History Commons^™

Wiyot, Wiki And Batawat People, Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

In June 1900, Stewart Culin (1858-1929), self-educated anthropologist/ethnographer, traveled to northwestern California on a colleting trip. He was then Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Paleontology, and the purpose of his trip to was to secure “a number of Indian curios and relics,” which he did, spending about $150 in Hoopa. He also secured curios from the Mad River Indians near Blue Lake (Blue Lake Advocate 23 June 1900).

Just what Culin collected is unclear, other than the baskets, probably all of which were either Hupa or Yurok, and possibly some Karuk. The tribal heritage of …

Willburn Family, Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

In 1862, Capt. Ketchem from Fort Baker noted in his records that he received the assistance of the ranchers in Hettenshaw in rounding up the Indians. Among them were Jim Willburn, Jim Graham and Steve Fleming. Fleming acted as a guide for the soldiers and helped to bring in Chief Lassik and his band from the area in southwest Trinity known as Red and Black Lassic or simply the Lassics. An entry in the military records which reads, “Willburn and Fleming report the loss of many stock.”

Humboldt Bay Masterplan (Environmental Impact Report), Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

Descriptions of Indian sites on Humboldt Bay have not been attempted in this report. According to Loud (1918) there were 115 archaeological sites located in the Wiyot territory which roughly covered the lower Mad River, the lower Eel and fill of Humboldt Bay Approximately 70 of these sites were on or near the bay. Many of the important village sites have been lost to development. The clearings in the forest, streams, and bluffs above the tidelands were naturally chosen by white settlers just as they had been chosen by Indian people generations before.

Inventories of Wiyot sites in the area …