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Reclaiming Ohi:yo'- Restoring the Altered Landscape of the Beautiful River Ohi:yo' Restoration and Resiliency Projects Members of the Seneca Nation's Watershed Resources Working Group are involved in various restoration and resiliency projects for our Ohi:yo'. The Seneca Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department in particular engages in projects related to building artificial habitat, repopulating our river's Walleye population, and building trenches to help land locked fish. Fighting for the Water: Fracking Wastewater in Ohi:yo' In 2016 the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) began deliberating a 1,000-barrel/day of unconventional gas drilling wastewater (Frack Wastewater) disposal facility in Potter County proposed by Epiphany Allegheny LLC. In response to the news of these fracking plans, our Seneca people again fought for our people, our communities, and our Ohi:yo'.

Cornplanter Grant Visit, Stop at Kinzua Dam

Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson. September 15, 1962 was declared "American Indian Day" by New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller, most likely in response to the controversy surrounding the building of Kinzua Dam. Members of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Society of Friends, and Congress gathered at the Cornplanter Monument located on the Cornplanter Grant in Warren County, Pennsylvania to mourn and remember Chief Cornplanter and the land that makes up the Cornplanter Grant. The Cornplanter Monument and the Cornplanter Grant were both named in honor of Chief Cornplanter, one of the signers of the Canandaigua Treaty and a very esteemed member of the Senecas; if Kinzua Dam was completed the Allegany Reservoir would completely submerge the Cornplanter Grant. Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson.

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Version 7

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title	dcterms:title	Cornplanter Grant Visit, Stop at Kinzua Dam
description	dcterms:description	Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson.
url	art:url	media/85.1003.0209.jpg
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created	dcterms:created	2018-08-03T16:43:52-07:00
type	rdf:type	http://scalar.usc.edu/2012/01/scalar-ns#Version
source	dcterms:source	Seneca-Iroquois National Museum
date	dcterms:date	2018-07-16
type	dcterms:type	stillimage
identifier	dcterms:identifier	85.1003.0209
subject	dcterms:subject	independent sovereign nations, native peoples reservations, flood dams, gravity dams, rolled-fill dams
contributor	dcterms:contributor	Seneca-Iroquois National Museum
language	dcterms:language	eng
abstract	dcterms:abstract	September 15, 1962 was declared "American Indian Day" by New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller, most likely in response to the controversy surrounding the building of Kinzua Dam. Members of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Society of Friends, and Congress gathered at the Cornplanter Monument located on the Cornplanter Grant in Warren County, Pennsylvania to mourn and remember Chief Cornplanter and the land that makes up the Cornplanter Grant. The Cornplanter Monument and the Cornplanter Grant were both named in honor of Chief Cornplanter, one of the signers of the Canandaigua Treaty and a very esteemed member of the Senecas; if Kinzua Dam was completed the Allegany Reservoir would completely submerge the Cornplanter Grant. Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson.
format	dcterms:format	image/jpeg
format	dcterms:format	photoprint, electronic
format	dcterms:format	reformatted digital
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	Record has been transformed into MODS from the original accession record. Metadata originally created in a locally modified version of qualified Dublin Core.
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	languageOfCataloging authority = "iso639-2b"; dcTerm:language
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	recordCreation Date encoding = "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:date
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	subject authority = "aat"; dcTerm:subject
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	subject authority = "tgn"; dcTerm:coverage
conforms to	dcterms:conformsTo	dateCreated encoding= "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:temporal
coverage	dcterms:coverage	Kinzua Reservoir (reservoir), Allegany River
creator	dcterms:creator	Ted Hetzel
creator	dcterms:creator	This record was created by Dana Reijerkerk.
extent	dcterms:extent	1 photograph; Black and White, Glossy 5" x 7"
temporal	dcterms:temporal	1962-09-15

