Ports of North America’s Inland Seas

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Port of Call: Archaeologies of Labor and Movement through Ports", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The ports of Toledo (Ohio), Oswego (New York), and Thunder Bay (Ontario) span the Great Lakes, saw different periods of development, and illustrate a variety of port infrastructure seen through archaeology and existing historic structures. By comparing the built environment of these ports, it is possible to see how the commodities that moved through the port combined with developments in technology, including ship construction, loading, and engineering, effected Great Lakes port development. The paper will also explore how maritime laborers (sailors, dock workers, etc.) experienced different ports as a result of the port’s infrastructure. The intent is to link the archaeological evidence of port sites with the larger trends of Great Lakes history.        

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023   •
• Port of Call: Archaeologies of Labor and Movement through Ports

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow