Archaeological atlas of Michigan [by] Wilbert B. Hinsdale...

MOUNDS, VILLAGES, CAMP SITES

the Tahquamenon, down that river to a trail in Section 2 5, T. 47
N., R. 8 W., to Whitefish Bay, Chippewa County, Section 10, T.
47 N., R. 6. W. This route across the Upper Peninsula was about
ninety miles shorter than that by the St. Mary's River.
Au Train and Whitefish river route from Lake Superior to
Lake Michigan.-The following description is taken from a report
of the Secretary of War for 1820:"La Train River, twenty-five
yards wide, is nine miles beyond Grand Island. The Indians
ascended this river in their canoes six miles, into a lake which is
the nearest boatable water of Lake Superior, to the waters of Lake
Michigan. The distance here between the two lakes is fifty miles.
The Indians travel it with ease in one day. This is the channel of
intercourse which is kept up between the Indians of Lake Superior
and those of Michigan."

The Wisconsin, which empties into the Mississippi, the Menominee with its branches emptying into Lake Michigan, the
Ontonagon, the Sturgeon, and some others flowing into Lake Superior were navigable by bateaux for considerable distances from
their sources. With his light bark canoe the Indian could with
ease overcome hindrances to freight-carrying boats, and by
shouldering his canoe and baggage make a portage around rapids
and other obstructions and set out on the waters beyond. By
such means streams were followed to their sources, divides crossed,
and voyages continued.
There were other minor circuits that facilitated travel by the
Indians. One of some importance was the Clinton-Huron, which
passed through Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, Washtenaw and
Wayne counties and the northern part of Monroe.

IV. MOUNDS AND OTHER EARTH4WORKS

\T THE time the archaeological sites were entered upon the
maps, it was known that, there existed in the state of Michigan more than 1068 mounds and 113 other earth constructions
made by Indians. Of course, a much smaller number are standing
now and not five per cent of those remaining have escaped mutilation. Cellars under buildings in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Port
Huron, and other cities occupy the sites where once stood the
larger mounds of the state. All we know of the extensive inclosures that had been built in unusual designs in Macomb County
is gathered from the literature. The same thing is true of the
Allegan County works and many others. There are not even
any published accounts about many of the old structures. The
information comes entirely from hearsay sources.
As already intimated, nothing is known of some mound
groups and isolated mounds except what has been gleaned from
old records, published and unpublished charts and letters, and
from extensive correspondence with people many of whom have
only their memories to depend upon. Interviews have been held
with persons who were able to give important information, either
from what they had observed themselves or remembered from
what they had heard. The greatest care has been exercised in
scrutinizing statements and verifying evidence as given. Locations where works are said to have stood have been visited to determihe whether the situation and natural environment lend
plausibility to the reports.
The maps indicate that the valleys of the Saginaw, the Grand,
the Clinton, Muskegon, Pere Marquette, and the St. Joseph rivers
were the centers of greatest mound construction. The largest
mounds, it would appear, were located upon the middle reaches of
the Grand River, and in Wayne County in the vicinity of Detroit.
All of the Michigan mounds were probably for burial purposes. The interments were at various depths; sometimes below,
sometimes at, and sometimes above the ground level. Examination of some of the mounds has disclosed skeletons at all three
V. VILLAGES /

levels. There is no reason for believing that any of the Michjgan mounds were built for the purposes of "twatch towers" or
lookouts, although it is said that Pontiac used the Springwells
Mound, by the Detroit River, for making observations up and
down the stream, but the mound was old in Pontiac's time. Reports indicate that numbers of skeletons were found at different
depths from near the top to below the natural level of the ground
of the Springwells Mound. Probably those near the summit were
intrusive burials that were made after the mound had been abandoned by the original builders. In the lower strata of the interments trephined skulls were found and pottery resembling the
Ohio "'Hopewell Culture." See notes upon Kent and Wayne
counties.
According to data at hand, there were in the state numerous earthworks which were not burial mounds and which were
often of such appearance as to be called Ctforts." These works
fall into three classes: first, those with curvilinear, circular, or
elliptical outlines; second, those with straight-line embankments
and angular corners; third, irregular embankments which involve
no attempt to inclose space. Some of those with straight sides and
right angles have one side open, which faces a stream or swamp.
The mounds of Michigan were nearly all low, dome-shaped
piles of gravel and sand usually with circular bases, whereas in
some other sections, notably Ohio, many were elliptical, Burials
are reported from small hillocks of various outlines, supposed by
many to have been built by Indians, but careful investigation has
shown the hills to be natural glacial formations that had been
used as cemeteries.
In the notes on the different counties comments will be found
upon particular local situations. Further exploration and surveys
will bring to light many sites which are not yet known or which
have been missed in the investigations preliminary to the preparation of this Atlas.

kND CAMP SITES

(See Map 2)

0 DISTINCTION is made upon the maps between sites of villages
and camps. Any site that was regularly visited was a village while occupied. Not all villages were permanent because
necessity required their abandonment at intervals. Periodical removals were often made en masse for the hunting grounds, sugar
making, corn planting, fishing, or some other seasonal occurrence.
There is evidence to show that many villages along the immediate

sandy shore of Lake Michigan were left unoccupied for the
winter. The lodges were removed a few miles inland to the shelter afforded by the timber and again reestablished among the
dunes in the spring. Sometimes the encroachment of enemies who
could not be successfully resisted necessitated the vacating of a
dwelling site, but there was a strong tendency to swing around
to the old haunts again when the danger was gone. A band of

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