This evening I had a nice conversation with Pitt-Johnstown Professor of History Paul Douglas Newman (no relation to that other Paul Newman) about the history of Native Americans in Pennsylvania. From around the year 1 AD to the 1400s there was a vibrant Native American civilization in the Mississippi region that extended up the Ohio to where Johnstown is today.
Above is a photo of the largest of the Cahokia Mounds outside of St. Louis, Mo. Its size rivals that of the pyramid at Chichen Itza in Guatemala. There was contact between the Mississippi civilization and the Maya and Aztecs of Central America. This civilization created thousands of burial mounds. Today there are hundreds left.
Native Americans in Pennsylvania
Above is a photo of the Mound in Westmont which is right nest to the Incline Plane in Johnstown, PA. I had forgotten that the mound was originally a burial mound. The mound is now a quarter of its original size. The Conemaugh Indians were a branch of the Mississippi empire. they farmed the valley where Johnstown is now located. The valley flooded regularly which made it good for farming. The future English, Welsh, and German settlers would work diligently to tame the Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers with mixed success.
Newman’s research starts with the period beginning with William Penn’s arrival in 1683. As a Quaker, Penn made treaties with the local tribes which led to a 40 year period of relative peace compared to the genocides that were going on in New England and the southern colonies. Later, Penn’s descendants would become more greedy and start to force the tribes off of their land.
The French and Indian war would create further animosity between the natives and settlers. The Revolutionary War and disease would drive the few remaining natives out of the state. Pennsylvania now has one of the lowest percentages of Native American populations in the US. There are no reservations in the state but there is a cluster that now lives in Sullivan County. There is a vibrant history of Native Americans in Pennsylvania.
Very interesting, enrichment is important for future generations. Through education, we can bring light to many. Thank you for this wonderful article.
There should be some kind of monument at the Mound.