Cultural and Paleontological Effects of Siting a Low-Level Radioactive Was te S torage Far iii in Michigan. Candidate Area Analysis Phase .1 edited by Richard W. Stoffle The Research Report Series of the Institute for Social Research is composed of significant reports published at the completion of a research project. These reports are generally prepared by the principal research investigators and are directed to selected users of this information. Research Reports are intended as technical documents which provide rapid dissernination of new knowledge resulting from ISR research. With scholarly contributions by: Archaeological Resource Study Richard W. Stoffle, Coordinator David B. Halmo Henry T. Wright Timothy R. Pauketat Kurt F. Anschuetz Scott G. Beld Folklike Resource Study Marsha L. MacDowell, Coordinator Laurie K. Sommers Yvonne R. Lockwood LuAnne Gaykowski Kozma C. Kurt Dewhurst Native American Resource Study Richard W. Stoffle, Coordinator David B. Halmo John E. Olmsted Florence V. Jensen Paleontological Resource Study Ronald O. Kapp, Coordinator Scott G. Beld J. Alan Holman Cultural and Paleontological Effects of Siting a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Storage Facility in Michigan Candidate Area Analysis Phase edited by Richard W. Stoffle Institute for Social Research The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 1990 Originally prepared as a report to the Michigan Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority, Lansing, Michigan. ISR Code Number 9032 ISBN 0-87944-330-8 Copyright 1990 by The University of Michigan, All Rights Reserved Published in 1990 by: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is about cultural and paleontological resources that potentially would be affected by the proposed Michigan Low-Level Radioactive Waste facility. Because these studies were conducted during what is called the "candidate area" study period, only short periods of field research were possible. For this reason, the scholars responsible for conducting the resource studies relied extensively on the efforts of private individuals who volunteered their time to help identify resources in the three study areas. Their motivation to participate in this study is reflected in the following comment, made by one of the township historians: Special days are set aside and we learn of the sacred place. Time cannot erase the history of a culture, not much can be found in books but the stories are still told, especially in forgotten areas.... I'm glad you recorded some that I told you. (Anna Pearl Murray 1990) So this report is the product of a collaborative effort of many individuals, only a few of whom can be thanked by name here. The contributors gratefully acknowledge James Cleary, Commissioner of the Michigan Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority in Lansing, and his entire staff for their tireless efforts during the course of this study. Special thanks must go to Elaine Brown, Thor Strong, and Carla Davidson of the Authority for their many insights, comments, and overall guidance throughout the research. Thanks also to the staff of Battelle Memorial Institute for their guidance and assistance throughout the study. Grateful thanks are due also to Public Advisory Committee members Janet Langlois of the Michigan Folklore Society; William Church of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs and the Nokomis Learning Center; Donald Hays of the Michigan Archaeological Society; J. Alan Holman of the Michigan Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters; Robert Eady, liaison for Ontonagon; Jan Renkie, liaison for St. Clair; and Fred Keeslar, liaison for Lenawee for their many comments, suggestions, and contributions. Their participation in the project effort has enhanced the quality of this report. We would like to extend sincerest thanks to all of the township representatives in the three candidate areas for contacting community residents and helping to facilitate the research. A very special thanks'" to v Bill Lentz of Blissfield for his tireless efforts in helping to contact local landowners with collections of archaeological resources. His work was instrumental in conducting the Lenawee archaeology study. Special thanks goes to local historians Hazel Higgins, of Capac Township; Anna Pearl Murray, of Lynn Township; Marion Gust, of Riga Township; Madeline Fetzer, Whiteford Township; and Mark Keller, tribal historian currently working with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe. We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Native American tribal chairpersons for their help in selecting tribal representatives and facilitating participation in the candidate area on-site visits. We are especially grateful to the tribal representatives who took time out from their busy schedules to visit the candidate areas to identify and evaluate traditional cultural resources. A full list of these leaders and their representatives is provided at the end of Chapter One. Their willingness to share traditional knowledge and discuss contemporary tribal concerns is appreciated. American Indian land use area maps were reprinted with the permission of the Grand Rapids Inter-Tribal Council from their book, People of the Three Fires (Clifton et al. 1986). Several individuals participated in the folklife research. Members of the folklife resource team wish to thank Ruth Fitzgerald, Peter Wehr, Bene Schechter, Dennis Au, Timothy Cochrane, Marcia Penti, and Lynne Swanson for their many contributions during the course of the study. At the Institute for Social Research, we would like to thank Susan Clemmer for all of her efforts in typing various versions of the report. Her ability to make numerous changes in quick fashion is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks must go also to Paula Mclntyre for her editorial assistance. In addition, we would like to extend our thanks to the ISR Publications Division, especially Linda Stafford and her staff; and ISR reviewers Dr. Donald Pelz and Dr. Thomas Fricke for helping to bring this report to publication. Finally, our deepest appreciation goes to all of the individuals and families in the candidate area communities, who allowed us onto their property and into their homes. Without their hospitality and participation, this study would not have been possible. vi CONTRIBUTORS Kurt F. Anschuetz is a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan. He received an MA. from the University of New Mexico. His research interests include the agricultural technologies and social structure of late prehistoric Pueblo Indian populations. He has conducted fieldwork in Peru, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. He served as coordinator on the overview chapter of archaeological resources in Michigan for this report. Scott G. Beld is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, and part-time instructor at Alma College, Alma, Michigan. His research specializations include the prehistory of the Middle East, with emphasis on Iraq, and the prehistory of Michigan. He has conducted field research in both areas. He served as an assistant to the coordinators of the paleontological and archaeological resource studies, conducted on-site visits in the Candidate Areas, and contributed to the paleontological sections of the overview and Candidate Area chapters. C Kurt Dewhurst is Director of the Michigan State University Museum and Associate Professor of English. He received his Ph.D. in American Studies from Michigan State University. Dr. Dewhurst serves as a museum and folklife consultant to a number of local, state, and national organizations, including the American Folklore Society's Long-Range Planning Committee. He has published extensively on regional and material folk culture and has served as co-editor of the Michigan Folklife Reader (1987). His current research interests include Michigan inland waterways traditional culture. Dr. Dewhurst helped coordinate the folklife study, including fieldwork in the St. Clair Candidate Area; he also contributed to the overview chapter of this report. David B. Halmo is a Research Associate at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. He received an MA. in applied anthropology from Georgia State University in 1987. His primary research interests are development anthropology, social-environmental impact assessment, indigenous production/resource management systems, and ethnobotany. He has conducted ethnographic field research in southeastern Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the western United States with various Indian tribal groups. He served as assistant coordinator of the Native American and archaeological resource studies and assisted in the Candidate Area on-site visits and report preparation for this project. J. Alan Holman is Professor of Geological Sciences and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and at the Michigan State University Museum. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1961. His research interests focus on vertebrate fossils in Michigan and elsewhere. He is the author of 190publications in the field of vertebrate paleontology and has supervised more than 30 field excavations in Mexico, the central plains, the southwest United States and, most recently, Great Britain. Dr. Holman served as a Public Advisory Committee representative for paleontological resources and contributed extensively to the paleontology overview and Candidate Area assessment chapters for this report. Florence V.