Twenty years ago today, on Saturday, June 26, 2004, the 1827 Chief Richardville House (Akima Pinšiwa Awiiki) opened for public tours. The following year, the History Center created this video to promote the newly restored home’s public programming, which features two current staff members: Executive Director Todd Maxwell Pelfrey and Administration Coordinator Ingrid Nicholson. Since 2007, the popular Miami Indian Heritage Days series has shared the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the home on the first Saturday of the month from May to November and the site was named a National Historic Landmark in 2012.
The Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville House was built near Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1827 It is one of only two National Historic Landmarks in Allen County. Subsidized by the U.S. federal government through the 1826 Treaty of Mississiniwa was, it is believed to be one of only three treaty houses built east of the Mississippi River. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on March 2, 2012. Chief Richardville, the principal chief of the Miami from 1812 until his death in 1841, signed several treaties with the United States government as it negotiated with the Miami tribe for its eventual removal as a recognized nation. Lands were reserved for Richardville's personal use, and $600 was provided for the building of a home. The house sits on land that was negotiated for by Richardville in the 1818 treaty between the Miami Indians and the U.S. government. The Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society acquired the one-acre property and house in 1991. The Greek revival-style house was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 and as a National Historical Landmark in 2012. Copied from Richardville House on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
The Chief Richardville House, built in 1827, is recognized as the oldest Native American structure in the Midwest. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2012. Chief Richardville House web page at the The History Center.
#1 - RICHARDVILLE HOUSE. YEAR CONSTRUCTED: 1827. Construction of this home was subsidized by the 1826 Treaty of Mississinwas, which compensated the Miami tribe with money for land for settlement. Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville, the primary chief of the Miami from 1812 to 1841, was awarded $600 by the U.S. government to help fund a house along the St. Mary's River. The structure reflects both Greek Revival and Federal styles. The History Center is the current steward of the property, which sits off Bluffton Road. (News-Sentinel file photo). Copied from FORT WAYNE FIVE: Oldest city structures on the National Register of Historic Places published January 4, 2018 The News-Sentinel newspaper archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
As the oldest building in Northeast Indiana, the Chief Richardville House is only the second site in Allen county to be named a National Historical Landmark. The other honor belongs to the Allen County Courthouse. The Chief Richardville House is now the 38th landmark in Indiana and one of only a few Native American landmarks in the country. Copied from Chief Richardville House Becomes National Historic Landmark published March 2, 2012 on The Fort Wayne Downtown Insider Blog.
"Forgotten Pronunciations" by Tom Castaldi, local historianpublished December 2, 2010 on History Center Notes & Queries blogfor a little more on Chief Richardville. In 2011 his house became the fifth Native American landmark in the country, the first east of the Mississippi River.
Included this comment by Creage Smith an excerpt from the application for the Richardville House to become a National Historic Landmark:
"On the north side of the house, two mature “twisted” Silver Maple {Acer saccharinum) trees stand at equal distances from the main entrance. At this time, it cannot be determined whether the twisting of the Silver Maples was caused by an act of nature or by human manipulation. The Myaamia refer to the Silver Maple as soowanaahki. These two remarkable trees are contributing landscape elements to the akima Pinsiwa Awiiki.* Within the lawn area surrounding the house are located two mature Lilac trees (Syringa spp.), that may be contemporary to the residency of PinSiwa’s family during the nineteenth century. A grouping of Eastern White Pines (Pinus strobus) was planted on the west side of the house, near the point where the circle drive meets the main drive, and are contemporary with the paved driveway. The driveway and grouping of pine trees occurred after the period of significance and are non-contributing elements to the site."
Twisted Maple Tree speciifcally cited in nomination and LHD form mentioned on Survey Number: 003-215-55248SHAARD Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) page. Photo of sign 5302 Bluffton H Modified.jpg and perhaps labeled as Tree-C on map?
COULD IT BE A SPIRIT TREE?There are plenty of trees on the grounds where Chief Richardville lived, but there are two Silver Maple trees sitting at the entrance that are extra special. The trees are huge and old, possibly over 100 years old, with branches growing every which way. By The Waynedale News Staff published May 10, 2013 on the The Waynedale News.com.
