History and culture of Ohio Native Americans to be next museum talk in Loudonville

Staff Report
·2 min read
Alan Fitzpatrick
Alan Fitzpatrick

LOUDONVILLE— The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum’s Fall Speaker Series wraps up this month with “The History and Material Culture of Native Americans in the Upper Ohio Valley,” according to a news release from the museum.

This event will be 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15 at the CRF Museum, 203 E. Main St., Loudonville. Doors open at 6:30 pm. This event is free to attend with no registration required.

Author and early American historian Alan Fitzpatrick will lead a hands-on talk and demonstration that brings to life the history and material culture of 18th century Native Americans living in what was called the "Ohio Country," the release said.

Utilizing artifacts and reproductions of tools, hunting gear, weapons, clothing, foodstuffs, and common household items, Fitzpatrick illustrates what life was like before contact with Europeans in the mid-1700s.

Fitzpatrick also will show and examine European trade goods, such as metal, glass and cloth, and discuss how these items quickly changed Native American lives forever.

Though items such as iron tools, copper kettles, cast-iron pots, woven cloth and flintlock weapons improved Native American lives, they also created unforeseen consequences including a reliance on European goods and the disintegration of Native American culture.

Fitzpatrick, originally of Canada, is the author of numerous books on early American history, particularly related to the conflicts between Natives and colonists in the late 1700s.

He is also one of the founding members of Fort Henry Days, a living history commemoration of the last battle of the American Revolution, at Oglebay Park in West Virginia.

His books, and art prints, will be available for purchase following the program.

Those interested in learning about the museum or upcoming events should call the museum at 419-994-4050 or visit www.crfmuseum.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Cleo Redd Fisher Museum speaker to talk about Ohio Native Americans