Indigenous Histories & Walks: Pequot, Mohegan, Pawcatuck River

“Though there was considerable opposition to my candidacy, I was elected to serve a four-year term as the first female deputy principal chief in Cherokee history.” Wilma Mankiller

There are more stories than you can shake a stick at–and a lifetime of learning, to boot.

Related, in the news:

The land speaks and some hear the stories revealed.

This platform pipe is from the Congamond Lakes area of Suffield Connecticut. This type of pipe is most often associated with the Middle Woodland Hopewell Tradition. While the Hopewell tradition is associated with the Midwest, elements of the tradition such as these pipes occur occasionally in Connecticut. The style is replaced by elbow pipes in the Late Woodland period, which ultimately give rise to the European white clay pipes of the 17th century. The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of Connecticut, Norris Bull Collection (linked to original page).

A master storyteller interprets what is seen on a walk. What he spoke about is well remembered. Three cultures of humanity.

River time. Ideas and stories that percolate as the mind enjoys water, earth, sky. Seeking a remembered sign near a Portland (CT) boatyard, the recollection of another expedition sparked connections.

The Pawcatuck River as seen from the Connecticut side, looking across to Rhode Island, July 2018.

Gifts of a day on a guided tour because of a social media post by The Stonington Land Trust (SLT), which has the stewardship of a combined “495.40-acres of land in the Anguilla Brook and Pawcatuck River watersheds.” The walk began on SLT's Osbrook Preserve, which abuts the Davis Farm, featured a Native American site shared by both properties and winds along to the Cove, on the Pawcatuck River. Neighbors.

The Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum, Inc. (SDHM, Inc.) is a non-profit 501-c-3 corporation, neighbor to the land trust holdings. It was formed to restore and preserve the oldest home in Stonington, Connecticut, built by Thomas Stanton circa 1670. Its mission is to “protect, maintain and preserve the Stanton-Davis Homestead and artifacts, for the purpose of creating a public museum and living educational center, open to the public, which is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Stanton, Mohegans, Pequots and African Americans associated with the history of the homestead, all of whom were instrumental in the founding of Connecticut.” (Am learning to switch viewpoints and “see” from viewpoints of people already here, established cultures and languages.

Stanton-Davis Homestead as seen in 2018, on the return from a guided SLT walk.

Editor's note: This story was originally published in July 2018 and reworked for 2019 when an open house allowed visitors the opportunity to see a place where stories of three cultures converge and is being lovingly restored. Never more relevant. Indigenous place names abound in the state, region, across the continent. Also see the real-life tale of Venture Smith–which is really quite amazing.

The former home of the late Whit Davis. That story is linked to this image.

So when that small still voice is insistent and speaks loudly, listen – then follow. Go exploring. Learn something new, don't wonder what if. Where ideas will lead and the resulting words, stories, walks–only time will tell.

For instance, a walk (2018) led by Dr. Nicholas F. Bellantoni, Emeritus State Archaeologist, University of Connecticut Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, hosted by the Stonington Land Trust.

“Go and find out.”

The opportunity to walk land now preserved and listen to Dr. Bellantoni's experiences and findings, to “see” what happened here by his reading of the landscape and archaeological excavations.

And, let's repeat, indigenous place names abound in Connecticut and Rhode Island, across the continent. More stories of place and time will result as each footstep along with reading, listening, learning–result.

For more exploration (online too) the CSMNH Cultural Collections contain “a diversity of items from cultures around the world, though most of our material culture is from Connecticut. In fact, the CSMNH is the largest repository of Connecticut archaeology. Temporally, our cultural collections cover over 1 million years of human history. Within the CSMNH, the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) conserves and curates archeological materials excavated under Cultural Resource Management (CRM) projects that have been conducted throughout the state over the past 50 years. Includes Native American artifacts and cultural belongings from Connecticut (Norris Bull Collection), Old World stone tool technology (Thomas Lentz Collection) and Native American arts and crafts (Hugh M. Hamill Sr. Collection).

Editor's note: This story was originally published in July 2018 and reworked for 2019 when an open house allowed visitors the opportunity to see a place where stories of three cultures converge. Never more relevant. Indigenous place names abound in the state, region, across the continent. Also see the story of Venture Smith–which is really quite amazing.

From a jaunt in Ivoryton, CT (after a visit to the library as the staff there recommended this trail):

And, in case you missed it:

“The engineering study to determine the best route for the Portland to Meriden section of the Central Connecticut Loop Trail (CCLT) is almost complete. The preliminary ‘preferred route’ will be unveiled at a public meeting in the Middletown Council Chamber on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

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— Moo Dog Press (@moodogpress.com) November 18, 2024 at 10:52 AM

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