Native Allegheny, Past and Present

Join the Fort Pitt Museum as they explore the rich tribal history of this region.

Three centuries ago, Delawares, Shawnees, Senecas, and other Native peoples settled the region around present-day Pittsburgh, a place they referred to as “Allegheny.” Far from the pressures of colonial settlement and rival Native nations, it became a sanctuary of sorts in an increasingly turbulent world. Following decades of warfare that ended in the 1790s, this adopted Native homeland faded from memory as Pittsburgh grew and tribal nations were forced beyond the state’s borders.

Though the land and its inhabitants have changed greatly, the Native nations who once lived here have survived and thrived to the present day.

Join members of these historic, living cultures and Fort Pitt Museum staff as they explore the rich tribal history of this region and detail the ways Native people are adding to our collective understanding while preserving their cultures for future generations.

The Native Allegheny, Past and Present program includes a presentation by Jeremy Johnson, cultural education director for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, artist and curator-led tours of two of the museum’s featured exhibitions, Homelands: Native Nations of Allegheny and Across, as well as a small reception.

Homelands explores the rich history of the Native cultures of the upper Ohio Valley from the 18th century to today, while Across features the photography of Seneca cultural interpreter DJ Huff, both here in Pittsburgh and closer to his home in western New York.

Admission

Access to the Native Allegheny, Past and Present program is included with regular museum admission.