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Shawnee Lookout Park

November 11th 2006

Photos By Jim and Kathy Cummings

Link to the Hamilton County Parks Site

The event being commemorated was the first thanksgiving on the Ohio frontier, which happened in 1788 at Columbia Station, near where Lunken Airport is now located in eastern Cincinnati, Ohio. The host group is The Society of Northwest Longhunters based in Cincinnati.

Thanksgiving on the Ohio Frontier

The settlers were having a feast to celebrate a good harvest when Shawnees appeared on the woodsline. Not knowing whether the natives were friendly or hostile, the settlers went to alert and sent a delegation to meet with them. It turned out that the Shawnee were nothing more than a hunting party, which had not had much luck. The settlers invited them to join the feast.

The natives inquire as to why there is a settlement developing on their land. The settlers explain that John Cleves Symmes has purchased the land from the government and is selling it to settlers. The natives object that it is their land - how could anyone claim it. The settlers produce the copy of the treaty and show them that there are about a dozen native signers to the treaty. The lead Indian then, as the names of the signers are read, disallows each as not being Shawnee and having no right to speak for them. The last name presented is that of Moluntha a revered Shawnee chief. The natives agree that if Moluntha has signed it, it must be worth honoring. The settlers suggest not getting into hostilities over this and invite them to join the feast.

The above scene was performed on Saturday afternoon once every hour. Afterwards the visitors were invited to talk with the re-enactors and sample the food inside log house.

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The Storyteller

One of the highlights of the day was the native storyteller, Fred Shaw. He kept both children and adults spellbound. with the story of Grandmother Turtle.

Click Here to see the Storyteller.

For more information on the history of the buildings at Shawnee Lookout - see last year’s event. Click Here

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