Trail Marker Trees were an ancient form of land and water navigational aids,
as well as a marking system to denote areas of significant importance such as ceremonial sites.
These trees were used by many, if not all, of the Native American tribes and later by fur traders
and early pioneers. The Trail Marker Trees differed in their appearance and formation from tribe to
tribe and from region to region. Examples of these trees have been found all across the United
States and throughout Canada. Researcher Dennis Downes was first introduced to the Trail Marker
Trees as a young boy and was influenced by his own Native American relative. Mr. Downes has spent
nearly thirty years of his adult life in the field locating, documenting, and educating others
about these historical icons.
Q 1) What are Trail Marker Trees?
Q 2) What species of trees were most commonly used?
Q 3) Were all the Trail Trees shaped the same?
Q 4) How can one be sure that these trees have not just been deformed by
nature?
Q 5) Who would have been the first to use Trail Trees?
Q 6) What would the approximate size of a living Trail Marker Tree be
today?
Q 7) What are some of the largest documented Trail Marker Trees still
living today?
Q 8) Are the Trail Marker Trees referred to by other names?
Q 9) What stand have archeologists taken on the Trail Marker Trees?
Q 10) Should these trees be protected?
Q 11) Is Mr. Downes associated with any of the more recently formed
Trail Marker Tree interest groups?
Q 12) Has there ever been a documentary made based on your research?
Q 1) What are Trail Marker Trees?
A: Trail Marker Trees are trees that were shaped into a specific form by man to be easily
recognized and then used to aid in land and/or water navigation as well as to mark significant
Native American sites. These trees would help guide Native Americans along the safest route in
their journeys and would direct them in finding a variety of natural resources necessary for their
way of life.
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Q 2) What species of trees were most commonly used?
A:: The Trail Trees are most commonly formed from trees in the hardwood family (i.e. Oak, Maple,
and Elm) because of their flexibility while young and their longevity after being formed. However,
other species of trees have been used; even trees from the conifer family have been used in certain
regions of the country. The Native Americans would use whichever species of tree would best suit
their purpose and needs.
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Q 3) Were all the Trail Trees shaped the same?
A: No. Different trees served different purposes and thus could have varying shapes; some were used
for navigational aids and some were used for marking significant sites. Different tribes would have
had similar, but slightly different ways of shaping the trees in their own region to fit their own
specific needs. Nevertheless, all Native Americans would use techniques that would make it clear
the trees were shaped by man, not to be confused with Mother Nature deforming a tree or natural
anomalies.
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Q 4) How can one be sure that these trees have not just been deformed by nature?
A:: All Trail Marker Trees have specific characteristics created by man's intervention. One
example would be the existence of the distinctive knob seen on Directional Trail Marker Trees; this
is the remnant of the original trunk that was removed after the shaping of the tree. Another
example would be the appearance of numerous similarly shaped trees, all of the same age and
species, found in a line along a known Native American Trail. There were documented examples of
lines of the same species Trail Marker Trees that once existed in the Northeastern Illinois region
(Red Oak, White Elm).
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Q 5) Who would have been the first to use Trail Trees?
A: To pinpoint one group over another as being the "first" would only be speculation.
This system goes back as far as archaic times and would have been modified over the ages to suit
the needs of different groups of people. There are many verified examples of several different
Native American tribes using the Trail Trees from the past up until modern times.
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Q 6) What would the approximate size of a living Trail Marker Tree be today?
A: Based on the researcher's cumulative knowledge, documentation, and photographic comparisons
he has found that Trail Trees will have a minimum diameter in the range of 30" at
approximately 3' off the ground, on average. This measurement is derived from the scientific
knowledge that oak trees will, on average, gain one inch in diameter for every 6.8 years they live.
However, it must be acknowledged that the growth of the Trail Trees is often stunted dramatically
by the shaping process as well as often growing in poor soil conditions. Due to these factors it is
possible that a Trail Marker Tree could have a smaller diameter than the scientific table
prediction. In exception, the researcher has met with Native Americans that have verified Trail
Marker Trees being shaped by their own people as late as the early 1900's. These trees would
obviously have a smaller diameter.
