Standing as a poignant tribute to the rich cultural tapestry of our region, the Wigwam on our museum grounds offers a glimpse into the traditional way of life of the Eastern Woodlands Indians, particularly those belonging to the esteemed Iroquois Confederacy, comprising the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora tribes.
For these indigenous peoples, hunting, fishing, and cultivating crops like corn, beans, and squash were integral to their sustenance and way of life. Constructed in the typical Iroquois fashion of lashed poles covered with elm bark, the modest proportions of the Wigwam suggest its role as a temporary shelter for hunting parties, who might spend weeks or even months at a single base.
This area, once shared hunting grounds for the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy, witnessed a historic transition in 1784 when Cornplanter, their esteemed leader, brokered the sale of land to Pennsylvania, altering the landscape and shaping the course of history for generations to come.