Friends of Chats Falls to continue public archaeology project
Deborah Powell
BRISTOL – The Friends of Chats Falls held their annual general meeting at Coronation Hall in Bristol, July 2. Before the meeting began, attendees were encouraged to view the Hall’s banner display covering the history of the Bristol and Chats Falls area. Local historian, Maude-Emmanuelle Lambert, presented the Archéo-Pontiac project that brought four days of public archaeological digs, plus two days for students, last fall at Pointe Indienne near Quyon. The Archéo-Pontiac project will host more dig-days this fall, at the same site: September 21, 22, 28, and 29 with school days on the 23rd and 24th.
Last fall’s archaeological digs exposed portions of the walls of an old trading post at Pointe Indienne dating from the early 1800s along with numerous artefacts from the same period. Participants at the dig had the opportunity to learn about the site’s history as well as the different processes associated with on-site archaeology. Funding for the Archéo-Pontiac project has been provided primarily from the Cultural Development Fund of the MRC des-Collines-de-l’Outaouais with additional funds from the Caisse Populaire Desjardins de Hull-Aylmer, and MNA André Fortin, as well as support from the Municipality of Pontiac.
Other Friends of Chats Falls activities over the past year have included nature walks and an online presentation of the archaeological heritage of First Nations in the Ottawa Valley.
The Friends of Chats Falls is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that aims to promote the historical and natural wealth of the Chats Falls region of the Ottawa River watershed.
Photo – Pontiac High School students sieve dirt searching for small artefacts at the Archéo-Pontiac dig last fall at Pointe Indienne. (Jo-Ann Brownlee)
