 1781, it was abandoned and throughout the years would be occupied by the British, Spanish Americans and the native Potawatomi Indians.

According to Arseneau, after years of being fought over, the fort became forgotten for some time.

In 1998, the nonprofit, Support the Fort asked WMU’s Michael Nassaney and the university’s archeology department to conduct an investigation at the fort.

Nassaney wanted those in Niles to see history in the making, so he opened up the site to Niles community members to help in the excavation process.

In conjunction with WMU’s Archeological Field School, those involved have helped to uncover approximately 100,000 historical artifacts, throughout the project’s 19 years. Items found are first sent to Kalamazoo to be catalogued. The artifacts are then returned to the city.

“This is an amazing chance if you have dreamed about being an archeologist,” Arseneau said. “It is the chance to be an archeologist in your own backyard.”

Thirty spots for the camp are available on a first come, first serve basis. Some of those spots have already been filled. There is the most vacancy in the high school level classes. The deadline to apply for camp is June 30.

Those wishing to sign up can access an application on the Niles History Center’s website at Nileshistorycenter.org. Scholarships are available for income qualified middle and high school student who live in the City of Niles. The scholarships will allow the participants to attend at no charge. There are also some adult scholarships offered.

The cost of the camp is $150. Campers meet at the Niles History Center. Transportation will be provided to the dig site.

Due to the camp’s status as an approved continuing education program, applicable students can receive up to three WMU credit hours through their work with the camp, nine State Board Continuing Education Units (Michigan), credits for recertification (Illinois), and/or credits applicable toward the Professional Growth Plan (Indiana).

Three separate camps are available:

• July 17 to July 21, middle school students grades six to eight

• July 24 to July 28, high school students, grades nine to 12

• July 31 to Aug. 4, lifelong learners and educators