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Sep 13, 2023

Ball State archeologists find 486 artifacts in Spring Mill State Park

From shards of rock shaped by early Indigenous people to pieces of plastic from

From shards of rock shaped by early Indigenous people to pieces of plastic from just decades ago, 486 artifacts were collected during an archeological survey of more than 67 acres at Spring Mill State Park just outside of Mitchell. Among the finds: an aluminum pop-top, an early Nehi soda bottle and a few alcohol bottles that may have been left behind by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Safely stored in resealable plastic bags, some of the items were discussed at a recent presentation in the Meeting House in the state park's recreated Pioneer Village. Pieces of pottery, glass bottles and even an early 1800s horseshoe were found as part of the first systematic survey of the village and surrounding areas.

Christine Thompson, assistant director and archeologist at Ball State University, and Hannah Ryker, a project archeologist with Ball State's Applied Anthropology Laboratories, talked about the work done last year during four weeks in July, August and a few more days in September. A total of 18 AAL staff and student employees were part of the field crew and worked as lab technicians for the project.

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The survey didn't require digging up large areas in the state park, unlike what most people think of with an archeological dig. The Ball State team used shovel test pit methods and ground penetrating radar. The test pits are dug in a grid every 15 meters until sterile subsoil is reached or to a depth of 50 centimeters. All the artifacts found were within the test pits. The ground penetrating radar was used to identify anomalies or subsurface features but those were not excavated.

While artifact collection is complete, the lab's staff still are processing the items, each of which is cleaned, identified, organized, labeled, photographed, bagged and stored in curation boxes. Eventually, the artifacts will be moved to the Indiana State Museum after the project is complete, scheduled for June 1.

Ryker believes the oldest artifacts date from the early 1800s with the latest from the mid-1900s. All of them — including 25 ceramics, metal and glass items from the village — were found buried in soil and rock.

The original village was founded in 1814 and at one time had about 20 families with approximately 100 people living along Mill Creek. The creek still flows out of Hamer Cave to provide power to the 3-story limestone gristmill that was constructed in 1817. The mill remained a major source of trade for the village until it closed in 1892. The gristmill is still standing and visitors can tour it when visiting the current Pioneer Village.

The survey found evidence of more buildings in the village, some of which had not been known to exist, Ryker said. There is evidence that some of the terrain was modified, including Mill Creek, to better serve the village.

Thompson and Ryker wouldn't share exactly where they searched for artifacts, but one area that was searched is up the hill from the current Pioneer Village on land once owned by George Donaldson, who purchased it in the 1860s. He wouldn't allow timbering, hunting or picking of plants or herbs on his 181 acres of property. In 1882, Donaldson's cabin and barn, on the land he called "Beautiful Shawnee," burned to the ground. In 1883, he put the property up for sale, but never actually sold it. In 1898, Donaldson died and, without a will, his property reverted to the state.

The Ball State survey is the first in the area of Donaldson's cabin and barn and provided a baseline for future excavations.

The Ball State team received $49,977 to conduct the survey. The project was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service's Historical Preservation Fund that was administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Additional matching funds were provided by Ball State University.