Fort de Chartres Site Plan

Fort de Chartres Powder Magazine

Fort de Chartres Soil Profile

The above photograph was taken during the summer 2000 excavation of Test 1 at Fort de Chartres.

Fort de Chartres Artifacts

This map shows the location of the test units excavated by Fever River Research during the late summer 2000. The powder magazine is located in the northeastern bastion of the fort. The powder magazine is surrounded by a reconstructed log banquette wall, raised banquette, and stone defensive wall.

This historic photograph of the powder magazine was taken during its tenant farmstead years.

View of soil profile adjacent to the west edge of Test 1. Note the two "set bacts" or "steps" in the foundation of the counterfort, or bastion. The lower "step" is original to the structure and is located at, or near, the historic grade.The upper "step" was created during the 1910s restoration and represents the circa 1910 ground surface.

These forged nails were recovered from the 2000 excavation of the Fort de Chartres powder magazine. The left two nails were recovered from Lot 21 (Test 6, inside the magazine) whereas the right two nails were recovered from Lot 19 (Test 5) (Actual Size). It is of interest to note that the largest nail was recovered from inside the structure, and may have been associated with the interior framing of the building (powder keg racks). The smaller nails are more typical of the size found at domestic French Colonial sites within the Illinois Country.