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In the autumn of the year 1889, while exploring the heights of Bloomingdale (now called Cathedral Heights) for any relics that might have remained
from the Battle of Harlem, Mr. Calver discovered one arrow point at 118th
Street, east of Ninth Avenue, and immediately afterwards a circular hammerstone. On a later trip to the same locality, he found a small grooved axe or
tomahawk. (The writer found an arrowhead on South Field, in front of Columbia University Library,
on September 30, 1904) In February, 1890, while hunting for Revolutionary relics in
the vicinity of Fort Washington, he made a trip to the northern part of the
Island in search of British regimental buttons, many of which were said to
have been found in that vicinity. There he met an old acquaintance, Mr.
John Pearce, a policeman then on duty there, by whom he was introduced to
Mr. James McGuey, a youth residing in the vicinity of 198th Street and
Kingsbridge Road. To Mr. Calver, Mr. McGuey presented several relics
found by himself on camp sites and made an appointment to meet him
early in March to explore for Indian remains. The same day, Mr. Pearce
took Mr. Calver to be introduced to Mr. Thomas Reefe who resided near
Kingsbridge Road and Isham Avenue, and, while crossing the orchard at
Academy Street and Seaman Avenue, Mr. Calver saw that the ground was
thickly strewn with shells which afterwards proved to be of Indian origin.
- Fort Washington Point. There is a small deposit of shells, on the southern edge of the point, in which the writer found some small pieces of pottery and a few flint chips, thus proving its Indian origin. This was probably a summer camp, as it was too exposed for winter use.
- The Knoll. "The Knoll" was the name applied to a small rise of land, at the southwest corner of Dyckman Street and Sherman Avenue, which ran out into Sherman Creek from the eastern edge of the lull at that place. As already stated, Messrs. Calyer and McGuev found potsherds here; then Mr. Chenoweth obtained permission of the property owners to make excavations. He found numerous fragments of arrow points and pottery in some refuse deposits from an Indian camp and also uncovered what were thought to have been "paved fireplaces." The newspapers of the time had accounts of the finds, with pictures of the pottery and other objects found. (New York Herald, January 14, 1894; also Illustrated American, September 19, 1901) Mr. Chenoweth also uncovered a number of skeletons. It is stated that these graves were marked with rough headstones, and there are pieces of a coffin from here in the 'ferry collection in the American Museum, as are also a number of lead buttons found with one interment. Everything seems to point to these as being burials of early settlers, but Mr. Chenoweth holds that they are Indian. Several of the skeletons have been preserved in the Museum. A parallel condition to this at the Knoll was found at 211th Street and will be spoken of later. The Knoll site had undoubtedly been an ancient Indian camp. Probably Sherman Creek was open up to this point to Indian canoes.
- Cold Spring. Cold Spring is situated at the extreme northern end of Manhattan Island on the southern shore of Spuyten Duyvil Creek. The Indian remains consist of three rock-shelters and three refuse heaps. The rock-shelter is a formation where the overhanging rocks form a small cave or shelter which the Indians used as a dwelling place. All their rubbish, such as oyster shells, broken pottery and broken arrow heads, were dumped near by, forming the so-called shell heaps. Messrs. Calver and McGuey explored the shell heaps; but Mr. Chenoweth was the first to suspect the existence of the shelters. There is only one which is likely to have been used as a dwelling place, the others being places where food was stored or shelters for fires used in cooking. These shelters face east, and are at the foot of the hill (formerly called Cock Hill) which forms the most northern part of Manhattan Island. The largest one was formed by several of the rocks breaking off the cliffs above and falling in such a manner that, by digging out some of the earth from beneath them, the Indians could make a small shelter. Probably it was occupied by one family, while the others lived in bark wigwams near by. (Memorial History of New York, Vol. I, p. 33, for picture of houses, and p. 39 for description) Another of the shelters is simply an excavation under the end of a huge fragment which also dropped from the cliffs above, and the third is a large crevice in the foot of these cliffs. When Mr. Chenoweth first explored them, all these shelters were completely filled with earth which had gradually worked its way in since their occupation, and much credit is due him for suspecting their presence. In them he found fragments of pottery and stone implements, together with the bones of turkey and deer. The largest of the refuse heaps is situated on a rise directly in front of these shelters. It consists of a layer of shells, in places several inches thick, found under a layer of fine loam, a black earth which has been deposited since the shells were scattered over the original sandy yellow soil. The sheltered position of this place made it an especially desirable camp site. The hills to the south and west formed a protection to the camp from winds, and by Spuyten Duyvil Creek access could be had to either Hudson or East River; while the Cold Spring, from which the place takes its name, furnished an abundant supply of fresh water.
