The Trails are just the Beginning.
The Experience is in the Findings. 10,500 Years in the Making.

The Sheguiandah Site (BlHl-2) is a National Historic Site designated by Parks Canada, based on its age and the ancient quarry pits in the quartzite knoll, and stone tool workshops dating back about 10,500 years. The site is about 10 hectares and is one of several early sites in this area. It is a multi-component site, as it was used by the Anishinabek (Odawa and Ojibwa) and earlier indigenous cultures including Woodland, Archaic and Paleoindian; both as a quarry for mining the glassy Bar River quartzite for stone tools, and also camping, fishing, hunting and gathering around Sheguiandah Bay.

• Early 1950's

  On a tip from a local resident, Archaeologist Thomas E. Lee, from the National Museum, explores the area. Lee finds funding to start excavation of the site They would uncover over 4,000 prehistorical artifacts during their time there. Lee deems the site to be pre ice age at 30,000 years old. This was largely controversial in academic circles and funding was lost. The project was abandoned.

• 1985 – 1989

  Professor Partrick Julig conducts re-analysis of artifacts and sediment samples held at the Canadian Museum of History. From his findings, he hypothesized the site was a late Paleoindian 9,500 – 10,000 radiocarbon years old, or about 11,000 calendar years. In 1987, neutral observers characterized the Sheguiandah Archaeological Site as "Canada's most neglected major site of the past 30 years."

• Early 1990's

  In hopes of conserving heritage resources and developing tourism potential, the local Manitoulin municipality and First Nations initiated the development of an Archaeological Master Plan. The re-investigation was conducted by a team from the Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI), directed by Dr. Peter Storck and Dr. Patrick Julig. After the completion of the Master Plan and the re-investigation, preformed by the ASI team, several other sediment studies were completed, but no further development would occur until 2017.

• 2017

  Close to 70 years since the the first studies were conducted, development begins to bring this National Historic Site to the general public. An exhibit showcasing the history and discovery of the site was installed at the Sheguiandah Centennial Museum Summer 2017, and Guided Tours of the quarry site will commence Spring 2022.