THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF LAND BASED FUR TRADE POSTS IN WESTERN CANADA: A History and Critical Analysis Olga Klimko B.A. (Hons.) McMaster University 1975 M. A. University of Saskatchewan 1982 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of ARCHAEOLOGY O Olga Klimko 1994 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Olga Klimko Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Archaeology) Title of Thesis: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF LAND BASED FUR TRADE POSTS IN WESTERN CANADA: A HISTORY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS Examining Committee: Chairperson: Jonathan Driver David V. Burley Senior Supervisor Professor .- , , V Knu t Radmark PrF - -. Philip M ler Internal €@-xternal Examiner Professor I //&yUI,Y ( I " y- Alison /Wylie External Exam.. _. Professor Department of Philosophy University of Western Ontario April 25, 1994 Date Approved PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENSE I hereby grant to Simon Eraser University the right to lend my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Dissertation: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF LAND BASED FUR TRADE POSTS IN WESTERN CANADA: A HISTORY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS Author: signn&ure Olga Klimko Name April 25, 1994 Date ABSTRACT Fur trade archaeology has experienced an unprecedented rate of growth since the 1960s in western Canada. Employing a historical approach and a critical analysis, this thesis examines the development of and context in which these studies flourished, with emphasis on the political, social, academic and ideological factors operating at the time. Studies in fur trade archaeology rose dramatically in the 19605, peaked in the 1970s and have gradually declined since the 1980s. From an academic perspective these studies are subject to criticism. Reports tend to appear about a decade after the project, complete site synthesis are low, newsletter items or short summaries are all that exist for a quarter of the site investigations, artifact collections sit in varied stages of analysis with most incomplete, and principal research objectives have focussed solely on site discovery and identification for gaining structural information in support of restoration. The problems of fur trade archaeology can be attributed to political and cultural forces in place at the time of site investigation. The historical roots of the field can be traced to the historic sites commemoration and development movement of the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, in conjunction with tourist and economic opportunities. This was an optimistic era of centennials and celebrations and the search for a Canadian identity. Political and social concerns, however, continue to drive fur trade archaeology to the present. Provincial heritage legislation requires developers to mitigate sites before destruction, and local communities or historical societies search for sites to add to their heritage roster for tourism promotion. Each of these constrains the nature of the field and incorporates both implicit and explicit political motivations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation owes much to the many individuals who encouraged and supported my research and the institutions which allowed me access to data, provided copies of unpublished papers and a place to work. First, I would like to thank my Committee, David Burley and Knut Fladmark, for their timely support and suggestions, Philip Hobler for agreeing to act as the internaVexterna1 examiner, and Alison Wylie for her insights and encouragement. Numerous people supplied me with invaluable information either through interviews or general feedback. I greatly appreciate their candour and interest which helped me put fur trade archaeology into perspective. While these people are listed in Appendix A, I would particularly like to thank Michael Taft, Ian Dyck, Scott Hamilton, David Meyer, Peter Nieuwhof, Heinz Pyszczyk, Bill Ross and Milt Wright for their continued assistance. The following institutions, not only provided access to many unpublished reports, but also a congenial and supportive atmosphere: Parks Canada -Prairie and Western Regions and Ottawa Office; Archaeology Section of the Provincial Museum of Alberta; Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba; Historic Resources Archaeology Branch of Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Recreation; the ~rchaeolo~iktionof the Ministry of Culture and Communications in Thunder Bay and Kenora, Ontario; the Archaeology Section of the Heritage Branch in Saskatchewan; and the Archaeology Section at the Museum of Civilization. As well, Western Heritage Services has provided facilities and allowed me time from my responsibilities to complete the dissertation. Collecting the data required extensive travel and I would like to thank the following people for their hospitality and providing a "home away from home": Milt Wright and Jean Hourston-Wright, Geny Conaty and Gwyn Langernann, Ian and Sherry Dyck, MaryAnn Tisdale, Barbara Sherriff, Margaret Hanna, and Bill Ross and Irene Mitchell. The production of this dissertation could not be completed without the assistance of Shannon Wood who computer drafted the maps at short notice, despite her busy schedule. Also, I would like to thank Margaret Hanna, Diane Lyons, Barb Winter, Cathy D'Andrea, Urve Linnamae and Margaret Kennedy for their continued encouragement and support. Finally, I owe much to my sisters, Natalia and Helena Klimko, and my parents who provided constant moral support and a home base. Thank you for your encouragement and understanding. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ... Abstract......................................................................................................................... ill Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... i...v List of Tables.............................................................................................................. vlii List of Figures ...............................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.............................................................................. 1 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ......................................................................................... 2 Critical Analysis ..................................................................................................... 2 Critical Theory.................................................................................................. 2 Strong Programme of Sociology of Science ............................................................ 8 Political Uses of Archaeology ........................................................................... 11 History ................................................................................................................... 14 Context ................................................................................................................... 16 INTENT OF STUDY ...................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH STRATEGY: PROBLEMS. GOALS. RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH AND STUDY AREA ....... 18 RESEARCH PROBLEMS ...............................................................................................19 RESEARCH GOALS ...................................................................................................... 21 RESEARCH APPROACH ............................................................................................... 21 METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH ...............................................................................22 Interviews .............................................................................................................-27 THE FUR TRADE AND THE STUDY AREA ...................................................................29 Fur Trade ................................................................................................................29 Geographical Area ................................................................................................-32 Biophysical Features ..............................................................................................33 Vegetation and Animals ....................................................................................33 Waterways....................................................................................................... 34 Climate............................................................................................................ 34 Comment ................................................................................................................. 35 CHAPTER 3: THE GROWTH OF FUR TRADE ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE WESTERN PROVINCES .................................................................36 NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO ......................................................................................37