Platte River Campground
About this property
The Platte River Campground Site, designated 20BZ16, is an archaeological site located along the Platte River, within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Empire, Michigan. It is significant as a largely intact record of prehistoric life over a long span of time. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The site of the Platte River Campground was used sporadically over a wide span of time, estimated to be A.D. 130-1269, during Middle and Late Woodland period. Evidence suggests that this occupation was short-term, consistent with a seasonal camping site, rather than long-term. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the logging community of Edgewater was established on the shore of Platte Lake; the community overlapped the prehistoric campground. After the area was logged, the State of Michigan turned the location into a campground; the campground became part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore upon its creation in 1973. Archaeological artifacts were first discovered at the Platte River Campground site in 1985. Although an earlier survey in 1976 had covered the area, the prehistoric site at the Platte River Campground had been missed. Archaeological excavations were conducted at the site in 1987 to assess the impact of a planned campground redevelopment program. Although the site had seen constant use for over 50 years as a campground, the site maintained a high degree of integrity. The Platte River Campground site extends 300 meters (980 ft) along the north bank of the Platte River, and runs up to 160 meters (520 ft) deep. The site is a multicomponent site, with repeated prehistoric occupations over the Middle and Late Woodland Periods as well as historic occupation around the turn of the 20th century; thus, artifacts were found covering a range of time periods. The artifacts recovered included a great many fire cracked rocks and chert flakes. Some ceramic sherds and stone projectile points were also discovered, as well as two celts and two copper artifacts. Historic artifacts, presumably related to the logging community of Edgewater, were also discovered. Donald J. Weir (1986), Cultural Resource Assessment of Proposed Rehabilitation of the Platte River Campground and Limited Testing at Site 20BZ16, Benzie County, Michigan
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Platte River Campground
This page lists Platte River Campground. 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:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Platte River Campground listed on the National Register?
Platte River Campground was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 26, 1990.
What type of historic resource is Platte River Campground?
Platte River Campground is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Platte River Campground?
The period of significance for Platte River Campground is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Platte River Campground?
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 Platte River Campground will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Benzie County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Benzie County.
Explore BenzieCounty ›More historic places in Michigan
Browse all historic places in Michigan.
View Michiganhistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Platte River Campground will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.