A new mobile exhibit about precolonial communities in Illinois is on display at the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) office in Springfield, IL. Dan Bartlett, an exhibit designer for the Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS) at the Prairie Research Institute, recently installed the exhibit.

The exhibit, titled “Illinois Archaeology: The Deep Roots of the Prairie State,” offers a concise look at where and how people lived in Illinois over the past 12,500 years. It highlights how factors like conflict, climate change, and new technology influenced the lives of those communities. Visitors can explore these changes through the archaeological evidence people left behind.

“One of my favorite parts of the exhibit is about fire-cracked rock, which are found in the remains of cooking pits,” said Bartlett. “Cooking pits reveal the diets of people who lived many centuries ago.”

The exhibit reflects the positive, long-standing partnership between IDOT and ISAS, who work together to protect, celebrate, and better understand the Prairie State’s past, present, and future.

In Illinois, before IDOT begins roadwork, archaeologists from ISAS survey the area to ensure that important historical properties—such as archaeological sites and historic buildings—are not impacted. Once a cultural site is damaged or lost, it can never be recovered. These surveys not only preserve history but also contribute to our understanding of Illinois’ deep past, as every new discovery could provide fresh insights into the lives of its earliest inhabitants.

“This mobile exhibit is a companion piece to an ISAS book that will be coming out in a few weeks,” said Bartlett. The book is titled “Archaeology of Illinois: The Deep History of the Prairie State.” The book will be available in mid-February 2025. More information can be found by visiting the ISAS Publications Office website or by emailing ISAS-Publications@illinois.edu.

The public can view the exhibit at IDOT’s Hanley building located at 2300 S Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, IL 62764 until 2/15/2025. For inquiries about booking the exhibit, please contact Dan Bartlett at bart3080@Illinois.edu.

Get a behind the scenes look of the exhibit installation!