The Lavase River/Fort Laronde Project

THE LAVASE RIVER
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT

In 1961, workers digging holes for a new swing set accidentally unearthed artifacts from the past in North Bay's Champlain Park, at the mouth of the LaVase River. The site was immediately registered as the "LaVase North Bank Archaeological Site". Then, in August of 1995, excavations of the area began as part of the Heritage North Project. In May and June of 1996, Laurentian University conducted an archaeological field school that located burnt timbers and provided more evidence that they had discovered the location of Fort Laronde, a historic fur trading post.

Overview:
Prehistory and Early History An Overview of the Prehistory and Early History of the Southern Canadian Shield Region
By Martin S. Cooper, Archaeological Services Incorporated

Overview:
Champlain Park Overview of the Lavase - Fort Laronde Site
An overview of the Champlain Park LaVase location, the excavations, and a brief history of the Laronde House.

Artifacts Types of Artifacts from the North Bay Area
Examples of native pipes, ceramic pots, pottery, bones, and beads found in the North Bay Area and at the Lavase River dig.
First Excavation: Heritage North Project
History of the Lavase River/Fort Laronde and details about the August 1995 excavation.

Second Excavation: Laurentian Field School
For six weeks in the Spring of 1996, Laurentian University's Department of Sociology and Anthropology conducted an archaeological field school at two sites on the historic LaVase River portage.

Third Excavation: Heritage North Project, Province of Ontario,
and Government of Canada
From August to October 1996 an archaeological dig was conducted in Champlain Park. The investigation restricted itself to the Northern extent of the North Bank site on the LaVase River.

Fall 1996 Excavation Report Archaeological Excavation of the La Vase North Bank Site (CbGu-1)
During the months of September and October 1996 an archaeological dig in Champlain Park was conducted under the direction of Mr. R. Defonzo. The excavation centered in the northern half of the La Vase North Bank site.

Section 1, 2, 3, 4.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.2, 4.23, 5.1, 6.1, 6.1.3, 6.2, 6.2.2, 6.2.4, 6.2.6, 6.2.7,
6.2.8, 6.2.9, 7.0, 8.2
References, Appendix 1
Final Report - 1997 Archaeological Excavations La Vase Heritage Project
By John W. Pollock, Michael Barnes, and Jonathan Ferguson
A detailed report on the archaeological excavations at the mouth of the LaVase River on lake Nipissing, North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Fall 1998 Update Archaeological Investigation Work at the Mouth of the La Vase River
Four seasons of archaeological field work have now been completed at the La Vase River mouth in Champlain Park in North Bay and at surrounding sites. As work has progressed, details of a secondary site of equal interpretive significance have been discovered.

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Overview: Prehistory and Early History	An Overview of the Prehistory and Early History of the Southern Canadian Shield Region By Martin S. Cooper, Archaeological Services Incorporated
Overview: Champlain Park	Overview of the Lavase - Fort Laronde Site An overview of the Champlain Park LaVase location, the excavations, and a brief history of the Laronde House.
Artifacts	Types of Artifacts from the North Bay Area Examples of native pipes, ceramic pots, pottery, bones, and beads found in the North Bay Area and at the Lavase River dig.
First Excavation:	Heritage North Project History of the Lavase River/Fort Laronde and details about the August 1995 excavation.
Second Excavation:	Laurentian Field School For six weeks in the Spring of 1996, Laurentian University's Department of Sociology and Anthropology conducted an archaeological field school at two sites on the historic LaVase River portage.
Third Excavation:	Heritage North Project, Province of Ontario, and Government of Canada From August to October 1996 an archaeological dig was conducted in Champlain Park. The investigation restricted itself to the Northern extent of the North Bank site on the LaVase River.
Fall 1996 Excavation Report	Archaeological Excavation of the La Vase North Bank Site (CbGu-1) During the months of September and October 1996 an archaeological dig in Champlain Park was conducted under the direction of Mr. R. Defonzo. The excavation centered in the northern half of the La Vase North Bank site.
Section 1, 2, 3, 4.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.2, 4.23, 5.1, 6.1, 6.1.3, 6.2, 6.2.2, 6.2.4, 6.2.6, 6.2.7, 6.2.8, 6.2.9, 7.0, 8.2 References, Appendix 1	Final Report - 1997 Archaeological Excavations La Vase Heritage Project By John W. Pollock, Michael Barnes, and Jonathan Ferguson A detailed report on the archaeological excavations at the mouth of the LaVase River on lake Nipissing, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
Fall 1998 Update	Archaeological Investigation Work at the Mouth of the La Vase River Four seasons of archaeological field work have now been completed at the La Vase River mouth in Champlain Park in North Bay and at surrounding sites. As work has progressed, details of a secondary site of equal interpretive significance have been discovered.

THE LAVASE RIVER ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE LAVASE RIVER
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT