CURRENT TEMPORARY EXHIBIT
Generously funded by the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust
First Saratogians
The Indigenous Peoples of the Saratoga Springs Region
Examines the history of the Mohican, Mohawk and Abenaki people who are indigenous to this area. The exhibit utilizes over 300 artifacts from our collections to look at indigenous life from prehistoric times, through the era of colonization to the beginning of the 20th century.
Land Acknowledgement
The Saratoga Springs History Museum recognizes that the Saratoga Springs area is a part of a large area of land cared for by Indigenous people for the past 10,000 years. The Mohican, Kanienʼkehá:ka (Mohawk) and Abenaki people resided here and regarded the area as sacred. Because of the mineral springs with healing waters, it was considered an area of peace to be shared by all.
The Mohican People lived here for at least 10,000 years, followed by the Kanienʼkehá:ka perhaps 1,500 years ago and then the Abenaki. These people were forced from their ancestral lands by colonial settlers and removed to reservations far from their homes. Many Indigenous people did remain or return to the area and utilized the tourist trade for sources of income, on their own lands.
The History Museum, Saratoga Springs and the mineral springs reside on these sacred lands. Today we share this area with the Indigenous people who have called this home for over 10 millennia and acknowledge the Saratoga Springs area as the home of Mohican, Kanienʼkehá:ka, and Abenaki People.
We thank our Native American partners who advised and guided us through the two year process of constructing this exhibition: N’Dakinna Education Center – Joe, Jesse and James Bruchac; Brian McCormack of Thunderhawk Living History School; Kay Olan and Justin Crowfox Haner.
