Caughnawaga Indian Village Site, Archaeological site near Fonda, New York, United States.
Caughnawaga Indian Village Site is an archaeological site near Fonda, New York, featuring excavated remains of a Mohawk village on the south bank of the Mohawk River. Wooden stakes mark the outlines of longhouses and defensive structures, giving a clear sense of how the village was laid out.
The village was founded in 1666 and served as home to a Mohawk community until it was abandoned following an attack in 1693. After leaving, part of the population moved north to Canada and gave their name to a new settlement there.
Visitors can still read the traces of daily Mohawk life through the objects and structures found during excavation. The presence of a Christian mission introduced new languages and practices that left a clear mark on the kinds of artifacts uncovered here.
The site is open-air and free to visit, and walking the full area gives the best sense of its layout. The ground is uneven in places, so sturdy footwear is a good idea, especially after rain.
This is the only fully excavated Mohawk village in the United States, first uncovered in 1950 by Reverend Thomas Grassmann. The thorough dig made it possible to map nearly the entire internal layout of the settlement, something rarely achieved at sites of this kind.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
