| Excavation
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In December of 1985, Congress
passed a bill mandating the reconstruction
of the trading post at Fort Union Trading
Post National Historic Site. Realizing that
an important and irreplaceable archeological
resource was about to be destroyed by this
action, the National Park Service (NPS)
instructed its Midwest Archeological Center
(MWAC) to salvage as much information as
possible from the site.
Beginning in 1986 and each year
thereafter through 1988, MWAC archeological
teams, led by archeologist Bill
Hunt, conducted extremely large scale
excavations at Fort Union. Approximately
4400 square meters of the site was excavated.
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Southwest corner of excavations looking
west from main gate across Indians and
Artisans House (1988)
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The project's highest priority
was placed upon the recovery of architectural
information to aid in reconstruction planning.
The fieldwork also provided opportunities
to address additional research questions
relating to the site's architectural and
cultural history. NEXT
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Archeological Technician Pat Ashley
and Volunteer-In-Parks, Cece Zoesch
(July 2, 1986)
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Midwest Archeological Center crew,
volunteers, and University of North
Dakota field school, July 1988.
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