Indigenous Trailways

The historical map prepared by H. C. Follett (1918) shows the presence of known villages, camp sites, and intricate trail networks built by the Haudenosaunee (meaning ``the people who build long houses'') along the Genesee River, Irondequoit Creek, and other waterways prior to and during the early European contacts.

On the map, we can see that the University of Rochester's River Campus stands on the site of what was formerly a village or campsite.

Notice that much of our highway systems, including I-390, I-490, and Route 96, are built upon Native trailways depicted in this map. In this and many other ways, we are profoundly indebted to Native technology and environmental stewardship.