"We Are River People, and So Were They"

This topic submitted by Ryan Lazowski, Jocelyn Ellis, Sarah Arnason, Katie Zeitler ( zeitleki@muohio.edu ) on 2/13/03. [ Rivers Team: Ryan Lazowski, Jocelyn Ellis, Sarah Arnason, Katie Zeitler-Section: Garrison/Green]

Rivers Project Proposal: Ryan Lazowski, Jocelyn Ellis, Sarah Arnason, Katie Zeitler
"We Are River People, and So Were They"
1. Introduction
Throughout time, rivers have shaped not only the lands where they flow, but also, the civilizations and cultures inhabiting the land around them. The presence of rivers and their tributaries provides a variety of benefits for living creatures in the environment. Rivers, however, are dynamic. Characteristics of rivers and their tributaries change, both by natural processes and by interactions with humans; thus, riversÕs relationships with the biota of the surrounding areas also evolve over time. Native Americans provide a historical example of a group of cultures that have been influenced by and have related with rivers. We are interested in the ways in which Native Americans have interacted with rivers, particularly in the area of southwestern Ohio. In our treatment of the relationships between Native Americans and rivers, we plan to examine the inherent qualities of rivers and streams that might have appealed to Native American cultures. One issue we plan to address is the cultural significance that biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of rivers had for Native Americans. Additionally, we will look at how the social interactions between different Native American tribes, and later, between tribes and European settlers, were connected through rivers. And finally, we will consider current conservation efforts in the context of their historical predecessors.
We plan to address the aforementioned issues particularly with respect to the local Four Mile Creek, which is a tributary of the Great Miami River system. Our approach to this will be to integrate the perspectives of archeology, anthropology, history, ecology, geomorphology, and environmental advocacy, all of which will facilitate our understanding of the relationships between Native American tribes of Ohio and Four Mile Creek. By looking at the ways in which Native Americans interacted with rivers, our group seeks to learn lessons for a more sustainable ways of life, and also to enrich our understanding of the area in which we live with its history.

2. Literature Review
Over the years, a number of scholars have completed works relevant to our study, including but not limited to the sources listed below. As our research continues, we may reevaluate the relevancy of these sources, especially in combination with other sources we may find.
1. Godfrey, Chief Clarence. Miami Indian Stories. Ed. Martha Una McClung. Light and Life Press: Winona Lake, Indiana. 1961.
This book tells of the customs and beliefs of members of the Miami Tribe in a narrative form; it could be a useful link between aspects of Native American culture (specifically, the Miami Tribe) and the environmental context in which the cultures developed.
2. Fossils of Ohio. Ed. Feldmann, Rodney M. Division of Geographical Survey: Columbus, Ohio. 1996.
A comprehensive collection of pictures of common and representative fossils of Ohio, combined with detailed, thorough analysis and explanation of the fossils.
3. McFarland, R.W. "Ancient Earthwork Near Oxford, Ohio." Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications, Volume I, June 1877 Ð March 1888. Published for the Society by Fred J. Heer: Columbus, Ohio.
An article which seems as if it could be very relevant to our project, as it discusses a Native American burial mound that was located in Oxford, next to Four Mile Creek.
4. Dodge, J.R. Red Men of the Ohio Valley. Ruralist Publishing Company: Springfield, Ohio. 1860.
An interesting, though incredibly biased, perspective on Native American life in Ohio; this book discusses details of the history of the Miami Tribe immediately before the chapter entitled "Their Hatred of White Men," referring to the Native American population as a whole.
5. Platt, Carolyn V. Creatures of Change: An Album of OhioÕs Animals. The Kent State University Press: Kent, Ohio. 1998.
This book gives an overview of the biota of Ohio, while also discussing the historical background of various animal life forms in the state.
6. Fry, John O. The Introduced Plants of Butler County. May 1930.
As stated on the inside cover, this document is "a thesis submitted to the faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Arts." This work could be of value in helping to determine the changes in biota of this area over time.
7. Gordon, Robert B. "The Natural Vegetation of Ohio in Pioneer Days." Bulletin of the Ohio Geographical Survey, Volume III, Number 2. Ohio State University: Columbus, Ohio. 1969.
This work could further our analysis and discussion of the watershed of Four Mile Creek, developing our understanding of the history of biota of the area.
8. Peterson, A. Townsend. A History, Summary, and Analysis, of the Oxford, Ohio, Christmas Bird Count. The Oxford Audubon Society: Oxford, Ohio. 1982.
Another work of local interest, this text could help our group gain a more comprehensive understanding of the biota of Four Mile Creek and the surrounding area.
9. The Law and American Indian Grave Protection. [Online]. In Indian Burial and Sacred Grounds Watch. Available WWW: http://www.ibsgwatch.imagedjinn.com/learn/laws.htm [2003]
This article discusses contemporary efforts at preserving Native American cultural and archaeological artifacts through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The article includes an account of a particular court case in the state of Washington.
10. American Indians Fighting to Save StateÕs Limited Untouched Mounds. [Online]. In The Ohio Beacon Journal. Available WWW: http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/4874566.htm [2003, January 4]
This article discusses recent efforts to save American Indian mounds in Columbus, Ohio from suburban development.
11. OhioÕs American Natives - Part 1 - Mound Builders. [Online]. In USGenWeb Archives. Available WWW: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/oh/newspapers/natives/part1.txt [2000, April 19]
This article gives an overview of the Native American mound builders of southwestern Ohio. In particular, it discusses the mounds of Butler county and also explains the strategic importance of living along rivers for both the Native Americans and the white settlers.

