The Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archaeological District consists of five archaeological sites located along the Quinebaug River in Canterbury, Connecticut. The sites were located in an archaeological survey conducted for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CONNDOT) by the Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc. (PAST). Artifacts from the sites indicate that they were intermittently occupied as early as 8,000 years ago, but were used most intensively between about 1,500 and 500 years ago.
Each of the sites was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places because of their ability to provide information important to understanding Connecticut’s prehistory (Native American history before European colonization). The five sites are especially important as a group because they tell us about how Native Americans used the Quinebaug River for food and as a communication and trade route between local and distant Native American groups. The sites qualify for listing in the National Register as a District, a term used to denote archaeological sites or historic properties that share a common theme or pattern and are near each other.
The Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archaeological District has also been designated as a State Archaeological Preserve, which ensures the long-term preservation of these important prehistoric sites so that present and future generations may learn about Connecticut’s prehistory.
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This webpage was funded by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Design and content by Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc.