About the Susquehannock Tribe of Native Americans

The Susquehannock people were Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland. They are the first humans to be acknowledged in any written account of the Susquehanna Valley. John Smith, who helped establish the first English Colony in Virginia, noted the presence of the Susquehannocks in his journal upon his arrival in the New World.

Though the Susquehannocks were Iroquoian-like in speech, they were actually affiliated with the Algonquins. They established their towns along the branches of the Susquehanna because the waters facilitated travel and trade in the region and provided the Susquehannocks with a constant supply of fish and water.

None of the Susquehannock’s language has been preserved.

The Portal Institute is located on ground that is believed to be near the northernmost reaches of Susquehannock migration. The Susquehannock peoples were devastated in the Eighteenth Century by infectious disease and warfare.

The Native American Center at The Portal Institute is our endeavor to honor all Native American peoples, their history, culture and contribution to what has become the North American continent.

Join us in recalling a time when the people and the land were one.