Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The site of 21MO20 first came to Birk’s attention in 1972 via a Little Falls resident who recalled finding artifacts in an uncultivated corner of his uncle’s farm field in 1965. In 1978 Birk examined these artifacts and discovered that they contained 18th century ceramics. Research revealed a candidate for the site's identity: Fort Duquesne, build in the winter of 1752-1753 by voyageur Joseph Marin. Birk realized the potential of the site and conducted a quick survey in 1980 but had to wait until the newly-formed IMA could sponsor an initial dig in 1982. Further excavations in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988 produced many artifacts and structural details, but no definitive evidence of the site's identity. The site was added to the NRHP in 1984 and remained a centerpiece of the IMA's outreach activities throughout the 1980s and 1990s.