Native Americans

Native Americans. . , Native Americans have had a presence in this region for almost 10,000 years. During that span, several different cultures moved through the area., Ancient People , Earliest artifacts found nearby daie to the Paleo Period (11,000 B.C. to 8,000 B.C.). Archaic people frequently buried their dead in naturally formed glacial kames, mounds of sand and gravel left over from the ice age. Items such as gorgets and birdstones were found in the graves., Pottawatomie: Keepers of the Fire , When European settlers arrived in the area, they were met by the Pottawatomie people. It is believed that the Pottawatomie had settled in Indiana in the early 1800s, arriving from the Lake Huron area. Many Pottawatomie were Catholic, the result of influence from earlier French fur traders and missionaries., The Pottawatomie were seen as an obstacle to white settlement of the region. The political pressure was strong, and even those sympathetic to native people saw their removal as inevitable.,

"They had a camp in the thick wood. Three sides were logs chinked and caulked with moss. The east side was open, with blankets and hides for curtains. h was covered with bark. In winter they had a fire and cooked inside." , Jane Powers Staynor, early settler of Steuben County

, According to one anecdotal account: , Mrs. Fec related that the lake (Ball Lake) was a favorite hunting place for the Indians who came down from the general direction of what is now Walnut Street (C.R. 300 Eas). Also, there was an Indian cemetery west of her home and she often saw their ceremonial dances. To them the spirits of the dead were very real. They would build big bonfires and dance around them, throwing the choice meat of the buffalo and the pigeon into the fires, showing the spirits they were not forgotten. , Hamilton Retrospectives , Indian Trails near Hamilton , A Pottawatomie! village was located north of Hamilton Lake near Otsego Center Many times criss-crossed the region and over familiar roads such as Bellefontaine Road., Native Tools , All artifacts pictured are from the Stone Age, 8000-1000 BC, and were found locally. ,

"When they went away for good we all went over to see them start. They packed their things in large bundles tied in blankets around a pole. The big copper kettle was carried in the same way." , Jane Powers Staynor, early settler of Steuben County

, The Trail of Death , On September 4, 1838, 859 Pottawatomie began the forced march to Kansas (Madison, 1991). Poorly organized illness and hardship devastate d their numbers. By the time they reached their destination, 150 had died, most of them children. ,

Historical Hamilton , 10,000 years ago: Glaciers retreat from Indiana , 14,000 years ago: Spruce forests replace tundra , Before 10,000 years ago: Paleo Indian Tradition , 10,000-3,000 years ago: Archai Tradition , 9,000 years ago: Hardwood forests dominate , 8,800 years ago: Prairies established , 3,000-1,000 years ago: Woodland Tradition , 1,000-400 years ago: Mississippian Tradition , 400 years ago: Europeans arrive