Native American History
Saturday, May 2: 10 AM - 12 PM
Unity Park
Turners Falls, MA
Join us for The River Walk to learn about 10,000 years of Native American presence near the Great Falls. The walk, sponsored by the Nolumbeka Project and Connecticut River Watershed Council, involves leisurely walking along paved bike path for 1-1.5 miles.
Learn
from and speak to experts in the Native American history of this area,
a history which included the Turners
Falls massacre in 1676 during
King Phillips War.
The guides will be
Nolumbeka Project Board members David Brule, Howard Clark, and Joe
Graveline. Collectively they share about
one hundred years of information reconstructed through research, observations, insight,
education, explorations, field work and associations, which illuminates the little
known history of the early Native American culture of the Northeast. All three work closely with the Narragansett Indian Tribal Historic
Preservation Office and monitor local Native American/American Indian
sacred sites
Brule, of Narragansett and Nehantic descent, is the coordinator of the newly awarded National Park Service Battlefield Protection Program whose goal is to identify the likely locations of the King Phillip’s War (1675-76) Peskeomskut (Turners Falls) Battlefield and associated sites, including the Native American community Peskeomskut-Wissatinnewag. This is in partnership with an archaeologist, town historic commissions, and members of four New England tribes.
Clark has Cherokee roots and his extensive research into the Native history of this area revealed the prime importance of Great Falls as a gathering place for many Northeastern tribes during the fish runs. The Great Falls Massacre on May 19, 1676 was a turning point in the King Philip’s War. Clark was instrumental in securing protection for the land across the river, Wissatinnewag, and was a signer of the Reconciliation Agreement between the Town of Turners Falls and the Narragansett tribe at Unity Park on May 19, 2004.
Although the river has gone through many changes, the history remains and much will be revealed and explained during the walk. The guides will also offer a “geological primer” and give an overview of 345 million years history how the land was formed.
Early May is a prime time for this event, before the leaves fully cover the trees. From across the river the serpentine trails down the hill from the Wissatinnewag land to the fishing stations below will still be visible. A map will be provided to help identify some of these features during the walk. Binoculars might be helpful, not just to see the sights but there will likely be migrating waterfowl and the occasional eagle.
Meet at the Unity Park Bike Path gravel parking area on 1st Street in Turners Falls. Accessible to all. Dogs on leases welcome. Free. (donations appreciated)
Brule, of Narragansett and Nehantic descent, is the coordinator of the newly awarded National Park Service Battlefield Protection Program whose goal is to identify the likely locations of the King Phillip’s War (1675-76) Peskeomskut (Turners Falls) Battlefield and associated sites, including the Native American community Peskeomskut-Wissatinnewag. This is in partnership with an archaeologist, town historic commissions, and members of four New England tribes.
Clark has Cherokee roots and his extensive research into the Native history of this area revealed the prime importance of Great Falls as a gathering place for many Northeastern tribes during the fish runs. The Great Falls Massacre on May 19, 1676 was a turning point in the King Philip’s War. Clark was instrumental in securing protection for the land across the river, Wissatinnewag, and was a signer of the Reconciliation Agreement between the Town of Turners Falls and the Narragansett tribe at Unity Park on May 19, 2004.
Graveline, Nolumbeka Project president, is descended
from Cherokee and Abenaki and began learning about the native culture from his
mother at a young age. He specializes in presenting the
unrepresented Indian side of American history. He was one of the
organizers of the Reconciliation Agreement; and of the Peoples Harvest
Native American cultural celebration that took place on the Banks of the
Connecticut River in Gill, MA in 2005 and 2006.
Although the river has gone through many changes, the history remains and much will be revealed and explained during the walk. The guides will also offer a “geological primer” and give an overview of 345 million years history how the land was formed.
Early May is a prime time for this event, before the leaves fully cover the trees. From across the river the serpentine trails down the hill from the Wissatinnewag land to the fishing stations below will still be visible. A map will be provided to help identify some of these features during the walk. Binoculars might be helpful, not just to see the sights but there will likely be migrating waterfowl and the occasional eagle.
Meet at the Unity Park Bike Path gravel parking area on 1st Street in Turners Falls. Accessible to all. Dogs on leases welcome. Free. (donations appreciated)
