University of South Dakota Department of Anthropology and Sociology

06/15/2026

Hi all, below is the final student post for this summer about the USD archaeological field school at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota. Thank you for following our updates over the past month!

Archeologists not Paleontologists
by Rhyan Hemphill

Almost every archeologist has heard a very specific question: “are you digging for dinosaurs?” While archeologists do not in fact dig for dinosaurs, or specifically look for fossils, that does not stop them from sneaking into our excavation units from time to time. But instead of large meat eating T. Rex, we find small fossils that can tell us a lot about the area we are working in and its geologic history.

Trace fossils, like the small footprint picture below, was found on a walk around old Fort Meade. A footprint such as this can tell us some very important information, such as when South Dakota was no longer under a shallow sea. This helps build an understanding of how our earth is shaped. Knowing this also informs our understanding of how humans experience our world. Along with the footprint, in unit 11, a small calcium root deposit was found. This fossil can tell us about the geology of this area.

Even though archeologists are not the same as paleontologists, finding the remains of ancient life still helps us grow our understanding of the world we work in.

06/15/2026

06/12/2026

It’s great seeing this work by one of the program’s recent graduates!

06/12/2026

Hi all, yesterday’s SDPB broadcast contained a story about USD’s archaeological field school taking place at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota!

Underground, something valuable is hidden. Not oil, not mineral resources, but something more human. At dig sites across the state, archeologists are recovering pieces of our history. And at one site near Sturgis, they’re uncovering the memories of women lost to time.

06/10/2026

Hi all, we are just about finished with our field work for the summer at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota! Although, we’ll still be sharing posts from the field school students over the next week and the latest post is below:

Moleman Lives Among Us!

By Abigail Zenner

As part of our introduction to field school and the area we'd be excavating, our class went on a hike around the survey area and saw many different noteworthy features and things. Including one of semi-urban legend—Moleman's hole!

Moleman was someone in recent years who carved a hole into the side of a bank near Bear Butte Creek. The hole has built-in shelves and an unsteady supporting central pillar, meaning that it's unfortunately unsafe and no one from the field school crew actually entered. Though no one knows the true identity of Moleman, there are plenty of theories as to why and how the cave was made. Now, the legend has taken on a life of its own for future generations.

Special thanks to Natalie Wagner for letting me use some of her excellent photos!

06/10/2026

Hi all, below is the latest post about the USD archaeological field school taking place at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota:

Wildlife Wrangling in the Field
By Jay Jones

This past week my class has had the exciting chance to get hands on experience working in an archaeological site. The site that we are working in is called "Soapsuds Row" and was once where the laundresses of Fort Meade lived and worked. Over the past week we've learned a lot about Soapsuds Row and the laundresses that lived there, as well as proper archaeological techniques and excavation methods.

As a conservation biology student who's minoring in archaeology, I've become somewhat known in the field to pick up any animal or insect that I find. Some of my favorites have included a yellow bellied racer, the caterpillar of an orange underwing moth (more commonly known as an inchworm), the caterpillar of a morning cloak butterfly, multiple false potato beetles, and even a painted turtle who was trying to cross the road! I love seeing the amount of biodiversity present here in the Black Hills and I love seeing the way that conservation and archaeology come together in the field.

Please remember that if you're going to handle wildlife, be sure to do so carefully and with respect. Some animals can be extremely fragile when handling while others can cause you harm (like the morning cloak caterpillar!!!).

06/08/2026

Hi all, below is another post about the USD archaeological field school taking place at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota:

On a roll!
By Betsy Murchie

During our excavation at Soapsuds Row, we found what we believe to be a clay marble. This marble could be something that the children of the laundresses used during their time here at Fort Meade. According to the Marble Collectors Society of America, “The first marble-related U.S. patents are for devices that ‘mass produce’ clay marbles.” Clay marbles were mass produced in both Germany and the United States from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. This artifact fits in with our excavation of Soapsuds Row as it offers a look at what children, laundresses, or soldiers might have been doing in their free time.

https://www.marblecollecting.com/marble-reference/online-marble-id-guide/non-glass-marbles/

06/06/2026

Here is the front page of today's issue of the Black Hills Pioneer! You can read this story about USD's archaeological field school via this link: https://www.bhpioneer.com/local_news/unearthing-forgotten-stories/article_59b680f1-50d7-4204-8d0b-2b2b3e1f3736.html

06/05/2026

Hi all, below is the second post this summer about the USD archaeological field school taking place at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota:

My favorite artifact so far!
by Lisa Wible

This week we have the unique opportunity to excavate site 39MD45 - the housing for the laundresses at Fort Meade during the late 19th century to early 20th century, affectionately called “Soapsuds Row."

In our excavation of “Soapsuds Row”, we unearthed a lead bullet. I was so excited to find this! This is the first and only ammunition we have discovered so far this summer. Research indicates it was most likely from a government issued rifle from the late 19th century. This fits perfectly with the what we know about the time period we are studying. USD labs will be able to analyze and give further insight.

As a mother and educator, I am always looking for ways to make history interesting and engaging for students. Historical archeology is such a great way to make history come alive!

06/04/2026

Hi all, the USD archaeological field school is currently taking place at the Soap Suds Row site at Old Fort Meade in Sturgis, South Dakota! We will be sharing Facebook posts by the students in the field school and the first post is below:

An Enlightening Fieldtrip to Spearfish Canyon

By Avery Welte

On Sunday, May 31st, the Archaeological Field Techniques (ANTH 431) class took an afternoon excursion to Spearfish Canyon in Spearfish, SD. Students were able to hike several scenic trails to view the breathtaking waterfalls, and they encountered plenty of wildlife along the way—such as squirrels, birds, and fish. They also had the opportunity to learn more about the area's fascinating history.
While the nearby Black Hills are largely composed of igneous granite, Spearfish Canyon is mostly sedimentary in nature. Both Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls (pictured) spill from striking deposits of limestone and sandstone, and this is due to the area being underwater millions of years ago. Many distinctly banded layers have been preserved in the canyon as a result, creating a beautiful and rich landscape.