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Potawatomi, Miami, and Settler History Lives On

Potawatomi, Miami, and Settler History Lives On

Chautauqua-Wawasee invites the community to a free and engaging program exploring Indiana Indigenous and settler history and the stories connected to the land we live on today.

Dr. Luke Gascho presents a program about Potawatomi, Miami, and settler history in northern Indiana.

Program Details

Saturday, September 12, 2026
10 a.m. to noon
Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation
11586 IN-13, Syracuse
-FREE ADMISSION-

Join us for a closer look at the people, places, and pathways that shaped this region over hundreds of years.

An Ancient Trail Through Northern Indiana

Guest speaker Dr. Luke Gascho will share how his curiosity about the history of his hometown led him to uncover the path of an ancient trail used by the Myaamia (Miami) and Potawatomi people.

This important trail once connected what we now know as Fort Wayne and Chicago, long before modern highways and roads crossed the region.

Through the story of this historic route, attendees will gain a better understanding of the people who lived here before European settlement, the changes that came with settlement, and the ways those histories continue to shape our communities today.

Discover the History of the Land

During the program, Dr. Gascho will help attendees explore:

  • What this land was like before 1492
  • How settlers came to this area
  • How Native American tribes and settlers lived and interacted
  • What the rediscovery of this historic trail means for us today
  • Simple ways we can build better relationships with Indigenous people and care for the land

About Dr. Luke Gascho

Dr. Gascho brings decades of experience as an educator and community leader.

He served for more than two decades as executive director of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center at Goshen College, where he led programs focused on environmental stewardship, education, and building strong communities.

Today, he continues to share his knowledge through speaking, teaching, and community work.

Learn Together and See Local History in a New Way

This program offers families, students, and community members an opportunity to learn together, ask questions, and discover a deeper understanding of the history beneath our feet.

Whether you are interested in local history, Indiana Indigenous and settler history, the development of northern Indiana, or simply curious about the land around Lake Wawasee, this program offers a fascinating look at the people and pathways that came before us.

Admission is free, and all are welcome.

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Native American history in northeast Indiana

History of Native Americans in northeastern Indiana

Chautauqua-Wawasee and Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum are collaborating to offer the third annual series of three programs that explore the history of Native Americans in northeastern Indiana.  The three programs are presented over a three-day period, September 2-4, with the first two one-hour programs held at the Syracuse Community Center; the third program will be held from 9:00AM to noon on Saturday, September 4, at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation pavilion.  All programs are offered free of charge and open to the public. Each program features presenters with expert knowledge and provides an interactive environment for discussion and hands-on examination of artifacts.

This year’s programs are:

Thursday, September 2, 6:30 – 7:30 at the Syracuse Community Center

Dr. Jeff Pyle will discuss and display a portion of the renowned Fred Bartol Collection of Prehistoric Indian Artifacts.  This is one of the finest collections of mid-west pre-historic Indian relics.  It was compiled by Warsaw’s Fred Bartol, who began collecting at a young age and collected his entire life. Upon his death in 1972, the collection was packed up and put away until Dr. Jeff Pyle acquired it in 2019.

 

Friday, September 3, 6:30 – 7:30 at the Syracuse Community Center

Notre Dame professors and researchers, Dr. Mark Schurr and Dr. Madeleine McLeester will be speaking about what archaeologists know about northern Indiana from the very first humans to settle here over 10,000 years ago through the historic occupations of the Potawatomi and Miami, with a special focus on Kosciusko County. The speakers will also present some new results from their ongoing research, the Kankakee Protohistory Project, which investigates how past societies used the Kankakee Marsh environment as well as changes to the marsh itself through time. Join us as for an evening filled with everything from woolly mammoths to sprawling mound centers, and uncover Indiana’s unique and rich archaeological past.

 

Saturday, September 4, 9:00 – Noon at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Ruddell Pavilion

 

Five individual programs are being offered:

 

Myaamia (Miami Native American) Plant Traditions             9:00 – 10:30

Led by Dani Tippmann at WACF Amphitheater

Follow Myaamia history as we look at the lives of the plants who accompany us on our journey through time. [See insert for more details]

 

French Influence in the Area                                                      10:30 – Noon

Led by Joe Zdziebko

Joe Zdziebko, dressed as a 1750s French Marine will display and discuss his equipment, uniform, musket, furs, maps, etc.  He will also talk about old sayings that are still used today.  [See insert for more details]

 

Flintknapping Hands-on                                                               10:30 – Noon

Led by Jeff Mesaros

Want to know how native American artifacts were made by hand?  Jeff Mesaros will show you how.  And here’s your chance to try making one!

 

Kayak Display                                                                                  10:30 – Noon

Led by Mike Smith

Mike will display and describe his hand-built 17-foot sea kayak.

 

Archaeological Dig for Children                                                   10:30 – Noon

Led by Jamie Clemons

Through this hands-on activity, students will “dig” for artifacts, documenting findings through drawings and notes.

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