Long before the whiteman came to our part of
the world, and long before this region was even called the Northwest Territories,
the buffalo and the Indian roamed along the lovely banks of Amiskoosis
Saskihigan, where present day Ferintosh is now located According to an
old Cree friend of mine, Amiskoosis Saskihigan meant " Little Lake belonging
to the Beaver"
Before the "Hills of Peace"
were named (to the west of us, near Wetaskiwin), where the Cree and the
Blackfoot buried their ancient hatchets, members of both tribes shot arrows
at one another in the hills between the banks of Amiskoosis Saskihigan
and Red Deer Lake . Arrowheads have been found on hills where ancient battles
were fought . On a hill two miles west of the little lake belonging to
the Beaver, an ancient Indian Burial Ground is still located . It is said
that the Indian prefers to be buried on a high hill and , if possible,
overlooking water. This burial ground is on one of the highest hills in
the neighbourhood, called Collins Hill, and Meeting Creek does meander
through the valley at it's foot. But there are three stories in connection
with this Indian Grave Yard which I have heard.
One comes from an old Indian
who said it was the burial place of warriors . Another story has it that
the graves on that hillside were for victims of a smallpox epidemic. Recently,
I heard tell that 500 Indians were buried there in a mass grave as the
result of the 'Black Plague'. No one can say for sure which story is right
or wrong now. But I do know from personal observation , that as late as
1934 crude wooden crosses , marking ancient graves , could still be seen.
I went out and looked at them.
In September of 2002, I was contacted by MASON
EXPLORATION regarding the feasibility
of using
GROUND PENETRATING RADAR
to locate the burial ground spoken of in this article. On Oct 5th, 2002,
Sherran Dermott with the Camrose Genealogical Society and I took this background
picture of the view from the top of Collins Hill. One can see part of Reddeer
Lake as well as the creek below the hill. NOVEMBER
1st, 2002, MASON EXPLORATION went ahead with the GPR with a joint effort
combining the Camrose County
GenWeb, AGS Camrose Branch , Mason Exploration, and future involvement
promised by the Duhamel Historical Society. The findings were astounding!
Not only was it proven up there were graves on this hill, but sufficient
evidence to conclude this to be a legitimate UNREGISTERED GRAVESITE ! GLOBAL
NEWS, Edmonton, were there during the field work and did an excellant interview
while the GPR was being done, and as Mason Exploration processed the data
in their laboratory.February , 2003, the AGS
Camrose Branch went ahead with the application process for the costs of
a Historical Marker to commemorate this gravesite through the
ALBERTA HISTORICAL RESOURCES FOUNDATION.
Depending on the outcome of the application
, to be anounced in May , 2003, proceedings should follow to install a
marker on this site sometime in 2003.
I would like
to thank Mason Exploration for their voluntary efforts and expertise with
this project , and the AGS Camrose Branch , for their research in the history
pertaining to this gravesite .
Barry Hovelson
Camrose County GenWeb
