Filling the Archaeological Void: Saint Lawrence Iroquoians in Alburg, Vermont

Samuel de Champlain reported the presence of Native American groups around the north end of Lake Champlain prior to 1609 (Bassett 1967). However, the archeaology of Grand Isle County, Vermont, has only been minimally examined. Few archaeological sites have been previously identified in the town of Alburg, a pattern that is characteristic of the county overall.. Until recently, most of the sites identified in the town were found by collectors and have not been confirmed by controlled excavation or placed chronologically or culturally. Almost all are located on points or bays around the lake-side perimeter of the town. This void is beginning to be addressed.
The Bohannon Site (VT-GI-26/32) was recently excavated by the University of Vermont and several important sites were identified during preliminary survey for a fire district water project in the fall of 2004 and during 2005. The fire district project provided an opportunity to examine a broad cross section of topographic and environmental settings for evidence of precontact occupation. Of particular importance, the Bohannon Site and several others, shed light on the presence in the area of the Saint Lawrence Iroquoians, a possibility suggested by James Pendergast (Petersen et al. 2004:88; Pendergast 1993:Figures. 1-3) and elaborated extensively by Jim Petersen (Petersen 1990; Petersen et al. 2004).