Archaeological Field School at Fort Seward, Jamestown, ND
Offered through North Dakota State University

The North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies at North Dakota State University will conduct a third archaeological field training program for undergraduate and graduate students at Fort Seward, a military installation in use from 1872-1877 at Jamestown, North Dakota. The field school is being conducted in association with the National Buffalo Museum, the city of Jamestown, and Jamestown College.

Students were introduced to archaeological survey, field, and laboratory techniques during the course of an 8-week field school during the summer of 2003.

The goal of the project is to understand the nature of military settlement that was present at the beginning of the City of Jamestown which in 1872 was at the rail head of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Officers Quarters - 1872 Photo courtesy of the ND Institute for Regional Studies Identification of the physical features of the fort was among the primary objectives of the excavation during the first season of field work. The location of one of the Officer's Quarters was tentatively identified. This was an important discovery because historical military records benchmark all other fort buildings from the Officer's Quarters. This has value for future excavations in locating the other buildings on the site, including the enlisted men's barracks and the post hospital. In addition, it is expected that the excavations at Fort Seward will create a body of data closely contained in time to the period 1872-1877, and thus will be useful in interpreting features at other Dakota District military encampments that were in use at the same time period.

Original Plan View 1877

A sign commemorating Fort Seward.	The Fort Seward Site. View from South.	Excavations in progress at Fort Seward

Contact Information
For additional information on the course, contact Thomas Riley (Thomas.Riley@ndsu.edu) or call 701-231-8338.