Post by Okwes on Dec 19, 2006 16:05:41 GMT -5
Forgotten Park Remembers Lost Tribe
Jason Beck
For The Daily Record
Years before the first Thanksgiving feast between Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621, another colony of settlers came to the North Carolina coast, only to be lost and never seen again. One Harnett County man, who claimed a descendant of the 1587 Roanoke lost colony, has left behind a Native American legacy in nearby Bunnlevel.
For years, Bunnlevel's Richard Lowery dreamed of creating a place for fellow Indians to gather, tourists to flock and students to learn the history of America. Even though Mr. Lowery, known as Chief Little Beaver to those closest to him, died in 1990, the remnants of his Hattadare Indian Nation remain hidden in the Harnett County pines.
He created the small Indian park back in 1968, which featured a pathway of exhibits on Native American culture, a gift shop, church and meeting place for pow-wows.
Born on Nov. 11, 1911 (11/11/11), Chief Little Beaver claimed to be a descendant of the Hatteras Indians and Virginia Dare of North Carolina's lost colony, hence the name Hattadare.
The chief's 19-year-old granddaughter, Allison Lowery, lives nearby the park and walks her dog on its wooded trails. She believes strongly in her family's heritage.
"A lot of people say they were killed, but our family believes we are ancestors of Virginia Dare," she said.
Mr. Lowery's widow, Litha, also believes in her husband's ancestry. She said the tradition of the lost colony was handed down through the years to him.
"That's the descendants of American Natives and white men down on the East Coast of North Carolina near Manteo," she said of the Hattadare tribe Mr. Lowery founded. "His father was one of the older ones; he lived to be in his 90s."
November is Native American Heritage Month. More than 4.5 million Native American and Alaskan Natives still live in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Lost Landmark
When Mr. Lowery died, for the most part the park died with him. Though the concrete statues and wooden structures are seldom seen, his family still does the best they can to maintain the property.
Mrs. Lowery lives in a mobile home just beside what used to be the park's gift shop. The 77-year-old said creating a place to honor the Native American was her husband's dream in life.
"This was just the starting part of what he wanted to do," she said. "He always said if he lived the time, he could accomplish what he wanted. It would have been beautiful."
She said he would walk the park's trail every day to relax and get his thoughts together, much like his granddaughter does to this day.
"Every morning he would not eat breakfast until he started at that line, and when he came back to the house he was ready to eat," she said. "He said it made his day."
Passed By Every Day
It's hard to miss the large concrete horse, raised up on its hind legs kicking at the sky, the brightly-painted, yellow temple pyramid, and the wooden shed with a sign touting the Indian snack bar, which is clearly no longer serving any food. All of that can be seen by the many travelers on U.S. 401 between Harnett County and Fayetteville every day, but few people know what the odd assortment of items is all about.
Back in 1968, Mr. Lowery, a local TV repairman, built the park as a tribute to the lost Native American tribe. Mrs. Lowery said her husband installed the first ever TV antenna in Raleigh.
The two went to California and joined a group of Indians for a time, before coming back to Harnett County to start the Hattadare Nation.
Mrs. Lowery said if her husband would have lived longer, his goal was to build a pyramid gathering place for all Native Americans. Also, he planned to use the theater for a drama he wrote about his heritage.
According to Allison, her grandfather had attempted to acquire the land now being used by the Harnett County Courthouse for his pyramid.
Once Popular
The Hattadare Village used to be a popular place. At a time when the donation box was filled with more than cobwebs, Boy Scouts and school groups visited the site on a regular basis.
Though she was only about 5 years old at the time, Allison still has some memories of her grandfather.
"We used to have pow-wows and family gatherings out here," she said. "We haven't had any pow-wows here since he died because it's not the same. I remember bits and pieces."
A statue of Chief Little Beaver overlooks the park, wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and sporting a long beard. His granddaughter said the concrete statue, made by Mr. Lowery himself, is actually a good resemblance.
"In most pictures I've ever seen of my grandpa he had that cowboy hat on and that long beard," she said.
Though many historians doubt anyone survived from England's first colony, Allison said that won't change her mind about her roots. Besides, sometimes it's more fun to believe a legend.
