Great Falls in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
American Indians of the Potomac River
Riverbend Park
— Potomac River Gorge Interpretive Trail —
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
1. American Indians of the Potomac River Marker
Inscription.
American Indians of the Potomac River. Riverbend Park. Prehistoric people arrived along the shores of the Potomac River some 13,000 years ago. Slowly they transformed from semi-nomadic hunters into farmers and fishermen. Eventually, a group called the Nacotchtanks became the dominant tribe of the Washington D.C. area. , The Potomac River was a heavily traveled trade route by American Indians. In fact the word Nacotchtank translates to mean “at the trading town.”
Prehistoric people arrived along the shores of the Potomac River some 13,000 years ago. Slowly they transformed from semi-nomadic hunters into farmers and fishermen. Eventually, a group called the Nacotchtanks became the dominant tribe of the Washington D.C. area.
The Potomac River was a heavily traveled trade route by American Indians. In fact the word Nacotchtank translates to mean “at the trading town.”
Location. 39° 1.073′ N, 77° 14.734′ W. Marker is in Great Falls, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Marker can be reached from Potomac Hills Street, 0.6 miles east of Jeffery Road. Marker is along the Potomac Heritage Trail in Riverbend Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls VA 22066, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Nacotchtank. in Wikipedia. (Submitted on April 11, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
2. Ancient Washington. American Indian Cultures of the Potomac Valley, Humphrey and Chambers, GWU. (Submitted on April 11, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
3. The Artifacts of the Potomac Valley Indians (pdf file). by Titus Ulke, American Anthropologist,, Volume 31, Issue 1, January-March 1929, Pages 122-129. (Submitted on April 11, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
2. American Indians of the Potomac River Marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
3. American Indians of the Potomac River
Drawing by L. Napier
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
4. American Indians of the Potomac River
Drawing by L. Napier
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
5. American Indian Lodge
Drawing by L. Napier
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
6. American Indians making Dug-out canoes
Drawing by L. Napier
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
7. Dug-out Canoe
In the Park Visitors Center
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
8. Dug-out Canoe
In the Park Visitors Center
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
9. Dug-out Canoe sign in the Vistors Center
This dug out canoe is the same style used by Virginia Indians. Traveling by canoe allowed Virginia Indians to fish and trade with other tribes throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
10. Indians Fishing
Water color by John White, painted in 1585-6, illustrating the use of dug-out canoes, in the vistors center.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
11. Arrow Points
for sale in the park visitors center
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
12. Jasper Arrowheads Sign
These Jasper arrowheads are replicas. Jasper is a type of rock found west of Riverbend Park. Thousands of years ago Native Americans transported jasper for tool making and trade.
.95 each
Photographed By Allen C. Browne
13. Arrow Points used by Potomac Valley Indians
Plate 9, from Ulke, 1929
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 10, 2013
14. Map
You Are Here
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,098 times since then and 277 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. submitted on April 11, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.