12. Welcome to the Ohio Historical Society. [Online]. In The Ohio Historical Society. Available WWW: http://www.ohiohistory.org/ [2003, February 12]
This is the website of the Ohio Historical Society, which contains some information on Native American cultural and archaeological artifacts.
13. Indian Burial and Sacred Grounds Watch. [Online]. In Indian Burial and Scared Grounds Watch. Available WWW: http://ibsgwatch.imagedjinn.com [2003].
In addition to an introduction to the Indian Burial and Sacred Grounds Watch Organization, this web page also contains a list of over 50 links to articles concerning preservation efforts in 2002, several of which are in Ohio.
14. Romain, William F. (2000). Mysteries of the Hopewell: Astronomers, Geometers, and Magicians of the Eastern Woodlands. Akron, Ohio: The University of Akron Press.
This book discusses Hopewell cultural and archaeological artifacts in general, with several examples concerning southwestern Ohio. Of especial interest is a section on why the biotic and geomorphic aspects of rivers were important influences on the culture and the building of mounds.
15. Greber, NÕomi B., and Katherine C. Ruhl. (1989). The Hopewell Site: A Contemporary Analysis Based on the Work of Charles C. Willoughby. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
This book discusses cultural and archaeological artifacts discovered up to the date of publication at The Hopewell Site in Ohio.
16. Webb, William S., and Raymond S. Baby. (1957). The Adena People. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Press.
A relatively old analysis of archaeological findings at Adena sites in Ohio.
17. Woodward, Susan L., and Jerry N. McDonald. (2001). Indian Mounds of the Middle Ohio Valley. Blacksburg, VI: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company.
This book discusses mounds in the lower half of Ohio and the Native American cultures that built them. Three mounds along the Great Miami River are covered.

18. Seeman, Mark F. (1979). The Hopewell Interaction Sphere: The Evidence for Interregional Trade and Structural Complexity. Indian Historical Society Prehistory Research Series, vol.V, no.2, 236-438.
This article uses archaeological and historical evidence to explain how and why the Hopewell interacted with other Native American tribes and the white settlers. The Hopewell of Southwest Ohio are discussed, and rivers are a component of the explanation for Hopewell behavior.
19. Brose, David S., and NÕomi Greber. (1979). Hopewell Archaeology: The Chillicothe Conference. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press.
This collection of articles discusses Hopewell archaeological findings, including several of southwest Ohio. There is some discussion of the geomorphology of mound sites.
3. Interdisciplinary Approach
As stated in the introduction, our project will combine cultural, social, and scientific perspectives in our analysis of Four Mile Creek, in the ways mentioned in the introduction.
4. Research Design
Since our project will draw from the disciplines of archeology and anthropology, we will spend time searching for fossil specimen in and along Four Mile Creek, as well as analyzing examples of fossils shown in texts. As our research progresses, we will determine a better sense of which fossils we should look for, and which are most pertinent to our project. Also, we will look at evidence specific to Native American tribes, such as burial mounds and cultural artifacts. A possibility for furthering our understanding of the Miami Tribe will be contacting Joe Leonard, the son of the Chief of the Miami Tribe, and Daryl Baldwin, a relative of the renowned Chief Little Turtle. We may attempt to interview them and utilize their unique perspectives on the life and history of the Miami Tribe. We will combine both qualitative and quantitative research techniques in our analysis of Four Mile Creek. To gauge the biological diversity of the stream, we will do a count of the fish, using the "shocker," if such a research method can be properly executed by our team. We also plan to qualitatively analyze the various forms of vegetation in the riparian zone of the creek, by collecting samples of the vegetation. Additionally, we plan to observe the area around the creek for evidence of animal life. Through our analysis of the biota in the riparian zone, we will assess the overall biological integrity of the creek, using the index of biological integrity as a basis for comparison and evaluation. With additionally research, we will be able to better judge which elements of biota are most relevant to the determination of the overall integrity of Four Mile Creek. Also, we wanted to keep the bedrock and treeline of the area in mind, though we have not yet determined ways of empirically testing these aspects.
5. Materials and Methods
As of now, our group does not anticipate a great need for materials and supplies, since we will be relying heavily on existing texts and human resources for a significant part of our research. Regarding the counting of fish in Four Mile Creek: for that component of our research, we would need the "shocker" described by various professors, as well as any additional supplies needed for that experiment. Again, as our research progresses, our sense of the necessary materials and methods will evolve.

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