HISTORIC CROSS VILLAGE (ANAMIEWATIGOING) ~ CORN SOUP (Dam na Boo) / FRY BREAD (Zaazigikwadenhs)

~ Cross in the village

____________

"Cross Village is named in at least three languages. It was called L'Arbre Croche by the early white traders for a tall, crooked fir tree on the bluff a few miles north of Middle Village (this tree long since cut down). Waganaskisi was the Odawa name meaning 'crooked tree' and Anamiewatigong, 'tree of prayer, or cross, is still the Indian name for the village. "

~ Laura Chaney (owned the Cross Village General Store 1978-1988)

(Cross Village: A Selection of Tastes, Art, and Memories)

~ A Look About Town

__________________

History

"Cross Village had a rich and varied history, which is known to date back to the 1600's. Members of both the Ottawa (now know as Odawa) and the Ojibwa Indian tribes resided in this area, at least part of the year ~ primarily in the spring, summer and fall. Locally available materials, include birch bark, porcupine quills and black ash were used in the baskets which they then used as a means of trade.

Jesuits priest visited the Village in the late 1600s and established a mission. It is believed that the original cross on the bluff may have been erected by Father Marquette.

In the mid-1800s, the population of the area began to diversify as more people of European descent moved into the area. It was during this period, that the village was relocated off the shore.

The major early industries were fishing and timber. Other industries and business developed in the area to support these primary industries and the people they employed. Such supporting industries included a mill to process the timber and a cooper to produce the barrels for the storage and transporting of the fish.

In 1855, Father Wiekamp came to Cross Village and built his convent. The convent grew rapidly, and was self-supporting with its agricultural enterprises; it ultimately owned over 2000 acres of land in various townships.

The town continues to grow and thrive until the mill closed in 1911 due to the lack of timber resources. Other businesses suffered as well from the mill closing and some merchants moved out.

It was the fire in 1918 that completely devastated the town, destroying five large stores, the hotel, the post office, the Presbyterian Church and about 25 houses. Over 300 people were left homeless. Although many merchants had originally planned to rebuild, very few did. The many vacant lots in the heart of Cross Village are still a reminder of the fire."

(Chapter 1: Introduction ~ Cross Village Township Master Plan)

~ Countryside

____________

Note: The following recipes are from the delightful hand of Glenna Samuels Kimball from Cross Village: A Selection of Tastes, Art, and Memories ~ a book filled with food, lore, and memories of Cross Village residents, many related to the early settlers. As well as old photographs of her Native American ancestors, Glenna's photo is also featured. Although I have prepared many recipes since I purchased the book in 2001, I admit that I have not yet tried these two but wished to share, thinking they tasted of the rich history permeating the area.

CORN SOUP

(Dam na boo)

(Cross Village: A Selection of Tastes, Art, and Memories)

~ Preparation of the Corn in the Fall

1. Get the last picking of sweet corn of the season. (It tends not to be so milky). Get large kernel corn.
2. Husk corn and put it on racks in the oven. Roast the corn 300-350 degrees until brown. Temperature depends on your oven.
3. Roll the corn as they roast. The corn doesn't have to be brown all the way around the cob.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool in a large pan.
5. Use a table knife to remove corn kernels from the cob.
6. After you have shelled all the corn from the cob, put it on a clean surface. I use a towel (a large beach towel) and put it in the sun or if you have a pilot light in the oven put corn in several long pans and put in the oven. Stir the corn from time to time. If you decide to use the sun method use a cheese cloth and cover top so bugs and flies don't get on it.
7. After it is good and dry put the corn in a large container with tight fitting cover.
8. Before you make soup, take the ends off the corn and discard.
9. Put 2 cups of corn in a ling pan and take outside. Take the chaff out of the corn by taking the corn in your hands and let it run through your fingers. Use a fan if you like.
10. Rinse the corn before cooking, probably a couple of times.

~ Now you are ready to make the soup

___

2 cups corn

1 large onion or 2 medium

Meat: beef shanks or venison shanks

2 cans kidney beans

water enough to cover

1 large potato

Put meat, corn and onions in a large pot. Cook 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The last 1/2 - 3/4 of an hour, add the potato. Add the beans the last 20 minutes. Enjoy!

~ Glenna Samuels Kimball

_______________

FRY BREAD

(Zaazigikwadenhs)

3 cups flour

3 tsp. and a little more baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 - 1 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

• Mix together dry ingredients. Add milk until the mixture has the consistency of dumpling dough.
• Flour a board. Roll the dough and pat it down into strips. First slice the dough vertically in half down the center. Then slice each half into vertical strips. Then cut the strips in half horizontally.
• In a small frying pan, put 1 inch of oil. Heat oil and fry.

~ Glenna Samuels Kimball