National Register of Historic Places

Holcombe Site

Warren, Macomb County, Michigan

Listed

April 15, 1971

Type

Site

Period

Listed

Ref No.

71001023

About this property

The Holcombe Site, also known as Holcombe Beach, is a Paleo-Indian archaeological site located near the intersection of Metropolitan Parkway and Dodge Park Road in Sterling Heights, Michigan, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1970. In 1961, amateur archaeologists Jerome DeVisscher and Edward J. Wahla discovered evidence of an ancient settlement at this site. Later radiocarbon dating of hearth elements determined the site to be an 11,000-year-old Paleo-Indian settlement. A five-year dig by archaeologists from the University of Michigan uncovered numerous artifacts. The distinctive small, thin, fluted arrowheads found at the site were dubbed "Holcombe points;" similar flint arrowheads have been found at other sites in Michigan and southern Ontario, with scatterings in northern Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The Holcombe site was situated on what was, at the time it was occupied, the strandline of a small glacial lake that probably drained into nearby Lake Algonquin. Arrowheads, flint chips, and bone fragments were recovered, indicating that these Paleo-Indians hunted Barren-ground Caribou, a species particularly adapted to the tundra-like conditions that existed at the time. The site yielded evidence of the Indigenous people's change in culture and subsistence as the climate in the area changed. National Register of Historic Places listings in Macomb County, Michigan James Edward Fitting; Jerry De Visscher; Edward J. Wahla (1966), Jerry De Visscher; Edward J. Wahla (eds.), The Paleo-Indian occupation of the Holcombe beach, University of Michigan

Location

Warren, Macomb County, Michigan

Everything a full report reveals about Holcombe Site

This page lists Holcombe Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Questions about this property

When was Holcombe Site listed on the National Register?

Holcombe Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Holcombe Site?

Holcombe Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Holcombe Site?

The period of significance for Holcombe Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Holcombe Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Holcombe Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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