The Wadena County Historical Society and the Old Wadena Society will be hosting an archaeological field school from the University of Minnesota June 14 - July 9.

This is the second year that Professor Kat Hayes will be training future archaeologists and at the same time shedding new light on one of our county’s oldest historical sites for contact between early European fur traders and native peoples.

According to Rich Paper, a member of the Wadena County Historical Society, area residents will have several opportunities to interact with the archaeologists during their stay.

Anyone is free to visit the Little Round Hill site at Old Wadena daily between 9 a.m - 4 p.m. when the students are working. People who wish to volunteer to work along with the students can contact Professor Hayes or call Paper at 218- 631-2617 to make arrangements.

There will also be a formal Archaeologist Training Day on Thursday, June 24. There will be a morning and afternoon session for those interested in learning about the skills and craft of Archaeology. Call Rich Paper at 218-631- 2617 for more information and to reserve a place. There will be four placements for each session.

There will be a great opportunity for area residents who might have artifacts from the native period and the early trapping and settler period in Wadena County on June 26, at the Wadena County

Historical Museum, 603 N,

Jefferson Street in Wadena. “We are especially hoping

that if anyone has material from the Little Round hill site and other Crow Wing River sites that they would share it with our University of Minnesota visitors, Paper said. “This would be very helpful for the historical record of what might have happened in those long years before.”

The intention is to examine and photograph the artifacts and to hear whatever stories are associated with them.

Other artifacts that might have been found in the area are also of interest to the archaeologists and would be welcome.

This event will be held from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. June 26. Call Rich Paper 218-631- 2617 or Sandi Pratt 218-631- 9079 for more information.

“As research has unfolded it has become clear that in Wadena County, many years before any of our towns were formed, long before Minnesota was a territory or a state, there was a thriving trading system between Europeans and native peoples,” Paper said. “The Old Wadena Society has done a great deal of excellent work to help maintain the heritage of the Old Wadena site and together with the Wadena County Historical Society there is the hope that all in the county and beyond will benefit from increasing the knowledge of this bygone era.”