Presence of Native Americans on Assembly Point:
The Weinman Site (now at 93 Assembly Point Road and owned by Mark and Sue Weinman) was excavated on Assembly Point in the 1960's by Paul and Thomas Weinman of Assembly Point. Both were active in the Auringer-Seelye Chapter of the Archaeological Association.
Assembly Point, at the southern end of the lake, is a peninsula almost miles long and ½ a mile at its widest. Connected on the south to the Burnt Hill ridge that rises out of a glacial impediment, we know this as Dunham Bay. During pre history, a four foot differential higher in the lake level would have flooded these wetlands and converted the land into two islands, since the lowest part of the neck is only 3' above the lake surface.
Much of the lowlands in this area are filled in APA jurisdictional wetlands. In pre history/early days the lake produced many pike, pickerel, bass and trout. A sizable amount of fresh water mussels lived in the cove. Nut trees, oak, butternut and hickory blanketed the Point into the 1960's. Deer and other game must have been abundant in Prehistoric times. In those centuries occupants would have relied heavily on fish and game for subsistence. The Weinmans found roasted nut remnants, evidence of autumnal presence and roasting ovens.
Few bones were found due to high acidity of the soil; all supposition about occupancy is inferential. Large numbers of artifacts have been found at this site, other areas of Assembly Point and surrounds, and around the southern basin of artifacts identified as 950 AD include a "jacks reef" hearth; Levana points, slate and flint drills were found on the top levels of the digs on Assembly Point and along the southern basin west side.
On lower levels of the digs artifacts included projectile points/arrowheads and pounding tools dated from 2100BC and relics from between 2800BC to 4500 BC, including an Archaic period roasting feature with a stone adz and spearheads and arrow home ceramics, mostly pieces of body and rim sherd which fall within the (....?) Point Peninsula typing and were named "The Burnt Hill" collection were found, and probable extraction of area clays were postulated. See Weinman image of a pottery from this period circa 950 AD in a college in Native American room at the LGHA museum.
Other digs and excavated areas at the end of Assembly Point and down into Dunham Bay as far south in that wetland as the Pickle Hill site archaeologists have concluded that Native American occupations covered perhaps 5000 years from Archaic times to the late 18th e. There are only traces of Early and Late Woodland complexes, but Middle occupation was heavily evident. Most likely these were seasonal and repetitive.
The Weinman Site (now at 93 Assembly Point Road and owned by Mark and Sue Weinman) was excavated on Assembly Point in the 1960's by Paul and Thomas Weinman of Assembly Point. Both were active in the Auringer-Seelye Chapter of the Archaeological Association.
Assembly Point, at the southern end of the lake, is a peninsula almost miles long and ½ a mile at its widest. Connected on the south to the Burnt Hill ridge that rises out of a glacial impediment, we know this as Dunham Bay. During pre history, a four foot differential higher in the lake level would have flooded these wetlands and converted the land into two islands, since the lowest part of the neck is only 3' above the lake surface.
Much of the lowlands in this area are filled in APA jurisdictional wetlands. In pre history/early days the lake produced many pike, pickerel, bass and trout. A sizable amount of fresh water mussels lived in the cove. Nut trees, oak, butternut and hickory blanketed the Point into the 1960's. Deer and other game must have been abundant in Prehistoric times. In those centuries occupants would have relied heavily on fish and game for subsistence. The Weinmans found roasted nut remnants, evidence of autumnal presence and roasting ovens.
Few bones were found due to high acidity of the soil; all supposition about occupancy is inferential. Large numbers of artifacts have been found at this site, other areas of Assembly Point and surrounds, and around the southern basin of artifacts identified as 950 AD include a "jacks reef" hearth; Levana points, slate and flint drills were found on the top levels of the digs on Assembly Point and along the southern basin west side.
On lower levels of the digs artifacts included projectile points/arrowheads and pounding tools dated from 2100BC and relics from between 2800BC to 4500 BC, including an Archaic period roasting feature with a stone adz and spearheads and arrow home ceramics, mostly pieces of body and rim sherd which fall within the (....?) Point Peninsula typing and were named "The Burnt Hill" collection were found, and probable extraction of area clays were postulated. See Weinman image of a pottery from this period circa 950 AD in a college in Native American room at the LGHA museum.
Other digs and excavated areas at the end of Assembly Point and down into Dunham Bay as far south in that wetland as the Pickle Hill site archaeologists have concluded that Native American occupations covered perhaps 5000 years from Archaic times to the late 18th e. There are only traces of Early and Late Woodland complexes, but Middle occupation was heavily evident. Most likely these were seasonal and repetitive.
