In the 1650's many Wyandots gathered at Michlimackinac because of the fur trade. They later moved with the French to Detroit. Once in this area they moved downriver and also to what is known now as Sandusky, Ohio around Lake Erie.
The French influence showed in the community the Wyandots built here in Wyandotte. They preferred a village type of life and laid out "streets" from about Oak to Eureka along the river.
The homes were wigwams in some settlements and bark-covered cabins without windows in other villages.
The Wyandots were primarily farmers and planted corn, squash, beans, and sunflowers. They developed many varieties of cold weather corn and became great traders. The Wyandots also were hunters and trappers and used birch bark canoes to travel the lakes and rivers. By the 1800's the Wyandots were more agricultural, raising sheep, hogs, cattle and horses.
With such a close relationship with the French the Wyandots began to change their religious views. Tthey believed in supernatural powers including the sun, moon, wind and thunder. The Milky Way was a path for souls, and the earth was just an island resting on the shell of a turtle. They held Green Corn festivals and blackberry feasts. The Wyandots slowly became Roman Catholic through a large missionary effort. As early as 1669 Father Jacques Marquette ran a mission on Lake Superior for the Wyandots. Later Protestant missionaries in Ohio introduced Methodism.
The change of hands of the fort in Detroit from the French to the Britsh eventually led to the Pontiac Conspiracy. In 1763 members of various tribes met along the banks of Ecorse Creek to plan a May attack on the British garrison. In June of 1763 the Indians also attacked a schooner coming up the river near Fighting Island. Unfortunately both attempts were unsuccessful for the Indians and they suffered losses. Chief Pontiac wanted to drive the English away from 12 forts in the Great Lakes area. He had the strength and backing of many tribes, but they were only able to take over 3 forts: St. Joseph, Mich.; Sandusky, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio. The British remained in Detroit. During the next years some Wyandots befriended the British and were actually allies.
During the War of 1812 Chief Walk-In-The-Water waged a resistance against American Major Van Horne carrying supplies from Ohio to Detroit . Additional skirmishes followed and finally General Dequindre leading Michigan militias routed the English. The Wyandots seem to have divided their allegiances between the Americans and the British during The War of 1812. Many followed Chief Tecumseh and sided with President Harrison.
A series of treaties after The War of 1812 saw the Wyandots move away from our area and eventually in 1843 westward to Kansas and what would become Oklahoma. The Wyandots accepted this area as it was not too far from civilization as they knew it. There is now an official tribe of Wyandots living in Oklahoma.
Web Links for information about the treaties:
The treaty of Greenvillein 1775 sponsored by General Anthony Wayne bought land from the Wyandots.
Further treaties whittled away the land of the Wyandots.
Treaty of 1843 moved the Wyandots west to Kansas.
Additional information on The Wyandots may be found in the vertical file and local history collection at Bacon Memorial District Library.
Return to: Wyandotte History page
Created with federal funds through an LSCA grant.
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