2.3 Project Context: Historical Context

2.3.1 Indigenous Peoples Settlement in Windsor

Greater Windsor is poorly known archaeologically, due primarily to a lack of major archaeological survey, until recently. Windsor’s Archaeological Master Plan (2005:3-32) states that Paleoindian and Archaic sites are not well represented in the Windsor area. Woodland and early historic period Indigenous sites are considered well represented by villages and cemeteries. In 2005, Indigenous sites identified in Windsor dated from Late Archaic (c.1850 B.C) to the historic period (18th century) (CRM Group Ltd. et al. 2005). However, recent studies have added to this database.

While there are several previously known Indigenous sites in the Windsor area, most of them are seasonal camps located along Turkey Creek and its tributaries. In addition, several sites are known from within a few kilometres of present-day Ojibway Park. Despite several archaeological investigations being conducted in the City of Windsor, our knowledge of the early Indigenous occupation of the general area is incomplete. Nevertheless, using province-wide and region-specific data, a generalized cultural chronology for Indigenous settlement in the area can be proposed (Table 2).

Table 2: Cultural Chronology for Indigenous Settlement in the Windsor Area

Period			Time Range(circa)	Diagnostic Features	Complexes
Paleoindian	Early		9000 - 8400 B.C.	fluted projectile points	Gainey, Barnes, Crowfield
	Late		8400 - 8000 B.C.	non-fluted and lanceolate points	Holcombe, Hi-Lo, Lanceolate
Archaic	Early		8000 - 6000 B.C.	serrated, notched, bifurcate base points	Nettling, Bifurcate Base Horizon
	Middle		6000 - 2500 B.C.	stemmed, side & corner notched points	Brewerton, Otter Creek,Stanly/Neville
	Late		2000 - 1800 B.C.	narrow points	Lamoka
			1800 - 1500 B.C.	broad points	Genesee, Adder Orchard,Perkiomen
			1500 - 1100 B.C.	small points	Crawford Knoll
	Terminal		1100 - 850 B.C.	first true cemeteries	Hind
Woodland	Early		800 - 400 B.C.	expanding stemmed points, Vinette pottery	Meadowood
	Middle		400 B.C. - A.D.600	thick coiled pottery, notched rims; cord marked	Couture
	Late	Western Basin	A.D. 600 - 900	Wayne ware, vertical cord marked ceramics	Riviere au Vase-Algonquin
			A.D. 900 - 1200	first corn; ceramics with multiple band impressions	Young- Algonquin
			A.D. 1200 - 1400	longhouses; bag shaped pots, ribbed paddle	Springwells-Algonquin
			A.D 1400-1600	villages with earthworks; Parker Festoon pots	Wolf- Algonquin
Contact		Indigenous	A.D. 1600 - 1700	early historic Indigenous settlements	Attawandaron, Wendat, Odawa,Wenro
		Settler	A.D. 1700-1760	fur trade, missionization, early military establishments	French
			A.D. 1760-1900	Military establishments, pioneer settlement	British colonials, UELs