Aacimwinki Niimihki Šikaakonki

A Story of a Chicago Fort

In September of 2012, I was approached by the organizers of the Algonquian Conference to participate in a discussion on differing perspectives of the Battle of Fort Dearborn, which took place in the first year of the War of 1812.[1]  Oddly, as I began to think about that event from over 200 years ago, my thoughts turned to the more recent past.  In August of 2006, I experienced a strange moment while standing with my nephew Jarrid near the site where Fort Dearborn once stood, on the sidewalk at the corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue in Chicago.  Embedded in the sidewalk at that corner are a series of brass strips embossed with the words “SITE OF FORT DEARBORN.”  What happened to us while standing next to those strips of brass was seemingly inconsequential, and yet the memory of that one weird moment continues to bubble up to front of my mind from time to time.

Strip of brass in Chicago sidewalk laying out the position of Fort Dearborn. Neewe to Karen Baldwin for all of the excellent pictures of the bridge and its associated sculptures and text.

Jarrid and his sister Jessie were in Chicago to help Tamise, my wife, and I move back to the city from Oxford, Ohio.  After the hard day of carrying boxes up three flights of narrow Chicago apartment stairs, I took him out for a trip around downtown.  Jarrid descends from Eepiihkaanita, a man also known by the name William Wells.  Eepiihkaanita died during the battle that followed the evacuation of Fort Dearborn on August 15, 1812.[2]  Because his ancestor died in course of events tied to that place we made it a priority to intentionally go there.  It is of course a dramatically changed landscape, the direction and shape of the river have both been altered and all that remains of the fort are the brass strips embedded into concrete skin of the city like a well worn metallic dotted line.  A significant part of the ground where the 1812 fort once sat was lost to erosion and city planning. Today, the scene is commanded by the Michigan Avenue Bridge, which runs across the Šikaakwa Siipiiwi (the Chicago River).[3]  The pillars of this bridge “attempt” to tell the story of the city of Chicago and include at least one scene dedicated to the Battle of Fort Dearborn in which Eepiihkaanita gave his life.  The “attempt” at telling the story of Chicago starts with explorers and priests and progresses to settlers, defenders, and rebuilders.  Along the way it references “savage” Indians as the backdrop to a story focused on the “progress of civilization.”

Aancihtoonki Kiihkihsenki

A Mended Picture

The Richardville Valley Sample Room circa 1898

On the first page of this year’s lunar calendar (link here), you may have noticed the picture titled “aancihtoonki kiihkihsenki” (pictured above).  In the lower right corner is the original version of this photo showing numerous serious cracks and other damage.  The larger photo is the result of the hard work of Elizabeth Brice, the Head of Special Collections and Archives at Miami University and John Millard, Head of the Center for Digital Scholarship also at Miami University.  We greatly appreciate Elizabeth and John’s help.

The photo is of the Strack family, Richardville and Godfroy descendants, in front of their family saloon, which opened around 1880 on family reserve lands south of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Initially it appears that the saloon was called the Blufton Road Tavern as well as Strack and McClaren’s Saloon, but in 1894 the establishment redecorated and reopened under the name The Richardville Valley Sample Room.  There are many entertaining news stories about the tavern in the Fort Wayne newspapers and perhaps we can share a more substantial post about this in the future.

Until recently, the original photo was in the possession of Lew Fox.  Mr. Fox is the grandson of Lila McClaren, who is the little girl forth from the left in the white dress.  Lila and her brother, Charles McClaren, the little boy sitting on the step second from the right, were the children of Elizabeth Strack McClaren and Jesse McClaren.  Elizabeth has not been positively identified in this photo, but she may be the woman seated third from the left.  Jesse has also not been positively identified, but he may be the man wearing a hat standing fifth from the left.  We still have a lot to learn about this photo and we look forward to talking more with our families about this period of Myaamia history.  Neewe to Mr. Fox for sharing these photos.  Now that they are scanned, the entire collection can be shared among his entire extended family and digital copies can be archived within the Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archive for all Myaamia people to enjoy and learn from.  If you’d like to learn more about how to help preserve, scan, and share your family’s heirloom photos, please call or email Meghan Dorey at MDorey@miamination.com or (918) 542-1445.

2 wiihkoowia kiilhswa (2013)

noonki kaahkiihkwe tikawi ceeliteeki (59) tikawi aalhkwahki.

noonki peehkonteeki kiinte saakiwa wiihkoowia kiilhswa (keešaakosita).

taaniši kiišikatwi niiyaaha apiyani?

neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.
(For English, click below)

wiihkoowia kiilhswa (Whip-poor-will Moon)

wiihkoowia kiilhswa is the forth lunar month of the Myaamia lunar calendar.  Like the other months named for birds, wiihkoowia kiilhswa is associated with the process of transition from pipoonwi (winter) into niipinwi (summer).  The month is named for wiihkoowia (Eastern Whip-poor-will – Antrostomus vociferus).

Around this time of year, Whip-poor-wills return from their winter nesting grounds around the Gulf of Mexico.  Historically, Whip-poor-wills nested throughout our traditional homelands along the Wabash River Valley.  Because these night birds nest on the ground, drastic changes in forest habitat have decreased populations of wiihkoowia in central Indiana.  The call of wiihkooowia is distinctive and was used to mark the beginning of planting time for Myaamia miincipi (Miami corn).  Corn that is planted during wiihkoowia kiilhswa is usually in the green corn stage by kiišinkwia kiilhswa (Green Corn Moon).

*image from wikimedia commons here

28 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2013)

noonki kaahkiihkwe tikawi ceeliteeki (69) meeleewaalhkwahki.  piitilaanki neehi ciinkwia noontaakweeta.  alaake peehkonteenki šiipilaanki.

noonki peehkonteeki aayaahkamehkaata kiilhswa (peemineeta). kapootwe kati saakiwa wiihkoowia kiilhswa.

taaniši kiišikatwi niiyaaha apiyani?

neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.
(For English, click below)