My oldest is studying about Native Americans in her second-grade Social Studies class. Despite previously being a teacher and therefor now being deathly allergic to the phrase “teachable moment”, I took the girls back to a spot behind the farm called Indian Island.
Indian Island lies on the Blackwater River. According to the history books, Native Americans were forced to various spots along the river around 1646 after two years of fighting between the Virginia Colony and the Powatan Confederation.
It’s also a great place for little girls to show off stereotypes that they learn on television.
We sat by the swamp for a while (I recommend visiting Indian Island ONLY in the dead of winter. Any other time and the mayflies and mosquitoes will eat you up.), played around for a while and then looked for arrowheads (we found a few) and other artifacts.
The girls don’t give much thought to living in a place where history is so accessible but I happen to think it’s pretty darned cool.
What kind of history exists where you live? Do you ever explore your local history?
thecottonwife.wordpress.com 
Hi, I discovered your blog today and I’m really enjoying reading it.
I live in Oklahoma, former Indian Territory. It is extremely rich with Native American culture and traditions. The name Okahoma comes from Choctaw and means “red people.”
Thanks, Okie Sister! I’m going to pass this along to Shelby… she’ll enjoy sharing that with her class. 🙂
– Jennifer
Your baby is growing up so fast. Good thing there is more where that came from. 🙂
I live in Utah which also rich in Native American history. Utah means “top of the mountain” in the Ute language. The Utes are one of the many tribes that lived in this area. My Great-grandma use to tell us stories of an Indian woman with a new born that would come to the house in the winter to trade goods with her mother. My Great-grandma loved the little Native American baby so much, she tried to talk her mom into “stealing” the baby. (She was somehow under the impression as a small girl that this woman could not possibly love her baby as much as she did.) My Great-grandma has been gone for many years now, but her love for the Native American people lives on in the stories she told us.
We recently also made a trip to Promontory Point with our kids where the Railroad from the East met the Railroad from the West. I love taking my kids to places so full of history.
I love the photo of the boots…Awesome! I’m going to try that one with my girl, if you don’t mind me copying off you. Cotton wife…you are my idol and I’m starting to feel like a stalker!
Plenty of history here in PA. My daddy found indian bowls and tons of arrow heads when he plowed up some of our fields. He wasn’t into history so he gave them away. I could clomber that old boy, if I didn’t love him so
He GAVE them away!?! Noooo!
Here in NE Arkansas, we had Indian mounds along the St. Francis River. They have long since been excavatied and all the artifacts carried off to the local college museum and private collectors. The mounds can barely be distinguished, but if you know where to look you can still see them.
We also have an area over in the river called Hatchiecoon Island. It is supposed to be named after an Indian that lived there.
I can’t get past the adorable photos of your Peanut. She’s SOOOOOO cute.
And I love your Indian Island. So cool. History rocks.
Sounds like the Native Americans were the “first” in so many places. As a former homeschool mom I love reading all of this. Living here in Virginia we tend to take for granted all of the rich heritage and history at our doorstep. What a shame so much of the Indian history is overlooked – we owe them much.
I love seeing your girls outside. A lot of todays kids do not know the joy of nature and just playing outside. My kids are grown but they played outside winter and summer, in sunshine, rain and snow and loved every minute of it. Some of Our children have lost the art of entertaining themselves and making up new games to play.
Ellie, I love listening to them as they play outside (I try to stay out of sight and not “hover” as so many parents do these days) and make up games and stories. Sometimes they play house, sometimes the “old west” and sometimes – this is my favorite – they pretend to be our neighbors and friends. Some of their impersonations are right-on!
As long as they can hear me when I holler, then they’re free to roam as they please!
– Jennifer
We enjoy going on adventure hunts! But dont do it often enough.
About 40 miles from us is where Jesse James almost jumped to his death…but he made it!! And got away from the law once again. Also we are told a house not too far from school is where he hid out for weeks to wait out the law again.
Jesse James! How exciting!!