 |
|
 |
    |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
articles
timelines America The World at large links (opens in new window)
|
Aftermath and Reconstruction
After the Jesuits fled the burning mission in 1649, they moved to Christian Island and founded a second mission. This lasted only a year before the Iroquois war drove them to retreat to Quebec. For the next 150 years the land reverted to use by natives and the occasional fur trader. Its reputation remained however, and Governor Simcoe makes reference to the "French ruins supposed to be the Church of Ste. Marys" in his Diary. Into the 19th and 20th Centuries The Jesuits' interest in Ste. Marie was renewed when in 1844 Pierre Chazelle visited the ruins after becoming Superior of the Jesuits in Canada. It was his idea that the site be excavated and rebuilt and to this end, he wrote the Superior General in Rome. Over the next century 4 surveys were done of the site, all of which show the remains of stone fortifications with moats and earthworks along the south side. By 1941 when Kenneth Kidd began his excavations for the Jesuit Order, the trenches and earthworks had eroded. His task was to clarify the outlines of the settlement, recover artefacts for dating and interpretation, and collect whatever data was necessary for reconstruction. Since reconstruction was always a consideration, loose stones from the bastions and hearths were piled in low walls for reuse. By 1941, WWII was in full swing and only 3 seasons of fieldwork were completed. The final report wouldn't be issued until 1949. Despite this, in the aftermath of WWII, with the 5th centenary of the destruction of Ste. Marie looming, the desire to rebuild the mission was strong. The basis of the reconstruction would be
It should have been no surprise then that there was more to be learned from the site. As it happened, when the stones set aside to rebuild the bastions were moved, post moulds were uncovered, suggesting a wooden palisade extending west from the southwest bastion. Building came to a standstill and Wilfrid and Elsie Jury were hired to continue excavations. Over the next 4 years, the Jurys excavated first the north court, then the canal, the area between the canal and cemetery and finally the area south of the cemetery The results of their research were published in a short commercial book. Their fieldnotes disappeared until 1994. Among their findings, the Jurys established where wooden palisades once stood. They found fireplaces and remnants of both European and Indian buildings outside the area covered by Kidd and showed that the mission was 5-6 times larger than indicated on previous surveys and maps. By his research, Ste. Marie had "the first cultivated farm lands, the first stables, and the remains of the first domesticated animals in the province, predating permanent settlement by two centuries." (Jury, 1954, p. 37). It was also 756 feet long, with a canal, double palisades, and European style buildings with gables and stone chimneys, often two-storeyed with deep sloping roofs and some glassed in windows. (Jury, 1954, p.109). In 1952 Father Denis Hegarty took over as archaeologist. He delineated building outlines and re-excavated St. Joseph church where he found the original grave of Fathers Brébeuf and Lalemant. (The Jesuits disinterred the bones when they abandoned Ste. Marie). The grave was marked by a lead plaque engraved with Brébeuf's name and the details of his death. Later excavations led him to suggest that the church was a far more complicated building than Jury supposed, containing 3 or 4 rooms. WIth this, it was assumed that excavations were complete and reconstruction could go ahead without disturbing hidden artefacts that would change the interpretation of the site now in place. Reinterpretations It has been many decades since Ste. Marie among the Huron was reconstructed in Midland ON. In that time, certain issues have been re-visited
As just one example of how Jury's research has been re-evaluated, Tummon and Gray note that in his book Jury cleaned up the palisade so that it appeared to be a straight-forward double ring of wooden posts. In his fieldnotes several lines of post moulds are recognized as running south from St. Josephs Church and many of the posts are smaller than the ones in the northern courts and were staggered, suggesting they were native-built, possibly part of an Indian palisade or longhouse. In the 1990s, new excavations were undertaken. It is difficult however to find undisturbed patches of land at the mission. Disturbed land is land that has been changed by later visitors who may have removed or added artefacts to the area, confusing the findings. During the reconstruction, every effort was made to place new buildings on top of older ones to make sure the site replicated its predecessor exactly. This meant that the palisade post moulds and waterway were completely dug up and rebuilt. Much of the land was dumped with fill to build administrative offices, and trenches were dug for building and drainage. One recent finding is evidence that the site, rather than being the result of a single, 10-year settlement, is part of a larger site dating back to 1200AD. That is, Ste. Marie was actually just one of many habitations in the area. Other settlements included ancient campsites and modern farms. This makes the evidence much more difficult to interpret. Not everything that was forced into the 10 year timeframe necessarily belongs there. For example, the ditch that starts inside the north court and which is interpreted as a waterway, was not mentioned in 19th c. surveys and may be recent. Our reconstruction follows that in Midland. It is based on Jury's interpretation of the evidence he found, filtered through his knowledge of the site and what must have seemed probable. For example, in the southern court he found part of a wall that was similar to those in the northern compound. Along with it were hand-made nails and nearby was a hearth. He conjectured that these were the remains of a hospital since the building was far from the Jesuit's residence and would have been an acceptable place to care for native women as well as men. In all, the following questions have been raised:
What we do know is that the following buildings existed:
|
|||