Fort St. Joseph — Attraction in Niles

Seen this while was just passing thru on my way to purchase a boat. We were on our way to the river for a test ride when I seen this Rock with something engraved on it. After leaving the river on my way back by, when I had a little more time, I stopped to check it out. For something located in a neighborhood setting where I would never think to look it was kinda cool to see such old dates inscribed on the rock. Also the sign with the brief history with the mention of Chief Pontiac, who is well known where I'm from,...

The archaeology site is on the riverbank but is only active once per year. Western Michigan University administers the site. Search on web or social media for “The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project” to learn about the educational programs. Also visit the Niles Historical Society to view artifacts recovered from the site.

Per Wikipedia, this 15-acre fort site was not re-discovered until 1998. This was the only fort in Michigan to have been under the flags of four nations: France, Great Britain, Spain, and the...

The historical marker and stone are all that lets you know this was once the site of a fort, but it’s quite an interesting site. It would’ve been nice if there was more information on display, but the woods around this have some pleasant trails and it’s interesting to think about how different this spot must have been 3-4 hundred years ago. It’s always neat to see sites like this that preserve at least the memory of a history that...