Broken Treaties, Forgotten Archives

The Treaty of Canandaigua (Pickering Treaty of 1794) is signed between the Grand Council of the Six Nations and Secretary of State Timothy Pickering representing the United States of America. According to most sources, the treaty was never signed by George Washington.

While the white media produced the majority of writings on Kinzua, this letter provides an alternative viewpoint from those most impacted by the project: the Senecas. The Seneca Nation thanks Hetzel for aiding them in their opposition of the dam and gives updates on the legal battle to halt construction. -- Alyssa Spaeth

George Heron, president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, writes an open letter asking for America to honor its treaties.

This editorial, along with its consequent reply, appeals to Congress to reexamine alternatives to the Kinzua Dam, arguing both the moral importance and the myriad advantages of other known options. It also illuminates possible ulterior motives for Congress’s current adherence to the Kinzua site. -- Katherine Travisano

See annotations:
Page 1
Page 2

Lazarus wrote this editorial in an ongoing debate surrounding the Kinzua Dam to challenge Senator Clark's (D-PA) arguments that the economic benefits of the dam would compensate for the potential destruction of Seneca culture and identity. Lazarus also advocates adopting the Conewango-Cattaraugus plan, an alternative with more researched economic and engineering benefits. -- David Kong

The recipient of this letter was a Quaker. This item highlights how Kinzua would cause the Senecas to lose their land, which was promised to them by the Pickering Treaty. Heron discusses alternative plans to Kinzua and pleads for Quaker help by stressing that the Seneca’s "beloved homeland" would be lost. -- Isabelle Angstman

Lazarus wrote this editorial in an ongoing debate surrounding the Kinzua Dam to challenge Senator Clark’s (D-PA) arguments that the economic benefits of the dam would compensate for the potential destruction of Seneca culture and identity. Lazarus also advocates adopting the Conewango-Cattaraugus plan, an alternative with more researched economic and engineering benefits. --David Kong

See annotations

This letter opens by arguing that Kinzua is impractical because of the taxpayer burden, poor design, and ethical dilemmas it involves. Inspired by personal experience and a career dedicated to studying Native Americans, Fenton outlines six arguments against Kinzua, highlighting significant oversight in the necessity and impact of the dam. -- Alison Roseman

Fenton writes this letter to Haley to express that the two sides—the Seneca Nation and the US Government—were each in accordance with the treaty signed in 1794. Fenton emphasizes studies of alternatives to the Kinzua Dam that would justly leave the Seneca Nation's land to the indigenous people. -- Sophie Titlebaum

Taylor sent this letter to catalyze a delay of the Kinzua Dam project and encourage the US Government to consider alternative options. Taylor explores how the dam violates treaties and campaign promises, encouraging using these points to delay/stop construction. He emphasizes the negligence of the Army Corps of Engineers regarding American values. --Jacob Murray

See annotations

A cordial thank-you note recognizing the slew of articles regarding the Kinzua Dam controversy in The New York Times, this letter expresses the plight of the Seneca and the struggle of convincing the US Government to modify dam-building plans. --Lucas Greenbaum

See annotations

This draft of Kennedy’s speech argued that the Pickering Treaty prohibited the dam’s construction. It led to the “Indian Declaration of Purpose,” which appealed to the US government to pursue the alternative Conewango dam site. One year later, the declaration was presented at the White House to President Kennedy.

See annotations

Letter to the Treaty of 1794 Committee with the transcription of a letter sent to President Kennedy requesting an impartial study of the alternative dam projects

See annotations

This article criticizes the United States government and the Army Corps of Engineers for violating the treaty with the Seneca Nation and dismissing Arthur Morgan’s alternative plan to Kinzua. The piece was published in SAGA, a pulp men's adventure magazine, and the writing is notable for its inaccuracies and melodramatic style. -- Maya Ahmed

See annotations:
Page 1
Page 6

Arthur Morgan responds with a critique of the Linn article "Rape of the Senecas"

See annotations

See annotation:
Page 1
Page 2

Appeal Letter by the Indian Committee of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends to the larger group asking for increased allocation of resources to combatting the Kinzua Dam project.

See annotations

In his response to Walter Taylor’s proposition to call public attention to the Senecas’ plight, Lawrence Lindley questions the necessity of this measure, asserting his confidence that Congress would pass a bill providing fair reparations. This confidence ultimately proved naive when Congress failed to pass the bill in its entirety. --Eleanor Wachtel

Statement by Walter Taylor, Letter to House of Representatives Subcommittee on Indian Affairs outlining the major details of the Kinzua case and the ramifications of the project.

The letter, written soon after the inauguration of President Johnson, asks him to help the Seneca Indians receive reparations for the flooding of their property. At this time, the dam was near to completion so the Nation needed the bill that would provide reparations, H.R. 1794, to be passed soon. --Nathan Merrill

See annotations

The Kinzua Planning Committee, a committee of the Seneca Nation of Indians, published a newsletter called The Kinzua Planning Newsletter for at least three volumes with a minimum of four editions per volume. It highlighted the opinions of several third-party sources surrounding the Kinzua Dam. --Tate Miller

This pamphlet gives instruction to the Senecas and their allies on how to move forward in the wake of the violation of the Pickering Treaty and the passing of Public Law 88-533 in 1964. It was published after the removal of the Seneca people and the dam's construction. --Lillian Alonzo

See annotations:
Page 2Page 3Page 4

Taylor composed this document in order to raise awareness about the environmental degradation and human rights issues that resulted from the Kinzua Dam’s construction. It provides a context for Kinzua, showing how it is symptomatic of national injustices against Indigenous rights that are also part of environmental degradation. --Pamela Gonzalez

See annotations:
Page 1
Page 2

In his letter to Dale Kent of the Corps of Engineers, Walter Taylor asks for materials to help him further understand the Corps of Engineer's perspective on building Kinzua Dam. Taylor is generally critical of the United States' seizing of Indian land but is trying to understand its purpose in this letter. --Hannah Zoll