Sand Point Site

Sand Point Site
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Sand Point[1]
Nearest city	Baraga, Michigan
Coordinates	46°47′0″N 88°28′0″W / 46.78333°N 88.46667°WCoordinates: 46°47′0″N 88°28′0″W / 46.78333°N 88.46667°W
Area	19.5 acres (7.9 ha)
NRHP Reference #	73002152[2]
Added to NRHP	June 19, 1973

The Sand Point Site (20 BG 14) is an archaeological site located near Baraga, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[2]

Sand Point is a Late Woodland period archaeological site,^[3] containing the remains of a village and 12 burial mounds^[4] spread out over 19.5 acres (7.9 ha).^[2] It is believed to have been occupied approximately 1100-1400 AD,^[4] and contains a diverse series of artifacts, including Juntunen style and Ramey-incised ceramics, suggesting a wide trade network. Debris at the site indicates a subsistence culture surviving on small mammals, fish, berries, and acorns.^[3]

The site was rediscovered in 1968, when a private developer began a planned lakeshore redevelopment and turned up human bones.^[5] In 1970, researchers from Western Michigan University began excavations at the site,^[5] and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[2]

References

1. The Sand Point site is listed on the NROS as "address restricted," but is described in the following document as being "east and south" of the camping facility maintained by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, on land owned by the KBIC:

   Sand Point Concept Master Plan (PDF), Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

   The geocoordinates given are approximate.
2. National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
3. Humboldt Mill, Appendix A (PDF), April 2007, pp. A18–A19
4. Thomas E. Emerson; Dale L. McElrath; Andrew C. Fortier (2000), Late Woodland societies: tradition and transformation across the midcontinent, U of Nebraska Press, p. 566, ISBN 0-8032-1821-4
5. Mark J Lynott, Ethics in Archaeology (PDF)

Further reading

• William M. Cremin (1980). "The Sand Point (20BG14): A Lakes Phase Site on the Keweenaw Peninsula, Baraga County, Michigan". Michigan Archaeologist. 26 (3-4).
• Terrance J. Martin; Deborah K. Rhead (1980). "Environment and Subsistence at Sand Point". Michigan Archaeologist. 26 (3-4).
• R. David Hoxie (1980). "An Analysis of Late Woodland Copper Assemblage from the Sand Point Site, Baraga Gounty, Michigan". Michigan Archaeologist. 26 (3-4).
• Lawrence G. Dorothy (1980). "The Ceramics of the Sand Point Site (20BG14), Baraga County, Michigan: A Preliminary Description". Michigan Archaeologist. 26 (3-4).
• Larry M. Wyckoff (1981). "The Physical Anthropology of the Sand Point Site (20BG14)". Michigan Archaeologist. 27 (1-2).