Upper Gap Archaeological Site
Text from the plaque
(Note: The three plaques have identical text. The left one is in the Iroquois language; the middle one is in English and the right one is in French.) First Nations peoples lived in this area thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. In 1995, archaeological evidence of Iroquoian settlement was discovered nearby. The artifacts found reflected several periods of habitation dating from A.D. 700 to A.D. 1400 and included the remains of decorated ceramic pots, vessels for cooking and storage, and stone tools. Hundreds of years ago, the Iroquois lived in longhouses and practised an agricultural way of life, cultivating primarily corn, beans and squash. This site was likely chosen for its strategic location overlooking the open channel or Upper Gap between Amherst Island and Cressy Point. It provided access to Lake Ontario for fishing, hunting, gathering, ceremonial purposes and for other Aboriginal peoples.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The County of Prince Edward
In a pull-out on the south side of Road 33 (Loyalist Parkway)
20.5 km east of the Glenora Ferry
600 m east of the entrance road
to the Lennox Generating Station
N 44 08.853 W 76 50.332
Recorded September 2016. Check current access before visiting.
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Where it stands
Visitors' notes
September 27, 2016
These plaques were unveiled in 2003 but not installed at this site until 2015. The delay was caused by changes in land ownership and a construction project nearby. The Napanee Generating Station is still under construction across the road. -Wayne