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Contents of this tag:
1. Construction of Kinzua Dam: Downstream Vantage Point The construction of Kinzua Dam in Warren, Pennsylvania was completed in December of 1965. Kinzua Dam is a combination concrete gravity structure and a rolled-earth embankment dam. This photograph was taken from the downstream viewpoint and captures the construction progress of the concrete gravity sructural portion of the dam (which will be between two large earth embankments that flanked it on either side not shown here). The right abutment (located far left) appears to have been completed.
2. Cornplanter Grant Visit, Stop at Kinzua Dam Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson. September 15, 1962 was declared "American Indian Day" by New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller, most likely in response to the controversy surrounding the building of Kinzua Dam. Members of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Society of Friends, and Congress gathered at the Cornplanter Monument located on the Cornplanter Grant in Warren County, Pennsylvania to mourn and remember Chief Cornplanter and the land that makes up the Cornplanter Grant. The Cornplanter Monument and the Cornplanter Grant were both named in honor of Chief Cornplanter, one of the signers of the Canandaigua Treaty and a very esteemed member of the Senecas; if Kinzua Dam was completed the Allegany Reservoir would completely submerge the Cornplanter Grant. Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson.
3. Trenches Dug for Landlocked Areas Seneca Nation of Indian land within the Allegany Territory that was inundated with the construction of the Allegany Reservoir is only underwater for part of the year. Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The exposure to weather and the water fluctuations throughout year expediate the erosion of natural habitat and shoreline and sediment accumulation. Sediment levels within the reservoir have built to the point where spawning and nursery areas are covered, leaving many of the fish species land locked when the annual drawdown for the winter months begins. Once landlocked, tens of thousands of young of year fish die because of oxygen degradation, predation, and water evaporation. The Seneca Nation of Indian's Fish and Wildlife Department works to combat mass fish kills by digging trenches that lead out of those landlocked areas. During the winter months maintenance to the trenches dug in years past is done. The water levels of the landlocked area depicted in the photograph have become too low for fish to use the trench.
4. Landlocked Fish Kills in the Allegany Reservoir Sediment levels within the reservoir have built to the point where spawning and nursery areas are covered, leaving many of the fish species land locked when the annual drawdown for the winter months begins. Once landlocked, tens of thousands of young of year fish die because of oxygen degradation, predation, and water evaporation. Fish species affected by land locking are Crappie, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Bullhead, Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, White Bass, Yellow Perch, and Paddlefish. Seneca Nation of Indian land within the Allegany Territory that was inundated with the construction of the Allegany Reservoir is only underwater for part of the year. Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The exposure to weather and the water fluctuations throughout year expediate the erosion of natural habitat and shoreline and sediment accumulation. Sediment levels within the reservoir have built to the point where spawning and nursery areas are covered, leaving many of the fish species land locked when the annual drawdown for the winter months begins. Once landlocked, tens of thousands of young of year fish die because of oxygen degradation, predation, and water evaporation. Fish species affected by land locking are Crappie, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Bullhead, Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, White Bass, Yellow Perch, and Paddlefish.
5. Construction of Kinzua Dam: Upstream Vantage Point
6. Erosion at Highbanks Near Highbanks Campground Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This seasonal lowering and emptying of the water reserves held within the reservoir leaves the land exposed and unprotected to weather elements, which in combination with the water fluctuations throughout the year, expediates the erosion of the shorelines and banks of Ohi:yo'. In addition, many of the shorelines along Ohi:yo' lack the needed plant growth, such as trees, to protect them from erosion. Pictured here is a wide shot that includes the Highbanks Campgrounds of the erosion along the shoreline of Ohi:yo'. The construction of Kinzua Dam and the Allegany Reservoir was completed in December of 1965. Seneca Nation of Indian land within the Allegany Territory that was inundated with the construction of the Allegany Reservoir is only underwater for part of the year. Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This seasonal lowering and emptying of the water reserves held within the reservoir leaves the land exposed and unprotected to weather elements, which in combination with the water fluctuations throughout the year, expediates the erosion of the shorelines and banks of Ohi:yo'. In addition, many of the shorelines along Ohi:yo' lack the needed plant growth, such as trees, to protect them from erosion. Pictured here is a wide shot that includes the Highbanks Campgrounds of the erosion along the shoreline of Ohi:yo'.
