This area of western Pennsylvania was in contention during the French
and Indian War, and in the years preceeding. Many captives from the eastern
settlements were brought to native encampments and villages in this area.
Two early historical mentions include the notes of Christopher Gist, on his
1753 journey through Pennsylvania with George Washington, and the
records of Christian Post, a Moravian Missionary employed by the colonial
government to make peace with the Delawares.
Both men mention the " Kuskuskies ", who were of the Delaware clan,
and numerous villages and sites have been identified as Kuskuski. In
relation to Slippery Rock's history, the maple sugar grove on Wolf Creek,
two miles west of the present town, is identified as the Kuskuski village
where Christopher Post signed a peace treaty with King Beaver and other
native leaders. The site once owned by Mrs. Emma Guffey, a leader in
Democratic politics, and later deeded to Slippery Rock University.
Archaeological explorations conducted by the University have revealed
that Upper Woodland natives camped at the site for brief periods of time
for the purposes of hunting and gathering. They are not believed to have
tapped the maple trees in the grove, but did leave evidence of their
pottery, as shards have been unearthed. The site is multi-layered and
is approximately dated 1600 t0 2000 B.C.
