His history is as murky as the dates he lived and there are no known photos of him. There is no disagreement that Noonday was the Chief of the Grand River Band of the Ottawa Nation, spending most of his life in what is now Yankee Springs Township in Michigan. He may have allied with Tecumseh during the Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812. It seems likely that he was converted to Christianity, and Noonday did establish trade with early European settlers/colonizers.
As part of the Grand Rapids Community Legends series, the city erected a seven foot statue of Chief Noonday on the west side of the Grand River in front of the GVSU Eberhard Center by the Blue Bridge. The statue was sculpted by Antonio Tobias Mendez and was installed in 2010. The details of the sculpture are impressive, especially considering the details of Noonday's life are so lacking.
Last winter we found the Chief's gravesite on Cressey Road (8839-8601) in Plainwell,
Rest in peace, Chief Noonday.
No comments:
Post a Comment