Hunting Lake Michigan Beaches

[centraliowa21]

Going on vacation up to Door County, WI soon. Was wondering if any of you Wisconsin/Michigan guys have had any luck finding artifacts on the beaches along Lake Michigan. Any replies would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Otepgod]

Green Bay is very good for artifacts. I've found a few things up there. Look up "The Wisconsin Archaeologist" Some of the older magazines are online, and have camp locations listed in them.

Hope this helps ;p

[Old Stones]

I have never had any luck on the beaches here in MI , but that does'nt stop me from looking. The sites I have read about in the Upper Peninsula are on old beach lines several miles inland from the current lake shore.

[Cannonman17]

There is stuff to be found, no doubt about it, but I believe it's all on public land that is a no no. I remember stopping at a little park/rest area on the West side of the penninsula and a friend finding a point right on the surface, I kicked some leaves aside with my foot and found the top rim area of a pottery jar filled with chunks of red ocher level with the surface. I was on a field trip with my anthropology class at the time though and there were a lot of people around, I just covered it back up with the leaves and moved along. Never did go back but I have a sample of the red ocher somewhere in a box. Then at the very tip of the penninsula where the ferry crossing to Washington Island there is stuff as well. They built a parking lot for the ferry on a major indian camp site. They have hedges built up around the parking lot that are full of flakes, chunks, pottery, and lots of bones. That was a lot of years ago though, haven't been back since the college days. If you find anything please post it though, would love to see what you find.. OH! And just south of the penninsula on the Lake Michigan side is twin creeks... there's a nuclear power plant near there but just North of that along the lake front there is a big clay cliff that is erroding into the lake. It's erroding 12,000+ year old spruce trees that were covered up with silt during the last glaciation. Now this 12,000 year old wood is just washing out of the bank, pretty cool to see, might want to check it out. Again, been a long time since I was there but if you stop and get some wood pieces I would love to see it!

[marksimerson]

Cannonman 17 are you talking about the Keweenaw penninsula? Copper country. We went up there when I was a kid to Copper Harbor. Found some native Copper and several real nice Agates! 40 some years ago ya could do that.....not today. And for finding artifacts on the beachs...Closest we ever found a point to a beach was 1/4 mile away in a plowed field.

[Cannonman17]

marksimerson- No, talking about the door county penninsula. Copper harbor is beautiful though!

[marksimerson]

Here is the point I was talking of. Hopewell my daughter found last year 1/4 mile from Saginaw Bay. A buddy of mine had a short video of her but pulled it because of some of the A-Hole comments.

[Cannonman17]

Nice piece!

[Buckeye]

Originally Posted by marksimerson

Here is the point I was talking of. Hopewell my daughter found last year 1/4 mile from Saginaw Bay. A buddy of mine had a short video of her but pulled it because of some of the A-Hole comments.

Very cool Mark! What a sweet piece and your daughter has a great name as well ( if that is what you wrote)...is it in reference to the culture?

[marksimerson]

Culture! Her name is Karly. Best 10 year old typeologist ya ever met!