Explore the Map
SunWatch Indian Village
39.7163° N, -84.2316° E
About
SunWatch Indian Village / Archaeological Park, previously known as the Incinerator Site, and designated by the Smithsonian trinomial 33-MY-57, is a reconstructed Fort Ancient Native American village next to the Great Miami River. The dwellings and site plan of the 3-acre (1.2 ha) site are based on lengthy archeological excavations sponsored by the Dayton Society of Natural History, which owns and operates the site as an open-air museum. Because of its archaeological value, the site was listed in 1974 on the National Register of Historic Places. Since that time, as the many years of archaeological research at the site have led to important findings about the Fort Ancient culture, SunWatch Indian Village was designated in 1990 as a National Historic Landmark.
Historical Timeline
Journey through time and discover key events in this site's history
Professional excavation begins
1971
Listed on National Register
1974
Opened as open-air museum
1988
Excavations completed (major phase)
1988
Designated National Historic Landmark
1990
Archaeological Features
Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site
Defensive Structures
Public and Civic Structures
Burial and Funerary Structures
Agricultural and Land Use Features
Domestic and Habitation Structures
Astronomical and Timekeeping Structures
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Visit
Tours, travel arrangements, and practical information
More Sites in United States
Schwerdt site
Late Woodland seasonal encampment, 15th century Michigan
Potomac Palisades Site
Late Archaic lithic workshop, Washington, D.C.
Black Mountain (Pima County, Arizona)
Hohokam fortification on a lava-capped mesa, Arizona
Homayo
Tewa Pueblo ruin in New Mexico
Bone Mound II
Fort Ancient burial mound in southwestern Ohio
Bluffton Mound site
Caddoan Mississippian mound site, Arkansas