"Most people now have to have facts written on paper," she said. "It's better to believe something you know is true, the faith to believe something you can't see."
Jason Beck
For The Daily Record
Years before the first Thanksgiving feast between Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621, another colony of settlers came to the North Carolina coast, only to be lost and never seen again. One Harnett County man, who claimed a descendant of the 1587 Roanoke lost colony, has left behind a Native American legacy in nearby Bunnlevel.
For years, Bunnlevel's Richard Lowery dreamed of creating a place for fellow Indians to gather, tourists to flock and students to learn the history of America. Even though Mr. Lowery, known as Chief Little Beaver to those closest to him, died in 1990, the remnants of his Hattadare Indian Nation remain hidden in the Harnett County pines.
He created the small Indian park back in 1968, which featured a pathway of exhibits on Native American culture, a gift shop, church and meeting place for pow-wows.
Born on Nov. 11, 1911 (11/11/11), Chief Little Beaver claimed to be a descendant of the Hatteras Indians and Virginia Dare of North Carolina's lost colony, hence the name Hattadare.
The chief's 19-year-old granddaughter, Allison Lowery, lives nearby the park and walks her dog on its wooded trails. She believes strongly in her family's heritage.
"A lot of people say they were killed, but our family believes we are ancestors of Virginia Dare," she said.
Mr. Lowery's widow, Litha, also believes in her husband's ancestry. She said the tradition of the lost colony was handed down through the years to him.
"That's the descendants of American Natives and white men down on the East Coast of North Carolina near Manteo," she said of the Hattadare tribe Mr. Lowery founded. "His father was one of the older ones; he lived to be in his 90s."
November is Native American Heritage Month. More than 4.5 million Native American and Alaskan Natives still live in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Lost Landmark
When Mr. Lowery died, for the most part the park died with him. Though the concrete statues and wooden structures are seldom seen, his family still does the best they can to maintain the property.
Mrs. Lowery lives in a mobile home just beside what used to be the park's gift shop. The 77-year-old said creating a place to honor the Native American was her husband's dream in life.
"This was just the starting part of what he wanted to do," she said. "He always said if he lived the time, he could accomplish what he wanted. It would have been beautiful."
She said he would walk the park's trail every day to relax and get his thoughts together, much like his granddaughter does to this day.
"Every morning he would not eat breakfast until he started at that line, and when he came back to the house he was ready to eat," she said. "He said it made his day."
Passed By Every Day
It's hard to miss the large concrete horse, raised up on its hind legs kicking at the sky, the brightly-painted, yellow temple pyramid, and the wooden shed with a sign touting the Indian snack bar, which is clearly no longer serving any food. All of that can be seen by the many travelers on U.S. 401 between Harnett County and Fayetteville every day, but few people know what the odd assortment of items is all about.
Back in 1968, Mr. Lowery, a local TV repairman, built the park as a tribute to the lost Native American tribe. Mrs. Lowery said her husband installed the first ever TV antenna in Raleigh.
The two went to California and joined a group of Indians for a time, before coming back to Harnett County to start the Hattadare Nation.
Mrs. Lowery said if her husband would have lived longer, his goal was to build a pyramid gathering place for all Native Americans. Also, he planned to use the theater for a drama he wrote about his heritage.
According to Allison, her grandfather had attempted to acquire the land now being used by the Harnett County Courthouse for his pyramid.
Once Popular
The Hattadare Village used to be a popular place. At a time when the donation box was filled with more than cobwebs, Boy Scouts and school groups visited the site on a regular basis.
Though she was only about 5 years old at the time, Allison still has some memories of her grandfather.
"We used to have pow-wows and family gatherings out here," she said. "We haven't had any pow-wows here since he died because it's not the same. I remember bits and pieces."
A statue of Chief Little Beaver overlooks the park, wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and sporting a long beard. His granddaughter said the concrete statue, made by Mr. Lowery himself, is actually a good resemblance.
"In most pictures I've ever seen of my grandpa he had that cowboy hat on and that long beard," she said.
Though many historians doubt anyone survived from England's first colony, Allison said that won't change her mind about her roots. Besides, sometimes it's more fun to believe a legend.
"Most people now have to have facts written on paper," she said. "It's better to believe something you know is true, the faith to believe something you can't see."
