2024 Archaeological Excavations of Laundress Housing at Old Fort Meade, Sturgis, SD

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The University of South Dakota (USD) archaeological field school in summer 2024 took place at the Soapsuds Row area of Fort Meade at the Bear Butte Creek Historic Preserve in Sturgis, South Dakota. The term “Soapsuds Row” refers to the housing originally used by laundresses employed by Fort Meade in the late AD 1800s. The 2024 archaeological work focused on surveying and excavating surface depressions that may represent historic features. Building upon previous 1x1m unit excavations, nine 1x1m units were opened in 2024 to investigate a log house and possible privy. The diagnostic artifacts recovered date primarily to the 1870s-1910s and include domestic household items, food debris, children’s toys, and military clothing. This work advances the broad goal of learning more about the history of Fort Meade and the longer human use of the valley of Bear Butte Creek. Additionally, the project is in support of development of a natural and historical park on land formerly included in the Fort Meade Military Reservation, as well as providing an education experience for South Dakota archaeology students and volunteers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52744