"Back at the Gap" Lenni Lenape culture thrived 3,000 years ago BACK AT THE GAP Major General Frank H. Smoker, Jr. (USAF, Retired) As I write this second article of the series about Fort Indiantown Gap, I want to express my appreciation to all of the readers who contacted me about the first article and provided encouragement for additional Back at the Gap columns. That, of course, is my purpose, to tell the readers what goes on Back at the Gap to provide a better understanding of the great military and economic value that Fort Indiantown Gap provides to our community. Now, having established my “qualifications” in my first column, it’s time to start relating the history of the Gap. Indiantown Gap, site of Pennsylvania’s Military Reservation, has a history of rich and inspiring interest which is actually the history of development and progress of our people in Lebanon County. During the late 1920’s, when cavalry troops first maneuvered across country from the Mt. Gretna reservation to find undeveloped terrain, they were astonished that such primitive and natural beauty still existed in this generally thickly populated section of the state. Mostly farmland, this area seemed quiet and peaceful for many years until the 1930’s when the area was being “invaded” by the National Guard to develop a new military reservation. It is significant that soldiers who train and maneuver through the woods of Fort Indiantown Gap tread on historic around. They travel the same good Indian paths that were the means by which European explorers “discovered” the hinterland of what is now known as Lebanon and Dauphin counties. Indeed, the history of Indiantown Gap began much before that since Indian artifacts found in this area indicate the Indians presence dating back over 3,000 years. According to the noted author, Dr. Paul A. W. Wallace, the Indians, descendants of the Lenni Lenape tribe, had been cultivating the land here in this area of Pennsylvania for well over three thousand years. Their corn fields on the river bottoms and in places where prairie grasses formerly grew were prizes much coveted by early settlers. The Lenni Lenape Indians (the “Original People”), now referred to as the Delawares, made their home in the Indiantown Gap area. The Delawares were of the Algonkian linguistic stock. As the early frontiersmen moved into the area of northern Lebanon County, during the early 1600’s and until the mid 1700’s, the white settlers found the Lenni Lenape Indians to be a very peaceful tribe, friendly and at peace with the white settlers. Original warrants for land reveal this interesting history. For instance, there was a warrant issued to John Alexander in March 25, 1738, for two hundred acres of land "lying opposite the Indian Town where Indian Sam lived on the Bigger Branch of the Sudaura." (“Sudaura” may be another Indian name for Swatara.) Another warrant included "a portion of the Indiantown on Indiantown Creek." There were at least four Lenni Lenape Indian communities in the area of Indiantown Gap at various times. One Indian town of considerable size was lodged at the north entrance of the present fort. Another large Indian village was established at the south entrance near Harper's Tavern, built about 1740 by Adam Harper, and located about two miles south of Fort Indiantown Gap. Harper’s Tavern was sometimes surrounded by wigwams of friendly Indians who traded there. The inhabitants of these villages were considered to be extremely intelligent as indicated by some of their artifacts of shapely made tools, implements and ornaments. The Indian women of Indiantown Gap were not as tall as the men. They were slim in stature, beautiful of countenance with coal black hair and were noted for their ability in making pottery, tanning and decorating leather, making beads and other ornaments and for their knowledge of herbs and roots that would cure many illnesses. The girls learned these arts from their mothers while the boys were taught to hunt and fish and to shoot with a bow and arrow. Very often these Indian boys would congregate at Harper’s Tavern, sometimes called the “Half Way House”, entertaining the travelers with their archery skills and at the same time earning a few coins. Records maintained by various groups of that time period such as the Jesuits indicate that as far back as 1647, this friendly tribe was able to put into the field thirteen hundred warriors trained to use firearms and some of the European methods of warfare. These people were clean living and attended to their many tribal and family customs in an intelligent manner. They used camouflage, fire and smoke signs; it took us one hundred and fifty years to understand them. Much of this history is still evident from the finding of many shapely tools, implements, ornaments and some of the hieroglyphics of these tribes that have been preserved. Even today, as local farmers plow their fields, collectors follow the newly turned earth in their quest for finding Indian artifacts. With this history, it is understandable that the name of Indiantown Gap is the legacy of the Indian communities that flourished in the area during the early 1600’s. I am indebted to Mr. Nevin W. Moyer, history teacher and a native of Lebanon County who served with the 108th Field Artillery in World War I, whose article “Historic Facts about Indiantown Gap Military Reservation”, in the Pennsylvania Guardsman magazine, February 1941, provided me with the substantial details about the Lennie Lenape tribe that I have related here. In my next column, I’ll continue the Gap’s history of the 1700’s and describe some more of the activities and life style of the Lenni Lenape Indians and their interaction with the settlers. --30-- Published in the Lebanon Daily News, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 © 2003  Frank H. Smoker, Jr. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. Go "Back at the Gap" Index