Nottawasaga River Brings First Inhabitants

Nottawasaga River Brings First Inhabitants. . , Archaeological Excavations , Archaeological Excavations were carried out on this site during 1962-63 by Dr. Wilfred Jury and Elsie McLeod Jury and during 1973-74 by Ministry of Natural Resources, Historical Sites Branch staff. , Prior to 1 A.D. , Evidence indicates Schooner Town was underwater. , Middle Woodland Period , 600 B.C. to 800 A.D. , The Nottawasaga people came here in the early spring primarily to travel and fish the Nottawasaga River. These seasonal visitors were dependent on hunting and fishing. Archaeological evidence included shards of their pottery, used for cooking and storage. They lived in encampments on the river and buried their dead in the dunes. In 1995 during construction directly across the river from Schooner Town remains of a native youth dating to the Middle Woodland Period were discovered. , Late Woodland Period , 800 A.D. to 1650 A.D. , Small groups of Huron and Petun travelled this area regularly, often on trading journeys, making use of the Nottawasaga River as a travel route and to fish. With the infertile sands here they did not settle permanently. Evidence included stone and bone tools in addition to their pottery. , European Influence , Throughout the first half of the 17th century, French traders and missionaries formed strong trade and religious ties with the Hurons. During this period the Hurons maintained a traditional feud with the Iroquois making life throughout this area dangerous. The name Nottawasaga is derived from the Ojibwa words Nadowa and Saga, roughly translated into “Iroquois outlet”. , Martyr and Saint Noël Chabanel , 1613-1649 , . Born in France and at the age of 17 entered the Jesuit Novitiate , . From the records of the famous “Jesuit Relations” Chabanel learned of the heroic work of fellow Jesuits in New France , . On May 8, 1643 at the age of 30 he left Dieppe for a 3 month voyage across the Atlantic to Quebec , . He arrived at Ste. Marie on the Wye during a period of fear and uncertainty as missionaries in Huronia were cut off from Quebec by an Iroquois blockade , . Over the next 5 years Chabanel worked with the nomadic Algonkins, with various Huron missions dependent on Ste-Marie including Ossossane on Nottawasaga Bay and the Petuns at St. Jean (modern day Stayner) , . On Dec. 8th, 1649 on a trip from St. Jean to Christian Island, Chabanel disappeared , . Later a Huron apostate named Louis Honareenhax confessed he killed Father Noël Chabanel with a hatchet blow and threw his body in the half frozen Nottawasaga River out of hatred for the faith , . A pyx to protect the Eucharist that Father Noël carried in his robes, was later found in the Nottawasaga River near Schooner Town , . Chabanel was one of 8 Jesuit missionaries martyred in the 17th Century. , [photo caption] Native artifacts including arrowheads, pottery, slate and Sturgeon bones were found at the site.