The MAC (which stands for Missouri’s Ancient Cultures) Quest Program website is a cooperative effort between the Missouri Archaeological Society, Chesterfield Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the River Bend School District.  It is designed to help 4th graders learn about Missouri’s prehistoric past.  There is information directed for both teachers and students., and featured archaeological sites and excavations.

“The remains of the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico are preserved at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site.  Within the 2,200-acre tract, located a few miles west of Collinsville, Illinois, lie the archaeological remnants of the central section of the ancient settlement that is today known as Cahokia.”  This website allows one to explore and learn about Chaokia Mounds.

This website is the result of two archaeological projects undertaken by the California Department of Transportation and Anthropological Studies Center at Sonoma State University in the South of Market area of San Francisco.  The projects were formally known as the SF-80 Bayshore Viaduct Seismic Retrofit (SF-80 Bayshore) Project and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge West Approach (SFOBB West Approach) Project.  They formed a continuous corridor along the Interstate 80 freeway, from Main Street to the Route 101 Interchange in San Francisco.  Archaeological investigations for the SF-80 Bayshore project took place intermittently from May 1999 to December 2001 resulting in the identification of eleven archaeological features of which seven were evaluated as eligible to the National Register of Historic Places.  Archaeological excavations for the SFOBB West Approach project took place intermittently from May 2001 to January 2003 across six city blocks.  Eighty-three historic archaeological features were identified, of which over 40 appear to be eligible to the National Register of Historic Places.  This website explores the history of the neighborhood effected by these projects, explains the archaeological excavations, and describes the recovered artifacts.

“… is a virtual museum funded by a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council.  This museum uses archaeological research, artifacts and historic documents to tell the story of the people, cultures, and events that have left their mark on a piece of land southwest of Springfield, Missouri where Wilson Creek flows into the James River.  This area is associated with substantial long-term prehistoric occupation, as well as historic Osage, Delaware, and Cherokee Indians, Euro-American fur traders and early settlers, the White River Trace, Trail of Tears, and the Civil War Battle of Wilson’s Creek.  The Center for Archaeological Research at Missouri State University has conducted research in this area, commonly known as Delaware Town since 1999.”

The buried remains of the 18th/19th century port town, Raritan Landing, were identified during work associated with pending highway construction by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.  These include the remains of house foundations, commercial structures, and associated artifacts dating to the heyday of the community in the middle of the 18th century, to destruction during the Revolutionary War, and to the rebuilding of the community after the war.  Archaeological excavations were conducted at 13 properties within the buried town of Raritan Landing with 70 structures and most of their remains left untouched by the proposed highway improvements.  This website explores what archaeologist learned about this community.

The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies hosts www.SmithsonianEducation.org, the gateway to the Smithsonian Institution’s educational resources and programs, publishes Smithsonian in Your Classroom (a journal for elementary and middle school educators), offers research opportunities and resources to the museum community, and conducts professional development programs for educators at all levels.  “Decoding the Past:  The Work of Archaeologists” provides three lesson plans, focused on Grades 3 through 8, to teach about the thought process employed by archaeologists.

Historic Jamestowne is the site of the first permanent English settlement in America. The town site is jointly administered by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and the National Park Service.  The mission of Historic Jamestowne is to preserve, protect and promote the original site of the first permanent English settlement in North America and to tell the story of the role of the three cultures, European, North American and African, that came together to lay the foundation for a uniquely American form of democratic government, language, free enterprise and society.  This website is one of the tools utilized to tell this story.

Archaeological research at the Reed Farmstead site was initiated by the West Virginia Department of Transportation when it was determined that this site would be impacted for proposedhighway improvements.  The Reed Farmstead archaeological site is the ruins of a 19th century farm that was lived on by two families -- the William and Hannah Reed family from 1803 until 1854, and the Andrew and Fannie Garrett family from 1854 to 1883.  The site is located east of the small community of Baker in eastern Hardy County, West Virginia.  The “Kids Dig Reed” website is setup for young students to discover an actual archaeological site, learn about archaeology and how archaeologists work, and reconstruct how our ancestors lived over 150 years ago through a series of games, puzzles, and a virtual site tour.  Additional information on the Reed Farmstead is provided at the Reed Farmstead Archaeological Site website.

“The Secret in the Cellar, is a Webcomic based on an authentic forensic case of a recently discovered 17th Century body.  Using graphics, photos, and online activities, the Webcomic unravels a mystery of historical, and scientific importance. Online sleuths can analyze artifacts and examine the skeleton for the tell-tale forensic clues that bring the deceased to life and establish the cause of death.”  The site also has links for more information on Forensic Anthropology.

“People first arrived in the Americas at least 12,000 years ago. The timing of their arrival and the route by which they traveled are not known. Did they follow an inland ice-free corridor route from Siberia to the unglaciated regions south of the ice sheets? Or did they take a coastal route, traveling by boat down the Pacific Coast? Did people arrive during the ice age, or not until after the glaciers receded? This site explores these and other questions, and looks at some of the evidence and ideas that have been proposed to resolve them.”  This site has lesson plans for Primary, Elementary, Middle School, Secondary, and Post-Secondary levels.

MoDOT conducts archaeological surveys and excavations throughout the state to comply with regulations and as part of our environmental responsibilities.  These investigations provide archaeologists, professional and amateur, and interested public insight into unique aspects of the lifeways of the past inhabitants of Missouri.  Information on archaeology within Missouri and specific MoDOT investigations can be reached by clicking the title.

Archaeological investigations conducted by MoDOT over the last several decades have provided us with the opportunity to increase our knowledge of the prehistory and history of Missouri.  To learn about current research or past excavations conducted by MoDOT click the title.