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Press Releases – Friday, August 31, 2018
Saving Native American History Following a Modern American Flood
Sub-Title: Illinois State Museum Program on Sept. 5 Focuses on North Dakota Historic Site
ISM Location: Springfield
For Immediate Release:
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Museum’s monthly Paul Mickey Learning Series program on Wed., Sept. 5 will tell the story of efforts to preserve an important Native American historic site following the catastrophic flooding on the Missouri River in 2011.
Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site is a large Mandan earthlodge village located on the Missouri River about eight miles north of Bismarck, North Dakota. Mandans lived in the village for nearly 300 years (AD 1490-1785) and were the center of an expansive trade network.
Ditch enclosures, earthlodge impressions, and large midden mounds are well-preserved to this day, and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As a result of the Missouri River flood in 2011, Double Ditch started eroding and human remains were uncovered. In cooperation with the Three Affiliated Tribes, the State Historical Society of North Dakota undertook a bank stabilization project in 2016 to prevent further erosion and preserve this incredible site for future generations.
Illinois State Museum Curator of Anthropology Brooke Morgan will present the program “Saving the Heart of the World: Emergency Stabilization of Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site” on Wed., Sept. 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Museum auditorium at 502 S. Spring St. in Springfield.
Each month, the Paul Mickey Learning Series features a different speaker and topic, and the programs are free and open to the public.
Contact Person: Elizabeth Bazan
Contact Email: Elizabeth.Bazan@Illinois.gov
Contact Phone: 217-558-6696
Release File (pdf): ism-mickeysept2018.pdf
Release File (doc): ism-mickeysept2018.docx