Revisiting The Trotier Site In French Cahokia

In late fall 2007 personnel from the American Bottom Survey Division (ABSD) of the Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program (ITARP) conducted investigations at the previously reported French colonial Trotier site (11S861) (Figure 1). Located within downtown French Cahokia, a small sliver of Trotier was investigated in 1989 by Bonnie Gums during the expansion of the Holy Family School (Gums 1993). Gums' work documented the partial remains of a poteaux-en-terre dwelling and material culture potentially associated with Joseph Trotier. The more recent ITARP investigations were focused approximately 50 m west of Gums' salvage efforts and were confined to a narrow (5 m) waterline project corridor.