Chief Little Turtle's gravesite

Not far from downtown Fort Wayne, in the middle of a residential neighborhood with homes on both sides, is the grave site and a memorial for Chief Little Turtle, who lived in the area from about 1747 (his approx. birth) until his death in 1812. A great warrior chieftain, he was later known as a peacemaker, who encouraged his followers to make treaties with the U.S. Govt.

Born perhaps near Churubusco (also called Turtletown) he was the hereditary war chief of the Miami Indians. His father was Big Turtle. When the French attacked Kekionga (now Fort Wayne) before the American Revolution, Little Turtle retaliated and fought on the side of the British. It was all part of a larger battle for Detroit. But after the Americans won the revolution in 1776, the British abandoned their native allies, and the U.S. claimed the Indian territories on the other side of the Ohio. The Indians weren't taking it. Little Turtle began fighting against this group of white men.

Many Indian tribes united and fought the new Americans, and in one battle 600 American soldiers were killed. But after the Indian tribes were defeated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Little Turtle ceased fighting and repeatedly called for peace with the new government. He went against other Native American leaders in this cause, and also visited several U.S. Presidents.

Little Turtle's daughter was married to William Wells, who was a big fighter as well. After the Miami villages were destroyed in the War of 1812, Little Turtle moved in with Wells and died that year. He was given a U.S. military funeral in Fort Wayne.

His grave was eventually forgotten, though, and then rediscovered during home construction excavation in 1912. His swords and other memorabilia were taken to the Allen County Historical Society, and his grave was left alone. In 1959, the Smeltzly sisters bought the property to be preserved as a park and memorial, as a piece of history and a tribute to peacemakers. There are only low plaques, stone markers and wildflowers at the site - very minimalistic, and also beautiful.

I love this unusual little park. It must be interesting to live on this street and have it sitting there in what looks like an empty lot for a house. It has a lovely winding path and lots of trees, but it isn't overly manicured, I suppose to give one the effect of just being a Naive American, walking through the woods. It feels very peaceful and sacred somehow. As tossed aside as these native people were, to somehow, this grave being found after all those years and called important by a few lowly women and preserved - there is something powerful in that.

Drive up streets like the appropriately named Spy Run in Fort Wayne, curve off at Tennessee, and ask locals about the grave for Chief Little Turtle. To me, it's just a special as any big bronze statue of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in Friemann Square. Trappers, traders, old forts; there is lots of interesting history to be found in Fort Wayne.