7. The Allegany Reservoir Beginning to Fill for the First Time This downstream view of the Allegany River Valley from the top of the nearly completed Kinzua Dam shows the upper-most portion of the Allegany Reservoir beginning to fill for the first time. The Allegany Reservoir, created from Kinzua Dam blocking the flow of the Allegany River, flooded the best lands of the Seneca Nation of Indian's Allegany Territory, two-thirds of which was usable land, and completely flooded the Cornplanter Grant in Warren county, Pennsylvania. The Allegany Territory is located in a valley surrounded by steep hillsides and the land inundated by the Allegany Reservoir was the flattest portions, which was most conducive to living and farming on. Original Caption by Ted Hetzel: "Making a Dam". Up until the "Kinzua Era", many Senecas were subsistence farmers, a lifestyle that gradually ended once the dam was built.
Contents of this tag:
1. Cornplanter Grant Visit, Stop at Kinzua Dam Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson. September 15, 1962 was declared "American Indian Day" by New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller, most likely in response to the controversy surrounding the building of Kinzua Dam. Members of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Society of Friends, and Congress gathered at the Cornplanter Monument located on the Cornplanter Grant in Warren County, Pennsylvania to mourn and remember Chief Cornplanter and the land that makes up the Cornplanter Grant. The Cornplanter Monument and the Cornplanter Grant were both named in honor of Chief Cornplanter, one of the signers of the Canandaigua Treaty and a very esteemed member of the Senecas; if Kinzua Dam was completed the Allegany Reservoir would completely submerge the Cornplanter Grant. Members of the Seneca Nation stopped at the construction site of Kinzua Dam on their way to the Cornpanter Grant. Senecas in the photograph can be seen wearing components of Plains Indian regalia, which was worn throughout many of the photographs of the Kinzua Era as a way to bring attention to the issue and be seen as identifiably "indian" by the American public. Identified in the photograph, Front to back, right to left: Harry Watt (center), Myra Watt, Fred Claflin, Gert Claflin, Darla Claflin, Butch Claflin, Walter Jimerson, Dorothy Jimerson, Gordon Jimerson, Ron Jimerson, Effie Johnson, and Boyd Johnson.
2. Kinzua Vigil, 1961 On August 12, 1961 a small group of Quakers, who named themselves the Treaty of 1794 Committee, and our Seneca people gathered in Kinzua, Pennsylvania for a protest vigil against the construction of the Kinzua Dam. The Society of Friends has historically been involved with the Seneca people and the Seneca Nation of Indians since the Pickering Treaty (Treaty of Canandaigua) was signed in 1794, the same treaty which would be broken by the building of Kinzua Dam. Since 1795 the Society of Friends has maintained an Indian Committee as part of their Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Many of their Quaker allies like Walter Taylor and Theodore "Ted" Hetzel were a part of said committee. Identified in the photograph is Harold Parker, standing center; third from the left facing front is Bessie Parker, Harold Parker's wife.
3. President Cornelius Seneca Public Outreach Letter (pg 1 of 4)
4. Letter from President John F. Kennedy to SNI President Basil Williams (pg 1 of 2) Seneca Nation Presidents', beginning with Cornelius Seneca (1956-1958), began writing to public officials in Pennsylvania, New York, and even the President of the United States in an effort to stop the construction of Kinzua Dam. In a letter from U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy declares that he will not halt Kinzua Dam's construction. President Kennedy's reasoning, like many who supported building the dam at this location, argued that national U.S. interests superceede that of the Senecas. President Kennedy's remarks and stance on the issue were not unusual for this time period. Shortly after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it would be constructing Kinzua Dam in Warren, Pennsylvania, which would result in the inundation of one-third of the Seneca Nation of Indians Allegany Territory, we as a nation began voicing our dissent. Seneca Nation Presidents', beginning with Cornelius Seneca (1956-1958), began writing to public officials in Pennsylvania, New York, and even the President of the United States in an effort to stop the construction of Kinzua Dam. In a letter from U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy declares that he will not halt Kinzua Dam's construction. President Kennedy's reasoning, like many who supported building the dam at this location, argued that national U.S. interests superceede that of the Senecas. President Kennedy's remarks and stance on the issue were not unusual for this time period. The American popular perception of Native Americans during the 1950s and 1960s could not separate stereotypical Plains Indian tropes from modern descendants of indigenious populations, like the Seneca Nation of Indians. There was a prevailing notion among many Americans that there were no more living "authentic" Native Americans. U.S. Indian policy at this time reflected these viewpoints and worked towards eliminating the nation to nation relationship that federally recognized indian status created.
