Investigations at Fort Union Trading Post: Archeology and Architecture

In 1987, Midwest Archeological Center archeological crews completed the second of three years of excavations at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site. This season's work was done in preparation of the 1988-1989 reconstruction of the fort's 1850-1851 era palisade and stone bastions. The investigation focused upon the North Palisade,' North GateI Northeast Bastion, East Palisade and Southwest Bastion. within the excavation/ construction zone, secondary structures of interest included the palisade bracing system and numerous special function enclosures under that bracing. Several additional structures and hundreds of features were located as this investigation took place. Most of these were never mentioned in the primary documents or secondary historic literature relating to this site. Evidence for the original structures of Fort Union I (circa 1828-1833) were also identified within the northwest and southwest corners of Fort Union II (1833-1867). The scarcity of documents relating to this complex of structures is of considerable importance in our understanding of the physical and cultural histories of Fort Union.