In 2007, the collections were transferred to Lansing at the request of an NMU professor for reasons he did not disclose, but he noted that they need to be returned to the Upper Peninsula.

“They shouldn’t be sitting down in Lansing,” Paquette said.

In fact, he said local researchers have not had access to the artifacts so they can be studied further.

The time has come, Paquette said, for that to change.

Here is a projectile point from the Gorto collection of artifacts. Negaunee resident Jim Paquette, who helped find the artifacts in 1987, wants such artifacts brought to Northern Michigan University from the Michigan History Center. (Photo courtesy of Jim Paquette)

“This is Marquette County history,” he said. “This is about us.”

The Michigan History Museum’s standards, Paquette said, dictate that archaeological collections have to be housed properly in a professional curation place with environmental controls.

“They’re doing their job to protect it,” he said.

The most important collection, according to Paquette, comes from an NMU excavation by Deer Lake called the Gorto site.

According to an NMU news story, Paquette and fellow NMU graduate John Gorto in 1987 discovered a large treasure trove of 10,000-year-old Late Paleo-Indian/Early Archaic period projectile points within the drained reservoir bed of the Deer Lake Basin near Ishpeming. This confirmed Paquette’s belief that ancient Native American peoples once inhabited central Marquette County as far back as the end of the last Ice Age.

“It’s one of the most important archaeological sites ever uncovered — well, certainly, the Upper Peninsula, but in the state of Michigan and throughout the western Great Lakes,” Paquette told The Mining Journal.

That collection, he pointed out, is just one of many that need to be returned.

However, Paquette acknowledged that NMU probably doesn’t have an environmentally controlled spot, although the Marquette Regional History Center has such a facility.

Artifacts recently recovered by NMU, Paquette said, still are being curated in the archaeology laboratory at NMU.

Paquette said many artifacts housed downstate are from projects on which he’s worked as an archaeologist assisting NMU.

“Among those artifacts are some extremely important artifacts, not only to the state of Michigan but for this region,” he said.

Paquette equated the NMU artifacts being tucked away a box to the fate of the Ark of the Covenant in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which ended up hidden in an expansive warehouse.

“Now it’s just rocks in a box,” he said.

Scott J. Demel, associate professor of anthropology at NMU, addressed the logistics of bringing back the artifacts.

“In order to bring that big collection back, the artifacts would need to be in an artifact repository/collections facility that has specific requirements for climate control and security,” Demel said in an email. “In addition, the collections need to be accessible to researchers. That would mean a collections manager and space to accommodate research visits.”

NMU is not a museum or a collections repository, he said.

“We have limited space for active archaeology projects that I and my students are involved with, but those collections are only at NMU temporarily before they go back to the landowners, to the state repository or to the Beaver Island Historical Society,” Demel said.

On that topic, he noted, NMU has had preliminary discussions about a collections facility of sorts for use by multiple departments such as anthropology, zoology, archives, ceramics and others.

Demel said that NMU has a few small collections from Paquette that are used for teaching, but nothing as large as the collection that went downstate.

Sandra L. Clark, director of the Michigan History Center, acknowledged in an email that NMU leadership asked that the university’s archaeological collection be permanently donated to the state archaeology collection.

“The state archaeology collection, co-managed by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Michigan History Center, accepted the NMU collection to provide stable and permanent curation,” Clark said. “NMU has not asked to revisit its decision, and as we understand it, does not have climate-controlled secure storage or staff to dedicate to its long-term care.

“NMU is welcome to contact us should it wish to discuss the collection or seek a loan agreement in the future.”

Paquette said he is passionate about the project, and being 71 years old with a lot of knowledge about the artifacts, he feels a personal responsibility for them. He wants to work through the proper channels, though, such as NMU and the State Historic Preservation Office.

In fact, he called it a “personal quest” on his part.

“It’s time to get these things back where they belong,” Paquette said.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.