5. Letter from President John F. Kennedy to SNI President Basil Williams (pg 2 of 2) Seneca Nation Presidents', beginning with Cornelius Seneca (1956-1958), began writing to public officials in Pennsylvania, New York, and even the President of the United States in an effort to stop the construction of Kinzua Dam. In a letter from U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy declares that he will not halt Kinzua Dam's construction. President Kennedy's reasoning, like many who supported building the dam at this location, argued that national U.S. interests superceede that of the Senecas. President Kennedy's remarks and stance on the issue were not unusual for this time period. Shortly after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it would be constructing Kinzua Dam in Warren, Pennsylvania, which would result in the inundation of one-third of the Seneca Nation of Indians Allegany Territory, we as a nation began voicing our dissent. Seneca Nation Presidents', beginning with Cornelius Seneca (1956-1958), began writing to public officials in Pennsylvania, New York, and even the President of the United States in an effort to stop the construction of Kinzua Dam. In a letter from U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy declares that he will not halt Kinzua Dam's construction. President Kennedy's reasoning, like many who supported building the dam at this location, argued that national U.S. interests superceede that of the Senecas. President Kennedy's remarks and stance on the issue were not unusual for this time period. The American popular perception of Native Americans during the 1950s and 1960s could not separate stereotypical Plains Indian tropes from modern descendants of indigenious populations, like the Seneca Nation of Indians. There was a prevailing notion among many Americans that there were no more living "authentic" Native Americans. U.S. Indian policy at this time reflected these viewpoints and worked towards eliminating the nation to nation relationship that federally recognized indian status created.
6. "Critic at Large: The Senecas Being Forced From Their Lands are Bitter with Good Cause", The New York Times, Feb. 25, 1964
7. Johnny Cash, 1969 In 1964, Johnny Cash, a well-known American country singer, released his album titled Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. One of Johnny Cash's more controversial albums, Cash's album brings attention to the U.S. government's treatment of its indigenious population. In his song, "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow", Cash brings attention to and narrates the Kinzua Dam controversey. In his lines "The treaties are safe we'll keep our word but what is that gurgling/ It's the back water from Perfidy Lake it's rising all the time" Cash is referencing words from Melvin Patterson (Seneca) spoken on September 15, 1962 at the gathering and honoring of Chief Cornplanter and the Cornplanter Grant, land that would be completely inundated by the Allegany Reservoir. During Patterson's speech he said "From this day forward we of Indian blood will call the waters that will flood this reservation practically out of existence the Lake of Perfidy." Lake of Perfidy is a reference to the lake that the reservoir would make out of the Senecas unceded land. This work has been released into the public domain by its copyright holder, Cowles Communications, Inc. This applies worldwide. This is a photo taken by Joel Baldwin when working as a staff photographer of LOOK Magazine, and is part of the LOOK Magazine Photograph Collection at the Library of Congress. Their former owner, Cowles Communications, Inc, dedicated to the public all rights it owned to these images as an instrument of gift. Cowles has expressed its desire that these images not be used for "trade or advertising purposes". However, this request cannot be meant as a legally binding copyright restriction on their re-use, as all the rights to this image were released, rather, it is a caution against the use of celebrity images to imply product endorsement, drawn from civil rights law, and is unrelated to copyright. It may be the case that the copyright to this photograph may be retained by Joel Baldwin or his/her heirs. Please make sure that Joel Baldwin's photos from Look Magazine are freely licensed.
8. "Quaker Booklet Urges Quick Action on Seneca Indian Bill", The Republican-Press, Jan. 28, 1964
9. Robert Haines Reply, Kinzua Project of the Indian Committee, 1963
10. Kinzua Project of the Indian Comittee Report, 1963
11. President Cornelius Seneca Public Outreach Letter (pg 2 of 4)
12. George D. Heron Speech, Nov. 22, 1963 (2 of 4)
13. President Cornelius Seneca Public Outreach Letter (pg 3 of 4)
14. George D. Heron Speech, Nov. 22, 1963 (3 of 4)
15. President Cornelius Seneca Public Outreach Letter (pg 4 of 4)
16. George D. Heron Speech, Nov. 22, 1963 (4 of 4)

This page is referenced by:

American Indian Day on the Cornplanter Grant. Sept. 15, 1962 September 15th, 1962 was declared to be "American Indian Day" by New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller, most likely in response to the controversy surrounding Kinzua Dam.

On this day our Seneca people visited the Cornplanter Grant in Pennsylvania to honor Senator Haines and gather in solidarity for the impending relocation and loss of this land. Members of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Society of Friends, and Congress were in attendance. The Cornplanter Grant would be inundated when Kinzua Dam was completed in December of 1965.

Our Seneca people stopped at the construction site of Kinzua on their way to the Cornplanter Grant. Our Seneca people can be seen wearing components of Plains regalia, which can also be seen throughout this exhibit.

The New York Times reported on these events, highlighting the viewpoint that favored building Kinzua Dam.