Co-authors Will Discuss History of Native Americans in the Cuyahoga Valley at February HHA Meeting

Authors Peg Bobel and Linda Whitman will be the featured speakers at the February 12 meeting of Hudson Heritage Association, when they will discuss the complex history of northeastern Ohio’s Indigenous inhabitants – from the Ice Age to current day. Co-authors of the book Native Americans of the Cuyahoga Valley: From Early Peoples to Contemporary Issues, Ms. Bobel and Ms. Whitman have taken a close look at the Native people who inhabited the Cuyahoga Valley region for thousands of years, using it for hunting, farming, and as a vital trade route before European colonization took place. The book continues to current day and includes essays on archaeology, history and contemporary issues in today’s Native American communities.

Linda Whitman, MS, is a visiting research scholar and an emerita instructor of archaeology and former director of the community archaeology program in the department of anthropology at The University of Akron. She is also a retired cultural resource specialist for Summit Metro Parks. Previously, she conducted cultural resource management projects for the University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee Archaeological Research Lab and for ASC Group in Columbus. Her research areas focus on precontact and historic archaeology in the Midwest. She is the author of numerous archaeological reports and journal articles.

Peg Bobel is a freelance writer and former cultural resource specialist for Summit Metro Parks. Peg holds a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University and for nearly 20 years was a social worker in public agencies. Later, while serving as executive director of the Cuyahoga Valley Association, she and her husband Rob edited the book Trail Guide: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and the popular Towpath Companion. In 2009, Peg and her colleague Lynn Metzger edited and contributed to Canal Fever: The Ohio & Erie Canal from Waterway to Canalway.

HHA’s February 12 program, to be held at Barlow Community Center, begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation.