Middle Woodland Occupations of the Kankakee River Valley and Beyond:

The Middle Woodland period in the Midwest with its mysterious earthen mounds and highly-crafted artifacts has drawn the interest of collectors and archaeologists for centuries. One of the described Middle Woodland cultures in Michigan and Indiana was the Goodall focus, which was redefined into the Goodall tradition. However, additional questions remain. This research addresses such issues as subsistence and settlement patterns, internal and external social relationships, and if the Goodall traditional can be a really delineated. The Goodall tradition is a much smaller cultural expression than those found in the Illinois River valley. Its study, therefore, could shed insight into the activities of the larger Middle Woodland regional expressions.