Remember the Removal (RTR) is a commemorative gathering held each year in remembrance of Senecas who were forced from their lands, their homes and their way of life. The Seneca Nation deems it’s vital to educate younger generations of the Kinzua Dam removal that broke the Treaty of Canandaigua and flooded 10,000 acres of prime Seneca land on the Allegany territory, Ohi:yo’ (Good River). One hundred and thirty families were forced to relocate for the construction of the Kinzua Dam in Warren County, Pennsylvania to prevent flooding in Pittsburg. In 1964, The Army Corps of Engineers built a dam that allowed the city of Pittsburg, PA and its corporations like Heinz to thrive without the nuisance of flooding.
The last Saturday of September of each year is when Remember the Removal is recognized by the Seneca Nation Council motion dated 1984. In 1984, the first event was held with a walk through the flooded communities that included cemeteries, farms and the Cold Spring Longhouse. Through September, commemorative activities take place in honor or Remember the Removal Month.
Check-out the flyer below for upcoming RTR Commemoration events:
