Honoring Akron’s Portage Path
Each day, thousands of people, encompassed in the bustle of daily life, pass by or travel along what once was a vital travel route for Indigenous peoples. Different Tribal Nations throughout history utilized a land route to “portage” between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. Today, we call this route the Portage Path.
In October 2001, the path was immortalized with the installation of bronze sculptures that pay homage to those who first lived in and around what is now Akron, Ohio.
WHO USED THE PORTAGE PATH?
Portions of the trail may have been created by wildlife first and then improved by Indigenous peoples who occupied this region to create the portage possibly as early as 8,000 years ago.
While there were no permanent villages of any Tribal Nation, the Portage Path was used by the Shawnee of western Ohio and the Lenni Lenape (Delaware). Some Haudenosaunee people, also known as the Iroquois, left the Five Nations of New York and migrated to the Ohio country . Additionally, Wyandot, Huron, Ottawa and Miami groups may have also used the trail.
TRACING THE PORTAGE PATH
According to local history guru and former Deputy Mayor of Akron David Lieberth, a surveyor named Moses Warren traveled up the Cuyahoga River from Cleveland in July of 1797 to survey the location of the trail, which had been designated as the western boundary of the Western Reserve. He saw a Lenni Lenape village called Old Cuyahoga Town near the Cuyahoga terminus.
As stated in the 1785 Treaty of Fort McIntosh, the Portage Path was part of the boundary line between land that was legally open to European settlement and that which was to belong to Indigenous peoples. “Indian Territory” was to be west of the line extending from the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, along the 8-mile Portage Path to the Tuscarawas River, to present day Bolivar. Beyond this boundary, no European settlement was to take place after 1785.
HOW THE STATUES CAME TO BE
The marking of the Portage Path had been the passion of former Akron resident William Yeck. In 1990, Yeck proposed that Summit Metro Parks, along with the Summit County Historical Society and the City of Akron, work together to mark the trail of the Portage Path. Although he did not live to see the final result, the Yeck Family Foundation made contributions of over $500,000 to see the project to completion.
Two large sculptures marking the terminus points of the Portage Path were dedicated in a 2001 ceremony at the big bend area of the Cuyahoga River. Additionally, 50 bronze arrowhead statues mark the route of the Portage Path as surveyed by Moses Warren in 1797.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sculptor Peter Jones, a Seneca-Onondaga artist who resides on the Cattaraugus Reservation in New York, was commissioned to design the sculptures. He did extensive research into the people who lived here at the time of European settlement to guide his representation of the portaging man. Jones’ sculptures portray woodland Indigenous peoples, known for traveling light. The bronze men wear a breechcloth and headpiece reminiscent of the style of historic Tribal Nations.
Editor’s note: In our ongoing commitment to fostering respect and inclusivity, we have revised the terms and language used when referring to Indigenous peoples. We recognize that language can be a complex and evolving aspect of cultural appreciation, and while we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it’s important to note that terminology and preferences may vary among Indigenous communities and individuals.