- Inwood Station Site. At the foot of Dyckman Street and Hudson River, there existed a large deposit of shells, most of which were removed when the rocks on which they lay were blasted away for grading the street. A few arrow points and bits of pottery, as well as several Revolutionary objects, were found here. Part of the deposit is still left on the northern shore of the small bay just below Inwood station. There are photographs of this deposit in the Museum.
- Harlem Ship Canal. Formerly at 220th Street and Kingsbridge Road was a large deposit of shells on the westerly side of the road. This was destroyed when the ship canal was put through. As with the Inwood Station site, no systematic examination of this place was ever made. Mr. John Neafie found some potsherds here in 1886, and Mr. Chenoweth also has some potsherds from here. (John Neafie collection, 20-2558; Chenoweth, 20-3498.) Mr. Calver says that this was a large deposit, and that the peculiar thing about it was that the shells were so wedged and packed together that a pick would hardly penetrate them. They lay on the bare rock surface in cracks in the rock.
- Harlem Ricer Deposit. Mr. Calver says, "Extending from 209th Street to 211th Street on the west bank of the Harlem River and almost on a line with Ninth Avenue was another large deposit of oyster shells lying just beneath the top soil of the field. These shells had nearly all been dis- turbed by the plow and are interesting only for their color, which was red. Pieces of horn of deer and split bones of the same animal were common among the shells; but, in spite of the apparent antiquity of the deposit, there were, even in the lowest strata of it, some small fragments of glass which proved that either the whole mass had been disturbed or else the shells had been left during the historic period. There are several stone sinkers and hammerstones from this spot in Mr. Calver's collection and at the Museum.
- Isham's Garden. This is a large garden about on the line of Isham Street and Seaman Avenue. The soil is white with shall fragments of shells. A number of arrow points, flint chips, hammerstones, sinkers and a few bits of pottery have been found here. Mr. Calver has found several shell pockets with small deposits of pottery, etc., on the hill to the south of this garden.
- Academy Street Garden. This is a small garden between Academy and Hawthorne Streets, running through from Seaman Avenue to Cooper Street. It was a British camp site during the Revolution, and a number of buttons, gun-flints and bullets have been found there as well as numerous Indian remains. It seems to have been the workshop for a red jasper-like stone of which numerous chips but no finished implements have been found. The shells at this point were first noticed by Mr. Calver in 1890. They may not all be of Indian origin, as some may be due to soldiers.
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Dog Burials found in 1895. In January, 1895, Mr. Calver found two
interesting "dog burials." The first burial was unearthed at the summit
of a ridge of soft earth at 209th Street, near the Harlem River. The ridge,
which was about twelve feet high, had been partly cut away for the grading
of Ninth Avenue. It was at the highest part of the hillock that a pocket
of oyster and clam shells was noticed, from which a few fragments of Indian
pottery which lay on the face of the bank had evidently fallen. The shells,
upon inspection, were found to have served as a covering for the skeleton of a
dog or wolf. Another burial was found on May 18th within fifty yards of
the first burial. It had been covered with shells just as the first one, but had
been disturbed by workmen. Mr. Calver says: "The two canine burials
were situated at a point just without the borders of the Harlem River shell
heap and were distinct from it. The shells were found to be matched,
hence it was concluded that they were thrown in unopened or eaten on the
spot. As the skeletons were intact and the bones uninjured, all probability
of the animals having been eaten is disposed of." These burials are com-
mon in this vicinity. No satisfactory explanation of them has been given;
but Mr. Calver thinks they were for some religious purpose, and suggests a
relation to the "White Dog Feast" of the Onondaga of this State. (N. Y. Herald, May 26, 1895) It is
certain that the pockets were in many cases used as fireplaces.
