Fort Meigs Aboriginal-33WO08-33WO445
Why it's listed
Fort Meigs Aboriginal is a late prehistoric village site of about 15 acres on a bluff overlooking the Maumee River at the last rapids before Maumee Bay, in Perrysburg, Ohio. It lies within the state memorial that contains the reconstructed War of 1812 Fort Meigs. The village dates to the Fort Meigs Phase, A.D. 1450-1550, of the Sandusky Tradition, and this site is the type site for that phase. Excavations since 1966 have documented a rich black midden, at least two ossuaries, a circular post mold pattern from a house, pits, hearths and a possible defensive ditch. Remains show residents grew maize and relied on deer, raccoon and fish, especially walleye, and made bone tools, shell ornaments, shell-tempered pottery and chipped stone tools. Construction and demolition of two forts, grading and farming disturbed much of the area, yet the site still holds materials and features that can answer research questions about agriculture, settlement and daily life in the region before European contact.
Significance in brief: It is the type site for the Fort Meigs Phase of the Sandusky Tradition, where evidence of large, permanent, agricultural villages from A.D. 1450-1550 was first recognized and is best represented. The site retains midden, ossuaries, a post mold structure and other features that can answer research questions about prehistoric farming, settlement, economy, health and industry in the western Lake Erie basin.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000042, listed February 12, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1.3 mi. SW of Perrysburg, Perrysburg |
|---|---|
| County | Wood County |
| Listed | February 12, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000042 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | A.D. 1450-1550 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Prehistoric |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Part of Fort Meigs State Memorial, a state park with outdoor recreation use; the site was heavily disturbed by fort construction, reconstruction, roads and farming but retains integrity. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Coordinates | 41.55241, -83.65190 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000042.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.