History & Archeology
The glacial period in the northeast marked a time when massive ice sheets covered the landscape, shaping the region's topography. This painting, commissioned by archaeological illustrator Ren Harvey, depicts Long Island as it may have appeared 11,000 years ago. Clovis hunters likely entered the Long Island area pursuing mastodons and woolly mammoths, who fed on the grass in the tundra environment of that age. As these glaciers retreated, they left behind unique landforms and fertile soil, creating an environment ripe for habitation. During the Paleo Indian period, early inhabitants thrived in this changing landscape, utilizing the abundant resources for hunting and gathering. Their presence is evidenced by tools and artifacts that tell the story of their adaptation to a world transformed by ice and time.
Fort Corchaug is a significant archaeological site on Long Island that represents a contact era fort, likely a fortified trading area accessible via a neck of the Peconic Bay. Excavated and researched by archaeologist Ralph Solecki (pictured above), the site offers insights into how early colonists interacted with Native populations. These contact era forts exist in many areas in the Northeast, and represented collaborative building efforts to achieve a common goal.
A major focus of Southold Indian Museum is to assist in preservation of Native American sites on Long Island. Archaeological site records and artifact collections from the Southold Indian Museum are regularly used to aid in local site preservation.