Archeological Testing for Proposed Campground Expansion, Wright Island, Isle Royale National Park

The Wright Island investigation location has been identified as a good location for a new campground. Development will involve some ground disturbance and is near the ruins of a 20th century fishery and on or near the Wright Island site (20IR181). This National Register eligible site incorporates a 19th-20th century fishery and a Terminal Woodland component dating to circa 1300 (Clark 1995: 149-152). In 1990, MWAC Archeologist Caven Clark shovel tested the flat beach area west of the ruins and identified a substantial and intact Terminal Woodland component. He noted that shovel tests on the upper beach terrace were uniformly negative and artifact density dropped off as testing moved west from the fishing camp. The upper beach location at the west end of the island is the proposed position of the new campground. To more thoroughly investigate this area and reduce the possibility of impacting potential cultural resources here, a shovel test inventory was undertaken.