SIU Archaeology Field School uncovers history at Lakeview site

CARRIER MILLS, Ill. (HEARTLAND NEWS) - Archaeology students from Southern Illinois University are spending their summer digging into the history of Lakeview, a historic community near Carrier Mills believed to be among the oldest continuously inhabited African American settlements in Illinois.

The excavation is part of SIU’s annual Archaeological Field School, where students receive hands-on training in professional archaeological methods while helping researchers learn more about the people who lived in the area more than a century ago.

“This is a summer class where the students get to learn how to actually dig an archaeological site,” said Dr. Matthew Greer, assistant professor of anthropology at SIU. “This is the basic training that students need in order to go on and become professional archaeologists.”

The current dig site sits on property owned by the family of local historian Brendan Jennings, who has spent decades researching the history of Lakeview.

Jennings said the project grew out of efforts to gain greater recognition for the community and preserve its story for future generations.

“Lakeview is one of the oldest, as we know already, African American settlements in the state of Illinois, with most of the families arriving here shortly after the War of 1812,” Jennings said.

According to Jennings, the current excavation represents the culmination of nearly 30 years of research and community advocacy. Those efforts eventually connected him with SIU researchers interested in studying the area’s history through archaeology.

Students have spent the last three weeks excavating the site, carefully digging and screening soil for artifacts that may help reveal details about everyday life in the community.

Among the discoveries so far are children’s toys, bottles, ceramics, buttons, marbles and other household items.

“We’re also getting a lot of artifacts from daily life,” Greer said. “We’re getting kids’ toys, bottles, ceramics, we’ve got some buttons. And once we get those into the lab and we clean them up and process them, we can really learn a lot about daily life out here.”

Researchers say one of the key questions involves determining the location of an earlier home believed to have stood on the property before a house built in the early 1900s.

“Based on the types of nails that we’re getting, we’re getting some older nails that would be predating the 20th century house,” Greer said. “And this strongly suggests that the earlier house is on this location.”

While archaeologists have not yet pinpointed the exact location of that structure, Greer said evidence indicates it is likely somewhere within the immediate excavation area.

The field school serves a dual purpose: training the next generation of archaeologists while contributing new research about a historically significant community.

Greer said the discoveries made this summer will continue to be studied long after the excavation ends. Artifacts will be cleaned, cataloged and analyzed in the lab before researchers prepare formal reports and academic presentations.

“There’ll also be a formal report that we’ll have written up,” Greer said. “And we’re hoping to do some public talks on this, maybe sometime in the spring semester once we get things wrapped up.”

Ultimately, researchers hope the project helps both descendants of Lakeview families and the broader public better understand the community’s history.

“I hope this will really help people just understand what life was like here at Lakeview, both for descendants who want to know more about their ancestors,” Greer said. “And I’m hoping the broader public in Saline County and southern Illinois will learn more about Lakeview and its importance for the region.”

During the excavation, local Scouts also visited the site to learn about archaeology and local history, giving them a chance to help screen soil and examine artifacts alongside SIU students.

Jennings said he hopes the project sparks a greater appreciation for preserving local history and encourages more people to learn about the stories that exist in their own communities.