In September, 1615, Stephen Brule, (pronounced Brulay), who was Champlain’s interpreter among the Indians, traveled on a mission, from the Niagara River in a southeasterly direction across the western counties of the state of New York, and arrived at an Indian palisaded town, called by him Carantouan. This Indian town has been identified as having been located at what is called Spanish Hill in South Waverly, PA.
This visit and stay of Stephen Brule, to these parts, is without doubt the first white man to visit and traverse the western portion of the state of New York, as well as the first to enter the present limits of Pennsylvania.
On October 15, 1915 the Bradford County Historical Society placed a granite marker on Spanish Hill where this fortified Indian town was located with appropriate ceremonies that included all the local school students and local historians and dignitaries to commemorate the 300th anniversary of this important event.
The Bradford County Historical Society is proud one hundred years later to still be in existence and able to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Brule’s arrival. This will be done at the annual meeting of the society Sunday October 25, Deb Twigg will be the speaker for the program.
Deb Twigg is a cofounder of the Susquehanna River Archaeological Center in Waverly, NY. The SRAC was founded to preserve the story of Carantouan and our region’s Native American prehistoric and early historic past. Twigg has also published a book on Carantouan. She was published in the “Pennsylvania Archaeologist” in 2005 with her contribution on Carantouan and Spanish Hill. Twigg has written numerous articles for local papers on the subject and continues to follow her passion for our Native American past with written articles and investigations.
The Annual Meeting of the Bradford County Historical Society will take place in the Great Room of the museum located at 109 Pine Street in Towanda. The Meeting will start at 2:00 p.m. a short business meeting will be followed by Deb Twigg’s presentation.
To reserve a seat for this very historic moment in Bradford County History please call the museum (570) 265-2240. Light refreshments will be served following the presentation.