Shell Pockets at 211th Street. In March, 1903, there was considerable excitement over the reported discovery of an Indian graveyard at 211th Street. (Evening Telegram, March 14, 1903.) The graveyard proved to have been that of some slaves, and was situated on the western end of the rise between 210th and 211 Streets, on the eastern end of which is the old Neagle Burying Ground. This discovery was interesting because under the negro graves several shell pockets of undoubted Indian origin came to light. The workmen, in grading Tenth Avenue, cut into this hill to obtain material for filling, and uncovered the graves and pockets. It seems almost certain that the deposits were made some time ago; then the wind blew the sand over the deposits to a depth of four or five feet, and negroes later used this place as a burial ground. In support of this theory is the fact that the pockets were four or five feet under the surface, that the soil above showed no signs of having been disturbed, and that this rise is put down on the Government maps of this section as a sand dune. (New York Geologic Folio.) During the summer of 1904, Mr. Calver with Messrs. Hall and Bolton uncovered nine more pockets to the southwest of the graveyard. (New York Tribune, Oct. 30, 1904, and New York Sun, Dec. 14, 1904. These pockets all seem to have been of the same period as the others, and all appear to have been on the original ground surface, although those farther up the hill were some four feet under the present surface. In one of these pockets, was found the complete skeleton of a dog; (All that could be saved of this skeleton has been presented to the Museum by Mr. Edward Hagarnan Hall.) in another, a turtle shell; two others contained complete snake skeletons; while a fifth held the fragments of a small pottery vessel. The pockets were small, being about three feet in diameter and of equal depth, showing no signs of having first been used as fire places and then filled up, though charcoal was scattered among the shells. Almost all the relics from Van Cortlandt Park were found by Mr. James in pockets similar to these.
During Indian troubles in 1675, the Wickquaskeeks at Ann's Hook, now Pelham Neck were told "to remove within a fortnight to their usual winter quarters within Hellgate upon this island." Riker says, "This winter retreat was either the woodlands between Harlem Plains and Kingsbridge, at that date still claimed by these Indians as hunting grounds, or Rechawanes and adjoining lands on the Bay of Hellgate, as the words `within Hellgate' would strictly mean, and which, by the immense shell-beds found there formerly, is proved to have been a favorite Indian resort." (History of Harlem, p. 366.) A little later the Indians asked to be allowed to return to their maize lands on Manhattan Island and the Governor said that they, "if they desire it, be admitted with their wives and children, to plant upon this Island, but nowhere else, if they remove; and that it be upon the north point of the Island near Spuyten Duyvel." (Ibid., p. 369.)
Mrs.
Ruttenber, pp. 77-78.) Some small shell deposits occur on Spuyten Duyvil Hill, but as yet this "castile" has not been definitely located. The village site at Yonkers, according to Mr. James, is now covered by buildings; but several relics found near the site years ago are now in the Manor Hall at that place (1904). Judging from these references, we might conclude that the territory occupied by the tribe commonly known as Manhattans included Manhattan Island and that part of the mainland which is west of the Bronx River north to Yonkers, and that these Indians were a sub-tribe of the Wappinger division of the Mahican.
The first Sunday in March, Messrs. Calver and McGuey explored this part of the Island for Indian remains. At the junction of Academy Street and Prescott Avenue, they found an Indian potsherd whose importance Mr. McGuey seemed to realize, for, a week later, Mr. Calver met him again and was presented by him with a number of fragments of Indian ware. He assured Mr. Calver that he had found it by digging in an Indian graveyard. The two men dug again at this place, now known as "the Knoll," and found more pottery. They then went to Cold Spring, a point on the extreme northern end of the Island, and in a shell heap there they found more Indian work. Mr. Alexander C. Chenoweth, an engineer, then on the Croton Aqueduct, hearing of these discoveries, obtained a permit from the property owners and began to explore "the Knoll" for Indian remains. Having finished here, he went to Cold Spring and made some further discoveries. All his specimens were purchased in 1894 by the Museum, and some of them are now on exhibition.
