Stories of the Susquehanna

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

This summer we analyzed both primary documents and secondary literature to compile a database of significant Native American locations with a five mile corridor of the Susquehanna River’s West Branch. We then created a Geographic Information System (GIS) interactive map layer of these sites. In this, clicking each point location will give you a description and the sources used. This layer we created will be added to a larger map which details the North Branch and the Main Stem of the Susquehanna River. This research helps us better understand the story of the past: settlement patterns, tensions and conflict, relationships between different groups of people and of people with their environment. This research was on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Conservancy, who aim to update the John Smith National Historic Trail with the history of the Susquehanna River. There were limitations to this research , as it is difficult to find written history from so long ago, in addition to a general lack of recorded information from the Native Americans. However, we found old county histories, the works of JF Meginness, and Moravian Church's diaries written in German (translated by Katherine Faull) to be very valuable resources. We hope to continue mapping locations, chronologically, to produce a time lapse map of the area. In addition to mapping, we are developing a self-tour app. This uses your phones GPS and speakers to talk when you are near an important site. Although there are many uses around Bucknell for such an app in the future, the current one is dedicated to people who kayak on the Susquehanna River. It provides a tour based on the information we have collected this summer and that has been collected in years past.