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Native Americans in Holyoke

Native Americans have been found in Holyoke in great numbers but only in a few locations.

1847

Four Native Americans were found in 1847. As typical to Native Americans burials in New England the bodies were upper torso vertical and the lower torso horizontal. They were packed in red clay and possessions were nearby. The Connecticut River had deposited the clay during the many floods during the ages. This clay not only was to honor the person but also to act like a coffin. Thus it is not “singular” that there would be a “subterrannean channel” around the bodies. This is since the packed clay would have bonded with itself to act like a brick. Brick is made of red clay. The underground flow of water would have removed some of the sand around those burials.

61 Native Americans were found buried on Depot Hill of Ireland Depot Village. 59 of these were found within a three year span from 1868 to 1870. – Internal LINK

2 more Native Americans were found in the Smith’s Ferry section of Holyoke in the early 1900s. One is buried in the cemetery since the body was found by the road near the cemetery. The other was found by the river.

Thus 67 Native Americans burials have been found in Holyoke. This is the second highest number of burials in any community in New England. The only higher number is that found in a town in southeastern Massachusetts.

Native Americans families were allowed to live on the land of farmers in the Elmwood neighborhood. One family on the land of Charles Ball in the northwest quadrant of Cherry and Northampton Streets. The other family was on the Hitchcock land at the southeast quadrant of Hitchcock Street and Westfield Road.