Since this time, several interesting relics have been found and, as the work of grading streets and other excavation at this part of the Island are carried on, more relics will probably come to light. An account of the recent finds will be found in another part of this Guide, the time of this writing having been 1904.
The only Indian remains left on the Island, so far as known to the writer, are situated at the extreme northern end at Inwood and Cold Spring. They consist of the co-called shell heaps or refuse piles from Indian camps, and three rock-shelters at Cold Spring. But we have evidence to show that this was not the only part of the Island occupied by the Indians. Mrs. Lamb (History of New York City, p. 36.) says that the Dutch found a large shell heap on the west shore of Fresh Water pond, a small pond, mostly swamp, which was bounded by the present Bowery, Elm, Canal and Pearl Streets, and which they named Kalch-Hook or shell-point. In course of time, this was abbreviated to Kalch or Collect and was applied to the pond itself . (Mr. Edward Hagaman Hall, however, derives the name from "Kolk" or "Kolch" a word still in use in Holland and applied to portions of a canal or inclosure of water. The word also means "pit hole ", which aptly describes the Collect Pond. EDITOR.) This shell heap must have been the accumulation of quite a village, for Mrs. Jno. K. Van Rensellaer (Goede-Vrouw of Manahata, p. 39.) speaks of a castle called Catiemuts overlooking a small pond near Canal Street, and says that the neighborhood was called Shell Point. Hemstreet refers to the same castle as being on a hill "close by the present Chatham Square," and says that it had once been an "Indian lookout." (Hemstreet, Nooks and Corners of Old New York, p. 46.) Excavations at Pearl Street are said to have reached old shell banks. "The Memorial History of New York" (Bulletin, N. Y. State Museum, Vol. 7, No. 32, p. 107, Feb., 1900.) says that a hill near Chatham Square was same authority, "Corlear's Hoeck was called Naig-ia-nac, literally 'sand-lands.' It may, however, have been the name of the Indian village which called Warpoes, which meant literally a "small hill." (James G. Wilson, op. cit., p. 52. ) According to the stood there, and was in temporary occupation." This is the only reference we have to this village, but there are references to another on the lower end of the Island. Janvier (Evolution of New York.) says that there was an Indian settlement as late as 1661 at Sappokanican near the present Gansevoort Market. According to Judge Benson, (N. Y. Historical Society Collection, S. II, Vol. II, Pt. 1, p. 84, 1848. ) Sapokanican was the Indian name for the point afterwards known as Greenwich. "In the Dutch records references are made to the Indian village of Sappokanican; and this name .... was applied for more than a century to the region which came to be known as Greenwich in the later, English, times. The Indian village probably was near the site of the present Gansevoort Market; but the name seems to have been applied to the whole region lying between the North River and the stream called the Manetta Water or Bestavaar's Kill." (Thos. A. Janvier, In Old New York, pp. 85-86.) Benton says that the name of the village was Lapinican. (New York, p. 26.) Going back to the old Dutch records might lead to finding the actual names and other data regarding these places.
Most of the specimens found on Manhattan Island, as already stated, come from the northern part. We have a few from the central portion, however. There are the arrow-heads spoken of by Riker, and in Webster Free Library there is a fine specimen of a grooved stone axe found at 77th Street and Avenue B. Mr. Calyer has found an arrows lead at 81st Street and Hudson River and specimens from the site of Columbia College have been recorded.
Doubtless the northern part of the Island was inhabited for the longer period; but it is probable that all along the shore, wherever one of the many springs or small brooks, shown on old leaps, emptied into the Hudson or East River, there were small, temporary Indian camps. It is likely that these camps were used only in summer, while the primitive occupant of Manhattan retreated to the more protected part of the Island, as at Inwood and Cold Spring, during the winter. Or it may be possible that, as Ruttenber (Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, p. 78.) states, the villages on Manhattan Island were only occupied when the Indians were on hunting and fishing excursions, while their permanent villages were on the mainland. Bolton, (History of Westchester County, p. 25.) however, says their principal settlement was on Manhattan Island.
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