Archaeology Near St. Francis Xavier Church, Chippewa City

The project is a "Phase II" archaeological site evaluation of a portion of the St. Francis Xavier Church site at Chippewa City. The purpose is to characterize archaeological deposits near the foundation wall of the church as well as the extent of soil disturbance from previous work on the foundation. This project will also provide an understanding of the archaeology of the churchyard as a whole while ensuring that any future work on the building doesn't inadvertently disturb potential deposits, including graves. An archaeological survey and inventory conducted by the Grand Portage National Monument (GRPO) employees and volunteers within the yard of the historic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Ojibwe church (St. Francis) on behalf of the Grand Portage Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) and the Cook County Historical Society (CCHS). Three weeks were devoted to shovel testing, unit excavation, and metal detecting to determine foundation depth and stability and to explore whether the area has archaeological remains with integrity and significance.