Researchers are hoping artifacts unearthed along the waterfront will help paint a picture of what the Indian village looked like prior to the creation of the Deep River townsite, while also playing a role in preserving what remains of that settlement.
Courtney Cameron, of Cameron Heritage Consulting Limited, was hired by the town to undertake an archeological assessment of the area at the Keys Conference Centre.
Her work dovetails with “Finding Their Voices,” a case study in Indigenous Architectural Archeology, being undertaken by Steffanie Adams, a professor with George Brown College’s School of Architectural Studies.
“Interestingly, we found a lot of coal,” Cameron told town council last week of her findings to date.
“The only source of coal would’ve been from the train tracks, which would’ve been a good hike. Why is it there, and where did it come from?”
Most of the finds unearthed came from the southern portion of the property where the Brindle cabin once stood.
“That’s where we got a lot of the pre-1944 stuff, and we also got some personal items, and a lot of domestic items,” Cameron said.
Included in that list, she said, was an old green, glass bottle, marked “Dr. Pfunder’s Medicine for Upset Stomachs,” foundation stones with cement adhered to them, ceramics, a variety of metal objects, and a Catholic Rosary Cross which was made in France.
“It must have meant something to somebody at some point,” Cameron said.
The results of Cameron’s Stage 2 archeological assessment of the area have convinced her of the need to move on to a more comprehensive third stage assessment.
“I’ve assessed it to the point where I recommend a Stage 3,” she said, adding the next stage will determine whether the former Brindle property has sufficient cultural heritage value for preservation measures to be implemented…
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