Pennsylvania was, for centuries, the home of many
Native American tribes. During the 17th century the region was dominated by the Haudenosaunee
Iroquois Confederacy, which at that time included the
Mohawks, the
Onondagas, the
Cayugas, the
Senecas and the
Oneidas. Under the Confederacy the area was hunting grounds for the
Delaware,
Shawnee,
Conoy,
Monsey,
Mohican and
Nanticoke peoples.
Allumapees was a Delaware chief who lived in
Shamokin (now called Sunbury). A large population of Delaware Indians was forcibly resettled in the area in the early 18th century after they lost rights to their land in the
Walking Purchase.
Canasatego of the Six Nations, enforcing the Walking Purchase of behalf of George Thomas, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, ordered the Delaware Indians to go to two places on the Susquehanna River, one of which was an area that included both present-day
Sunbury, Pennsylvania and Shamokin Dam. From 1727 to 1756, the village of Shamokin was one of the largest and most influential Indian settlements in Pennsylvania. In 1754, much of the land west of the Susquehanna was transferred from the Six Nations to Pennsylvania at the
Albany Congress. However, Shamokin was not sold and was reserved by the Six Nations, "to settle such of our Nations as shall come to us from the Ohio or any others who shall deserve to be in our Alliance." According to Weslager, "the Pennsylvania authorities had no opposition to the Six Nations reserving Wyoming and Shamokin from the sale, since friendly Delawares, including Teedyuskung (also known as
Teedyuscung) and his people living in those settlements--and any other Indians who might be placed there--constituted a buffer against Connecticut." However, the Delaware Indians at Shamokin joined the war against Pennsylvania and the English after the
Gnadenhütten massacre in 1755. Pennsylvania
Fort Augusta was built in 1756 at Shamokin. Read more about early history of Shamokin in
Shamokin (village).
Shikellamy, of the Oneida people, came to the region. He negotiated with the white settlers on behalf of the native residents. In 1754, Chief Shikellamy negotiated with
Conrad Weiser to set the
Blue Mountains as the upper limit settlement in the native people's home lands. Weiser told the area's settlers they could not remain. The
Six Nations Treaty of 1754 permitted settlements to move west of the
Susquehanna River into lands that eventually became
Snyder County. Many natives argued they had been cheated by the treaty. Conflicts between the settlers and the native peoples resulted in deaths on both sides. Eventually, the native peoples were pushed out by the white settlers after the
French and Indian War. Germans were among the first European settlers in the region. Their influence continues today in the presence of the
Amish and
Mennonite sects. Shamokin Dam was founded by George Keen in 1745. At the time it was named Keensville. Most of the residents were canal workers, raftsmen, shad fishermen and eel fishermen. Restaurants and hotels provided support for the workers and travelers. A lock for the
Pennsylvania Canal was located on the riverbank. Most of the local commerce revolved around transportation and supporting the canal. In 1907 a toll bridge was completed that connected Shamokin Dam to
Sunbury the county seat of
Northumberland County. The cost for construction was $150,000. A full-time toll collector lived in the house that straddled the bridge. A gate closed the bridge at night. A bell was posted to summon the toll worker during the night. The bridge was used by pedestrians, buggies and motor cars. The toll was 3 cents for walkers, 4 cents for bicyclists, with 15 cents for horses, buggies and motor cars. ==Demographics==