Left to right, Joyce Johnston, Bill Streeter and Diane Huber of the Saugeen Shores Municipal Heritage Committee unveiled a new interpretive plaque at Nodwell Park honouring the site’s rich Aboriginal history in Port Elgin, July 15. Hub photo

The Saugeen Shores Municipal Heritage Committee unveiled a new interpretive plaque July 15 at Nodwell Park, 788 Highland Street in Port Elgin. The plaque pays tribute the site’s rich aboriginal history.

Early in the 1900s it became evident this site was archeologically significant. The property was owned by Richard Nodwell and in the 1950s archeological investigations began and continued throughout the next two decades.

It was determined the site had once been home to an Iroquois village consisting of 12 long houses and surrounded by a double stockade. The Long Houses measured up to 139 feet in length and were constructed of a bark-covered pole frame. The village could accommodate some 500 people in the two to three acre site. The inhabitants had arrived in the early 1300s from the east, possibly an area close to Lake Simcoe.

This is the only known Iroquois settlement in Bruce County and was approximately 120 kilometres from other known Iroquois settlements. It may have been established to trade with other tribes from more northern areas of Ontario. The land was cleared, the trees used to build their long houses; then farmed to supply food including corn, tobacco and other staples of their diet. Fishing and hunting were also important activities.

After about 20 years the people departed. Exactly why is unknown.

A full Archeological dig was undertaken at the site which uncovered fragments of pottery for cooking, smoking pipes, arrowheads, adzes, awls and netting needles. Weapons and tools of the Iroquois people were mostly made of stone and bone.

“We want people to know what actually happened here long before we came,” said Saugeen Shores Municipal Heritage Committee Chair, Joyce Johnston at the unveiling. “It’s important to this area.”

The committee has plans for additional interpretive plaques in Saugeen Shores, including Port Elgin Harbour and George Marion Park representing the mosquito bomber, parts for which were made at a factory in Southampton.

This year we hope to put up [another plaque] at the harbour down here in Poort Elgin and one at George Marion Park in Southampton representing the mosquito bomber which parts were made in the factory right there in Southampton.

The new interpretive plaque at Nodwell Park in Port Elgin. Hub photo