Beyond Pontiac's Shadow: Michilimackinac and the Anglo-Indian War of 1763

Foreword

ix I n 1978, in commemoration of the bicentennial of the American Revolutionary War, Dr. David Armour and Keith Widder wrote At the Crossroads, Michilimackinac During the American Revolution. Published by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, this important work provides a thorough and well-written examination of that important chapter in Mackinac history when the fur trade and military community of the Straits of Mackinac moved from the mainland to Mackinac Island. In BeyondPontiac’sShadow,MichilimackinacandtheAnglo-Indian War of 1763, Dr. Widder provides readers with a greater context and deeper understanding of the British period at Michilimackinac by examining the early years of occupation and effectively revealing the complex and dramatic interplay of the diverse populations that inhabited the community. British fur traders, soldiers and government officials occupied Michilimackinac soon after the conquest of Canada in 1761. While French soldiers departed, much of the fur trade society at Michilimackinac remained, including French Canadian and métis residents and the neighboring bands of Ojibwe and Odawa Indians who had long and deep connections with the community. The British regime injected a new and uncomfortable layer of authority that disrupted the relative harmony that existed between their culturally-accommodating French predecessors and the local tribes. Rising tensions, fueled by a broader Indian rejection of British authority in North America known as “Pontiac ’s Rebellion,” exploded in violence at Michilimackinac on June 2, 1763. Dr. Widder brings decades of research and knowledge to the task of sorting out and insightfully telling this complex story of the first chapter of British occupation at the Straits of Mackinac. This includes a 30-year career with Mackinac State Historic Parks as a research historian and supervisor of interpretive programs at Colonial Michilimackinac. Much of the primary source material that Dr. Widder used for this project came from the Eugene and Marian Petersen Archaeology and History Center in Mackinaw City. This collection, much of which was assembled by Dr. Widder, was begun by Dr. Eugene T. Petersen, the first director of Mackinac State Historic Parks and deputy director David A. Armour. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission, under foreword x foreword the leadership of chairman Dennis O. Cawthorne, remains committed to the professional management and growth of this collection which has always been accessible to research historians. Similarly, Dr. Widder’s work has been substantially informed by the archaeological research that has taken place at Michilimackinac. Every summer since 1959 archaeologists have systematically excavated the ruins of this site revealing not only the foundations of structures but also a rich deposit of artifacts and features that provide detailed information about life in this eighteenth-century village. Like At the Crossroads, this publication provides valuable material for exhibit and live interpretation programs at Colonial Michilimackinac. New research is the lifeblood of dynamic and successful museums and Dr. Widder, as he did for thirty years while working for Mackinac State Historic Parks, has provided a wealth of information that will benefit our programs. In particular, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the attack of 1763, our interpretations will be better informed by research, analysis and insightful conclusions provided by Dr. Widder’s work. Mackinac State Historic Parks is pleased and honored to support the publication of this work by Michigan State University Press. Our previous cooperative efforts include three publications translated by Dr. Joseph L. Peyser that are part of the French Michilimackinac Research Project. As with those books, this publication has benefited from the support of two agencies who bring unique and meaningful contributions to the final product. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission and its staff joins with me in congratulating Dr. Widder on this outstanding contribution to our understanding of Great Lakes history and Michigan State University Press for bringing this work to print. Phil Porter, Director Mackinac State Historic Parks ...