Carse Wetlands is located in Hinesburg, Vermont, and was once the territory of the Abenaki Nation. The Abenaki Nation is part of The Wabanaki Confederacy along with the Malecite, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot. The Nation exists today and is composed of four Vermont state-recognized Western Abenaki Tribes; The Elnu Abenaki People, The Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation, the Nulhegan band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation and the St. Francis-Sokoki Band of the Abenaki Nation of the Missisquoi¹. While it is difficult to determine which tribe once lived in the Hinesburg area, we believe The St. Francis-Sokoki Band of the Abenaki Nation of the Missisquoi inhabited this territory.
The following links lead to various resources about the history, myths and stories of both the Abenaki people as a whole, and the Missisquoi tribe. Through a history of colonization, violations of treaties, disease and eugenics, not the Missisquoi tribe, nor any Indigenous group, owns the land that is now Carse Wetlands.
- Missisquoi History and Chronology: https://abenakination.com/missisquoi-history-and-chronology/
- Some Abenaki Stories, and links to tribal information from UVM: https://www.uvm.edu/place/towns/greensborobend/abenaki.php
- Abenaki Stories and myths: http://www.native-languages.org/abenaki-legends.htm†
Missisquoi History
Lake Champlain is known as Bitawbagw, and was a center of trade and exchange that connected the Haudenosaunee and Abenaki People. The Missisquoi is known as Mazipskoik, or the place where there is flint. The words for Missisquoi Bay are Mazipskwebi, and for the river is Mazipskoisibo.
Missisquoi is one homeland inside of the Dawnland or Wôbanaki. This was part of a huge trade network that reached from the Atlantic ocean (Sobagw) to Anishinabewaki, Anishinaabe territory in the Great Lakes.
The Missisquoi people were connected to and intermarried with other Abenaki/Wabanaki communities, which increased as families were impacted by disease, conflict and displacement. The marriages did not end with colonization.
The ancient village of Missisquoi was on the center of the lower Missisquoi river. It extended on both sides of the river and encompassed areas of the Pike River (Kwenozasek), protected wetlands (Maquam), and fishing falls at Takwahoganek (Swanton Center). The village used the entire river for hunting and fishing in headwaters, uplands and streams that come down from Jay Peak (Wskwadena). The village was composed of a large longhouse and other homes. Archaeological studies confirmed the location with the help of oral history from Abenaki leadership families, and the area was continually occupied from 7500 bp (before present time) to now.
A timeline of history
| 1500s and early 1600s | French, Basque, Italian and English explorers and fishing vessels traveled Sobagw and arrived in Wabanaki, Wampanoag and Narragansett homelands. The visitors traded with Indigenous people and the goods traveled through extensive networks of waterways and trails, eventually reaching Bitawbagw. The colonizers took Wabanaki and other Indigenous people captive, and carried them to Europe where some were enslaved and others were taught European language to inform the colonizers of resources and navigation on their home soil. Many of them died, but others returned with European ships and escaped. News of the kidnappings spread through Indigenous trade networks. Disease carried by European travelers devastated Indigenous communities in the northeast. These losses led to ruptures, grief and conflicts. Competition in fur trade among European settlers and Indigenous nations was one of these conflicts. Survivors of disease drew on traditional knowledge and new goods and knowledge from European colonizers to survive. |
| 1700s | Greylock’s Castle and the Anglo-Abenaki Wars. Greylock was among the families that migrated to Missisquoi from Kwenitekw and Schaghticoke, intermarrying and integrating into the community. Greylock led raids on settlements in the Connecticut River Valley and other locations in Massachusetts, always returning to the stronghold known as “Greylock’s Castle”. This makes Missisquoi a target for Massachusetts colony militia, but the colonial forces never find the stronghold. This kept the colonial military from attacking northern Abenaki communities and pushed colonizers back from the Abenaki homelands. This war – Greylock’s War – was part of a larger movement across Wabanaki homelands but the leaders do not sign treaties which concluded “Drummer’s War”. The Anglo-Abenaki War was a war between English settlements and the Abenaki people. The Abenaki people strived to reverse English settlements in the Connecticut River Valley while English settles attempted to blaze a trail through Indigenous territories. During the Revolution, Abenaki men are recruited and serve in the American forces. After this war, Ira Allen and his family attempted to claim title to land at Missisquoi that had never been “improved”. Some families, like the Dutch Lampman brothers, arrived in Missisquoi and married into the community. Captain Joseph Traversy advocates to the Congress for protection and restoration of Abenaki land against the depravations of Ira Allen, however some families move to other places. The core families remain even after Ira Allen builds a dam and mill. |
| 1800s | Extended families remain in protected places like Maquam as settlers build farms around mills and the fertile valley. Extended families tied to leaders stay on traditional lands and play a leadership role in Missisquoi as there is continued intermarriage and diplomacy with Dutch-descended settlers. The home of Martha Mortis Lampman and John Lampman in Maquam becomes a central gathering place known as “Grandma Lampman’s”. A subsistence/trade economy sustains families with kinship networks and relationships with the land. The area remains protected from view and travel by those who do not know the network of waterways in the area. |
| 1900s | Families remain in core places like Maquam, Highgate woods, St. Albans Bay, Lake Champlain Islands and Missisquoi River uplands. They practice subsistence culture and doing day/wage labor. They continue to live in large extended families that travel together and distribute food among kin. Prohibition led to many Abenaki men participating in rum-running before border enforcement criminalizes cross-border travel. In the 1920s, Vermont Eugenics Survey targeted some Abenaki families who sought subsistence on Lake Champlain. This led to state-sanctioned sterilizations, institutionalizations and family separations. These still impact communities today. Construction of the Missisquoi Bay Bridge changes river currents and impacts spring fish runs, as well as increasing settlement. The Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 and claims a large amount of land on the ancient village. This led to extended families being removed, and placed restrictions on hunting and fishing that the Abenaki relied on for a subsistence lifestyle. Local game wardens recognized the right of the people to fish and hunt without interference. In the 1970s, recognition of Abenaki relationships to the Refuge led to federal funding, and the nation was formally organized through meetings of extended families at Missisquoi. In the 1980s, the Abenaki Self-Help Association was established to supported self-determination and sufficiency. In the 1990s, there was a greater discussion of land claims and aboriginal rights among the Abenaki community. |
| 2000s | Abenakis and other Vermonters worked together to push for recognition in the state legislature. Today, they lead community-based cultural revitalization programs and collaborations to highlight the presence of the community in the Missisquoi. |
The above is a brief summary pulled from the website of the Missisquoi tribe. For more information, please see their website.
Missisquoi history and chronology. Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi Swanton, VT. (2021, March 22). Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://abenakination.com/missisquoi-history-and-chronology/
**Note** I am also considering adding a page to discuss eugenics, but did not have it ready in time for the draft.