Nine hundred years ago the scene at the Mitchell Village
would have been one of great activity. A population of perhaps a thousand
lived on a bluff overlooking Firesteel Creek (the present Lake Mitchell
is a modern reservoir). The villagers were farmers and hunters, distant
descendants of agrarian groups from the east who once farmed the Mississippi
Valley. As populations grew in the Mississippi Valley and natural resources
declined, some groups migrated west in search of new resource areas. These
migrants practiced some of the early farming in this region, selecting the
fertile river valleys for their villages. They likely interacted with native
hunter-gatherer groups already in the region, exchanging information on
hunting and farming and gradually intermarrying. However, fortification
ditches around many of the village sites suggests that not all cultural
contacts were peaceful. Whether hostilities occurred between village groups,
between the hunter-gatherers and the villagers, or both, is not clear.
Life in the village revolved around a variety of subsistence activities.
The women tended the fields along the river and creek floodplains, made
pottery and sewed hides; the men conducted frequent hunting expeditions
in search of buffalo, trapped smaller game, or fished. They also spent time
making the necessary tools, such as projectile points, knives and scrapers,
for processing the animals. The entire village helped in the construction
of the lodges, gathering the timber for the support posts and roof, and
mixing the clay and grass to plaster the lodge walls. Children were everywhere,
chasing dogs and playing a variety of games, as well as learning from and
helping the adults.
Model of the Prehistoric Village on display at the Museum
After a number of years the population at Mitchell grew to such a level
that it was necessary to expand the village. The first fortification ditch
was filled in and the palisade wall was removed. Another ditch and palisade
wall were constructed further out, allowing several more lodges to be built.
However, judging from the limited build-up of rubbish around these new lodges,
their occupation was brief. Perhaps the timber supply and other key resources
had been exhausted? Whatever the situation, the villagers ultimately abandoned
this site and moved on, probably westward to the Missouri River.
A view of a portion of a lodge floor excavated in 1993. This area has now
been backfilled.
Archeologists have been investigating portions of this site on and off since
the early 1900's. An early map of the site identified some 45 lodge depressions
and more are likely to be recorded as archeologists examine the site using
modern remote sensing techniques. Excavations have revealed the floor plans
of five of these lodges as well as profiles across the fortification ditches.
Studies of the animal bone, the seeds and the tools reflect what the people
ate and how the food was prepared; the layout of the lodges suggests something
of the social organization, and several exotic items found at the site indicate
these peoples had extensive trade contacts.
A visitor is able to take a guided tour of the site or obtain a self-guided
tour guidebook which takes you to several stations positioned around the
site area.
The inside of the reconstructed lodge at the Mitchell Prehistoric
Indian Village.
One of our major projects is the - an education and research facility to be constructed over
a portion of the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village in Mitchell, South
Dakota.
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