Harbor Springs in Emmet County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Andrew J. Blackbird House / Makade Binisii Wegamik

Registered Michigan Historic Site

Andrew J. Blackbird House Marker (Side A) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 25, 2016

1. Andrew J. Blackbird House Marker (Side A)

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Andrew J. Blackbird House
Andrew J. Blackbird (c.1815 - 1908), an important figure in the history of the Odawa (Ottawa) tribe, was the son of a chief. Educated in the traditions of the Odawa, he also attended Euro-American schools, including present-day Eastern Michigan University. Blackbird bought this building around 1858, when the town was inhabited mostly by Odawa people. From here, he ran the post office and wrote a history of the Odawa. As a councilor for the Odawa he participated in the negotiations for the Treaty of 1855, which established a large home reservation for the Odawa in this area. Blackbird also helped Odawa veterans get pensions, and assisted with land claims. This site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

[Marker translated into Ojibwe]
Makade Binisii Wegamik
Kida maandaa ka kiiga etaabendaawaa. Ezhinikaadeg wagaa nakaazi maanpii odawaak gii bizhigewak odenwaa miinwaa gii zhin kaa daamgut wiikwaatoonsing. Miinwaa maanpii kade kii bindaatsit makade binissii maandaa pii 1815. Oosun gii odawawaa giimaa. Makade binissii kii maadsaa oowak

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kinamaagoo. Kiipshkaa bii maanpii gii bidaaa bimaadsiwin. Kiim noo biiga shebiiga minwaa gii shebiiaan. Nagwaa odaawak mazinigan. Maandaa wiigwaam gii zhiga maandaa pii abita 1800's minwaa gii kaadaat. Aanjitoon maajiibiigan wiigwaam. Gii naagadawanda maajiibiigun wiigwaam.

This property
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
on April 14, 1972 with a
building number of 7200611
by the United States
Department of the Interior

Erected 2000 by Michigan Historical Center, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number S352.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1815.

Location. 45° 25.829′ N, 84° 59.09′ W. Marker is in Harbor Springs, Michigan, in Emmet County. Marker is on Main Street (State Highway 119) west of Judd Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 368 East Main Street, Harbor Springs MI 49740, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Andrew J. Blackbird / Mack-e-te-be-nesey (here, next to this marker); Ephraim Shay

Makade Binisii Wegamik Marker (Side B) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 25, 2016

2. Makade Binisii Wegamik Marker (Side B)

(within shouting distance of this marker); GR&I Railroad Depot (approx. ¼ mile away); World Wars Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Little Traverse Bay (approx. 3.9 miles away); St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission (approx. 3.9 miles away); Library (approx. 3.9 miles away); Post Office (approx. 3.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harbor Springs.

Also see . . .
1. History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan, by Blackbird (1887). Google Books entry (Submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

2. Andrew J. Blackbird. Wikipedia biography (Submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

3. Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. Tribal homepage (Submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

4. Andrew J. Blackbird Museum. Visit Harbor Springs entry (Submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

Additional keywords. Odawa, Ottawa, Ojibwe, Ojibwa

Andrew J. Blackbird House / Makade Binisii Wegamik NRHP Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 25, 2016

3. Andrew J. Blackbird House / Makade Binisii Wegamik NRHP Marker

Andrew J. Blackbird House and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 25, 2016

4. Andrew J. Blackbird House and Marker

Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 6, 2023

5. Andrew J. Blackbird House and Marker

Michigan Indian Foundation Founders Marker on Blackbird House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 25, 2016

6. Michigan Indian Foundation Founders Marker on Blackbird House

Included Dwight D. Eisenhower and Chester E. Nimitz

This is one of the very few pictures of Andrew Blackbird chief of the Ottawa Nation. image. Click for full size.

via Wikipedia, unknown

7. This is one of the very few pictures of Andrew Blackbird chief of the Ottawa Nation.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 541 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 5. submitted on August 1, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 6. submitted on September 8, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 7. submitted on February 14, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.