The Wapello Preserve in northwestern Illinois contains a series of Late Woodland-Mississippian habitation and mound sites along 175 acres of the Apple River. These sites represent many millennia of Indigenous history over countless generations. Two of the most significant sites in area are the John and Grace Chapman sites – a complex of habitation areas, ritual precincts, burial mounds, and earthen platforms dating to around 1000-1200 A.D. In this upcoming lecture, Midwestern Regional Director, Philip Millhouse, will discuss the story of the acquisition and preservation of these significant sites as well as the collaborative effort between The Archaeological Conservancy and the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation.

Philip Millhouse is The Archaeological Conservancy’s new Midwest Regional Director. He grew up in the rugged hills of northwestern Illinois where his family lived for over a century reveling in the landscape, telling stories, recording vanishing cultural landmarks, and participating in the contentious local preservation battles of the times. Philip attributes his interest in local archaeology to this heritage, which he cites as inspiration for his participation in archaeological surveys and excavations throughout high school, as well as his undergraduate studies at Beloit College. This trajectory continued into his graduate work at the University of Illinois and dissertation work at the Mississippian John Chapman site near his hometown. Philip has been working at the Chapman Sites for over a decade, working with Indigenous communities and the JDCF to preserve and restores sites across 1,000 acres. He has also been involved in the preservation and restoration of several significant archaeological sites across the Midwest.