A Photographic Essay and History of the Prehistoric Burial Mounds and Earthwork Ruins in Allen County
Various Birdstones and Tube Pipes Found in Allen County, Indiana.
The
History of Allen County Indiana, 1880
“Prehistoric
Remains” by R. S. Robertson:
What
became of them is another question, which will probably forever
remain unanswered. That they disappeared at once is wholly
improbable, as is also the theory that they were totally destroyed.
The most probably theory is that as they met the first eruption of
the savage red man from the northwest, and all Indiana tradition
points to this quarter for the place where the Indians came, they
were gradually driven in their outlying settlements, and finally
overwhelmed by the constantly flowing tide of ruthless savages, more
skilled than they in warfare, and envious of their rich hunting
grounds.
The
remnants of the Mound-Builders would be pressed by southward, whence
they came and those of the savages who followed them to the south and
overcame them would retain more of their customs than those tribes of
the north who amalgamated with them in lesser degree, or not at all .
Northern
Indiana has many proofs of the presence of this race recorded almost
indelibly upon its soil, and they have left some of their monuments
in Allen County, but not as many, nor so extensive, as ones found in
Ohio or to the southern part of Indiana.
While
some of them were pushing upward, and making great settlements along
the tributaries of the Ohio, others had passed further up the
Mississippi, discovered The great Lakes, and entered into quite
extensive copper mining operations on the shores of Lake Superior.
Colonies had occupied Michigan, and as far south in Indiana as the
Kankakee, and it from them, we think, that Allen County received the
marks of their occupation. All along the valley of Cedar Creek, in
DeKalb County, their mounds and earthworks appear in considerable
number, but decrease in number as we proceed southward onto Allen
County, and we totally wanting in the southern portion of the county.
On
Cedar Creek, near Stoners, on the Fort Wayne J & S Railroad, is a
group of four mounds. Two of them are in a line north and south and
are about forty feet apart. About fifteen rods east of these are two
others about the same distance apart and on a line nearly east and
west. When visited by the writer a few years since, three of them
had been partially excavated years before and were said to have
contained a large number of human bones, arrow-heads and some copper
ornaments. The remaining mound was excavated at the time but
disclosed only lumps of charcoal
and a layer of hard-baked earth near its base.
These
mounds are situated on the high ground between the Cedar and Willow
Creeks, and the Auburn Road passed between them.
Four
miles south of these on the Coldwater Road, on the farm of Henry
Wolford (now owned by Mr. Bowser) is a large oblong mound which was
only partially explored, but in which a perforated piece of ribboned
slate was found, with much charcoal and a stratum of baked earth.
At
Cedarville, on the St. Joseph, near the mouth of Cedar Creek, are
three mounds about a hundred feet apart, situated on a line running
northwest nearly parallel with the general direction of the river at
this point. None of them have been
fully explored, but one has been nearly removed to use its earth for
mending the road, and charcoal was found in considerable quantities,
as is usual in mounds of this class.
Descending
the St. Joseph on the east, to the farm of Peter Notestine, one of
the oldest settlers, we find a circular “fort” or earthwork,
situated in the bend of the river... it has been plowed over for
nearly thirty years and has lost much of its outlines. Many relics
have been found here, and when newly plowed, numerous fragments of
pottery, flints, and stone implements are yet found in and around its
site. A large pipe of pottery was found here some years since. The
bowel and stem are molded in one piece and the end of the stem has
been flattened by the fingers while plastic to form a mouthpiece.
Henge or open air sun temple on the St. Joseph River near Fort Wayne, Indiana. The gateways to henges are generally aligned to solar events. This gateway is possibly aligned to the May 1st sunrise. The pipe described in the previous history is diagnostic of the Point Peninsula Iroquois that would date this henge from 200 B.C.- 200 A.D.; a date that contemporaneous with the many henges in central Indiana and the Ohio Valley that were constructed by the Adena. The proto- Iroquois from this time period had assimilated many of the Adena burial mound and earthwork traits.
Still
further down the river, on the west side, opposite Antraps Mill, is a
semi-circular fort
with its ends on the riverbank.
It
is about 600 feet in arc. The earthwork is yet nearly two feet high,
with a well-defined ditch on the outside. Very large trees, which
have grown on the embankment, have fallen and gone to decay. We
found in the earth, which had been upturned by a fallen tree, a
fragment from the neck of a vessel of pottery with square
indentations on the surface.
A series of these horseshoe shaped works extended down the Maumee River to Toledo. They along with the circular works were all 200 feet in diameter.
The Earthen walls of this prehistoric Iroquois work can still be seen north of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
No efforts have been made to preserve the earthwork and is not listed as an historic site. It was subjected to excavations by IPFW archaeologists, the last few years, but what damage was done to the work has not been investigated. The Allen County History Museum was informed of the earthwork, but claimed they "had no interest" ?
Still
further down the river, on the east side, at the mouth of
Breckenridge Creek, is a single mound, which has not been opened
except a slight excavation in its side, which developed the customary
lumps of charcoal. This point is about four miles north of Fort Wayne and is the most southerly point in the county at which mounds
and earthworks are known to exist.
Iroquois burial mound can still be seen on Breckenridge Creek; however the dam has raised water levels, and it is now partially submerged part of the year. Update: Before IPFW discontinued their archaeology school it is believed that they all but destroyed this mound.
History
of the Maumee River Basin, 1905
Nine
mounds have been determined on the high banks of the Maumee River in Allen County, Indiana. Two of these mounds are in Indiana near the Ohio line.
Iroquois Burial mound in eastern Allen County on the Maumee River, before being excavated by IPFW archaeologist who removed the skeletons and artifacts from the mound. The burial mound was completely destroyed.
Another burial mound located on the Maumee River in eastern Allen County. An excavation by Indiana University archaeologists left a hole in the top giving it a 'volcano" appearance. The mound sits on the highest bluff on the Maumee River. The land is now owned by Acres who make it accessible.
Near the last mound is this rare, Spirit Tree that was part of the sacred landscape that also included the rapids on the Maumee. The tree was destroyed by lightning.
At
the headwaters of the Eel River in Allen County a mound was reported
in a congressional survey. The location was the southeast
one-quarter of Section 29. The mound has since been destroyed.
Did you know that there are over 85 prehistoric tourist destinations in Indiana, photographed and directions provided in
222 were photographed in Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan.
Discover an ancient world with the most comprehensive Travel Guide to the burial mounds and earthworks.
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