Strawtown Koteewi Park

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Located just north of Indianapolis in Hamilton County, Strawtown Koteewi Park has housed several peoples. As far back as 1000 BC, the Woodland Era Native Americans lived in the area before eventually giving way to Oliver Phase Native Americans. More recently, Delaware Native Americans were residents of the park as early as 1795. Miami Native Americans are also believed to have inhabited the area (“Koteewi” translates to “prairie” in the Miami language). White settlers began to move in during the 1820’s. It should come as no surprise that multiple groups inhabited the Strawtown region as the Lafayette Trace route went through the park’s site.

Strawtown Koteewi is also home to the Taylor Center of Natural History which opened in the early 2000’s. The Taylor Center (named for the site’s former property owner, Dan Taylor) contains archaeological interactions with the park as well as interpretations of the park’s history. It also serves as a base for research being done in the park. The park has been a hub for archaeological work with professionals and students arriving from colleges like Ball State University, Indiana State University, and Indiana University.