In April 2013, Lincoln Park had the unique opportunity to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Chief Pontiac War Council, held along the River Ecorse on April 27, 1763. This event, coordinated by the American Indian Movement’s Michigan Chapter (AIM-Mi) and the Lincoln Park Historical Museum with support from the City of Lincoln Park, was held at Council Point Park.
Mayor Pat Krause welcomed everyone and introduced the presentations made by State Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood and Wayne County Commissioner Ilona Varga. Grand Chief Ted Roll of the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation spoke of the Wyandot alliance with Pontiac.
Sharing the unique aspect of the French community at Detroit in 1763 was Ken Navarre, president of the Wyandotte Historical Society and a descendant of Robert Navarre, the official notary at Fort Detroit during the time of the Pontiac siege. Following the dedication, the ‘Seventh Generation’ family of Chief Pontiac, members of the Saginaw Chippewa Nation and led by family member Ben Hinmon, held the Eagle Staff ceremony. The family unveiled the grand staff dedicated in honor of their great grandfather Pontiac for this 250th Anniversary occasion. Family members sang the Honor Song as part of the ceremony.
The commemoration included AIM’s 2-day Powwow and culminated with a ceremony held at 5:00 p.m. at which time the State Historical Site marker was formally dedicated by Richard Micka, Michigan Historical Commissioner. The Invocation was given by Potawatomi Elder Mona Stonefish.
THANK YOU To Our Many Volunteers! In addition to the many AIM volunteers on hand to work security, provide cultural programs, and handle the set up and take down, the following museum volunteers did a great deal of work to make the Pontiac commemoration event a success: Bev Vincent, Paula Grimaldi, Pat Kush, Carol Collison, Sandi and Dan Horst, Merritt Solomon, Barbara McShane, Robert French -- handling everything from canvassing for sponsors, updating the website, cleaning up the park (on a very blustery cold Friday afternoon), to setting up on the day of the ceremony, directing traffic and handing out programs. We can’t thank you all enough for your time and efforts.
MORE THANKS: to the City of Lincoln Park Department of Public Services, the Police and Fire Departments, and Parks and Recreation Department, the Mayor’s Office, and City Clerk’s Office and to Boy Scout troops 1380 and 1381 for helping this event to run smoothly. Boy Scout Leader David Oakley reinstalled the Council Point sign created by Troop in 1999.
The Chief Pontiac War Council, held along the River Ecorse on April 27, 1763
This council would lead to the uprising and attacks on British Forts in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley region, including the nearly six month siege of Fort Detroit.
The council site today is known as Council Point (Park), but in the 1700s it was heavily forested and used by local Indian tribes for hunting and fishing and harvesting the bark from the many birch trees, used in building canoes and homes. (Ecorces is the French word for "bark".) The site and the time for the inter-tribal war council was chosen by Pontiac, the Ottawa Chief, for a hidden camping location on the tribe's return to their summer village near Fort Detroit. It was called to be held on the 'Fifteenth of the Moon', or, according to the English calendar, April 27th, which fell on a Wednesday.
Also in attendance were hundreds of chiefs and warriors of the Potawatomi and the Wyandot (or Huron) Nations. The confederacy of the Indian Nations, though loosely structured, was effective in ousting the British from nine of the region's forts in a few weeks time, but was ultimately unsuccessful in capturing the major forts at Detroit, Pitt and Niagara, leading to the dissolution of the confederacy and the eventual displacement of the people of the native nations. Among the legacies of Pontiac's War--and its shifting allegiances--is that it became an important factor in the lead up to the American Revolution. The further displacement of the Indian Nations did not take place under British authority, but was orchestrated by the American Government over the next two centuries.
For further information about the Chief Pontiac Council held April 27, 1763 see our Pontiac Fact Sheet.