Fort Wayne in Allen County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Miami Legend of the Sandhill Crane
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., December 30, 2008
1. Miami Legend of the Sandhill Crane Marker
Inscription.
Miami Legend of the Sandhill Crane. . Long before settlers appeared on the scene, the American Indian people here used the sandhill crane as a symbol for their tribe. Early British and American officials referred to the people we know as Miami as “Twightwees” in various spellings such as the English “Twaatwaa”, “Tweeghtwees” or “Twicktwigs.” A legend about how the name became associated with Miamis extends deep into the early history of its people. It is said that the early Miamis were making war with the Cherokee, when on one occasion the Cherokee decided to counterattack. Carefully planning their tactics, the Cherokee tracked the Miamis to an open prairie where they observed two sandhill cranes. Driving the cranes ahead toward the Miami, the large birds called out “twau, twau, twau,” and took to the air in a great rush. At this, the Miami turned their attack on the ambushing enemy. A survivor of the Cherokee war party made it back to his village and reported that his companinons had been defeated by the “Twau Twaus” who could fly and were impossible to defeat. From that time, the Miamis who took their name from the Twau Twau or Twightwees held the sandhill crane as a special totem at the confluence of the rivers. Americans eventually adopted the spelling from the French, but changed the pronunciation to “Miami” whose tribal symbol is tshe tsha kwan, or sandhill crane
Long before settlers appeared on the scene, the American Indian people here used the sandhill crane as a symbol for their tribe. Early British and American officials referred to the people we know as Miami as “Twightwees” in various spellings such as the English “Twaatwaa”, “Tweeghtwees” or “Twicktwigs.” A legend about how the name became associated with Miamis extends deep into the early history of its people. It is said that the early Miamis were making war with the Cherokee, when on one occasion the Cherokee decided to counterattack. Carefully planning their tactics, the Cherokee tracked the Miamis to an open prairie where they observed two sandhill cranes. Driving the cranes ahead toward the Miami, the large birds called out “twau, twau, twau,” and took to the air in a great rush. At this, the Miami turned their attack on the ambushing enemy. A survivor of the Cherokee war party made it back to his village and reported that his companinons had been defeated by the “Twau Twaus” who could fly and were impossible to defeat. From that time, the Miamis who took their name from the Twau Twau or Twightwees held the sandhill crane as a special totem at the confluence of the rivers. Americans eventually adopted the spelling from the French, but changed the pronunciation
Click or scan to see this page online
to “Miami” whose tribal symbol is tshe tsha kwan, or sandhill crane
Location. 41° 5.121′ N, 85° 8.3′ W. Marker is in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Allen County. It can be reached from South Clinton Street. Marker is one of a series that ring the Great Meadow in Headwaters Park, 333 S. Clinton Street. This marker is about 100 feet west of the footbridge over the Saint Mary's River leading to the reconstructed Old Fort. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 303 S Clinton St, Fort Wayne IN 46802, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Also see . . . Miami Tribe from Wikipedia. (Submitted on March 17, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by Craig Doda, May 1, 2022
3. Miami Legend of the Sandhill Crane Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., December 30, 2008
4. Great Meadow in Headwaters Park
Several markers along path circling the Great Meadow, looking south with downtown Fort Wayne in background.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 4,975 times since then and 105 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on March 15, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 2. submitted on August 21, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 3. submitted on May 3, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 4. submitted on March 15, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
