Centuries-old canoe offers glimpse at river history, ceremony July 20 to learn more
Now on display at the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum, a remarkably well-preserved dugout canoe offers a fascinating glimpse of trapping, hunting and exploring in the late 18th century Ozarks. Miraculously, it was rescued from final indignity as a garden decoration by Larry and Judy Sifford of Branson West, Missouri.
In the early 1800s, as Lewis & Clark’s huge craft navigated the Missouri River, this small dugout may have been gliding the small streams and creeks of the Ozarks. Light enough for one man to drag over land, this canoe would be as valuable in the wilderness as a musket or an axe.
This rare example of a watercraft crafted in the tradition of indigenous boatbuilders is extremely well preserved. Techniques and local knowledge refined by indigenous boatbuilders for thousands of years in North America proved vastly superior to other styles of watercraft construction used by the settlers and was almost universally adopted by trappers and explorers. Seeing the canoe in person, one appreciates the refinement and expertise of the design and construction.
On July 20, join us for a brief lecture and presentation telling the story of this remarkable artifact by Mr. Sifford and others. Appetizers and refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public. Register here: Reception and Talk – Centuries-old Ozark Canoe Tickets, Wed, Jul 20, 2022 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite
Key to its remarkable condition is Osage orange wood, the hardest and most naturally rot-resistant lumber in North America. Northwest Louisiana/southwest Arkansas is consistent with “the pre-settlement distribution of Osage orange, from which it was constructed,” notes Dr. Neal Lopinot, director of the Center for Archaeological Research at Missouri State University.
Dr. Lopinot’s team used radiocarbon dating to establish the construction between 1777 and 1823 (68.2 percent probability) and the builder probably “dug out” the trunk with fire. Dr. Lopinot noted the dugout has visible signs of charring (as opposed to having metal axe cut marks) and is modified with a stepped platform made from a separate piece of wood.
At 13 feet long and weighing 175 pounds, the dugout was purchased by the Siffords in 2020. Mr. Sifford acted on a hunch and had archaeologists confirm the age and significance of the little canoe.
Placed on loan by the Larry and Judy Sifford family, Branson West MO.