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Q 7) What are some of the largest documented Trail Marker Trees still living
today?
A: What are some of the largest documented Trail Marker Trees still living today? A: Mr. Downes has
documented several Trail Trees in the Great Lakes Region with diameters reaching and exceeding
50". Some of the largest living examples are located in Indiana, Ontario, Georgia, Missouri,
and Illinois.
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Q 8) Are the Trail Marker Trees referred to by other names?
A: : Yes. Trail Trees in modern times (from the 1960's and forward)have been referred to by
many names; however, in earlier times text books, map keys, archeological papers, and Native
Americans that were interviewed referred to these trees as Trail Trees and Trail Marker Trees. No
matter what the trees are referred to as, they are still Trail Marker Trees as they marked trails
and points of significance.
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Q 9) What stand have archeologists taken on the Trail Marker Trees?
A: In the late 1800's and early 1900's there was a great deal of research conducted by
archeologists, arborists, botanists, historical societies, and garden clubs on the Trail Marker
Trees and Indian Trails that still were visible in their day. Unfortunately, for modern
archeologists and other researchers many of these Trail Trees have since disappeared making it
harder to find true examples and connect the trees together. Instead, archeologists are being
exposed to a prevalence of poor examples that are often not even Trail Marker Trees, presented by
groups that have little or no actual field research and rely only on internet information as their
sole source of knowledge. These poor examples are leaving some current archeologists and
anthropologists skeptical and doubtful of the Trail Tree System as a whole.
However, many other professionals have researched and confirmed the existence of the Trail Marker
Tree System, including Helen Hornbeck Tanner, the country's foremost researcher and
disseminator of Native American history of the Great Lakes Region. The researcher had the
opportunity to meet and conduct many interviews with Mrs. Tanner. Other past professionals that
have documented and confirmed the Trail Marker Trees include Dr. Raymond Janssen (paleobotanist),
Richard F. Gloede (landscape architect), and Jens Jensen (landscape architect and forester). Today,
Mr. Downes continues to work with Hilda Williams (Little Fawn, daughter of Chief Thundercloud), Dan
Melone (Cook County archeologist), Verlyn "Buzz" Spreeman (member of the Menominee
Nation), Nancy Canova (Vice Regent and Illinois District IV of the Daughters of the American
Revolution) and many additional representatives of the D.A.R., Earl Otchingwanigan (Professor
Emeritus, Ojibwe), Steve Swanson (Director of the Grove Redfield Estate), and Eli Suzukovich III
PhD (Cree/Chippewa descendant and anthropologist) to document and confirm the Trail Marker Trees
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Q 10) Should these trees be protected?
A: Yes. Based on Mr. Downes' extensive field research he has been able to compare the condition
of the trees from decade to decade, being able to observe the effects of too many people visiting
these trees. While thousands of people may visit the trees and treat them with respect and
reverence, it only takes a few people to visit and to do irreparable damage to the trees by
removing bark, carving into the tree, or other harmful acts. After seeing the damage that has been
done to these trees, Mr. Downes has taken the stance to protect these Native American icons as
endangered species as opposed to exploiting them.
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Q 11) Is Mr. Downes associated with any of the more recently formed Trail Marker
Tree interest groups?
A: Mr. Downes works with a number of groups around the country by helping educate them about the
Trail Marker Trees and guiding their research. He is working with a number of Native Americans from
different tribes, the Dallas Historical Tree Coalition, A New Twist in Time project (Wisconsin),
Historical Societies in many states, Conserve Lake County, the Daughters of the American
Revolution, Boy Scouts, the American Indian Center of Chicago, and many other groups and societies
around the United States and Canada to further educate about, commemorate, and protect the Trail
Marker Trees.
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Q 12) Has there ever been a documentary made based on your research?
A:Yes, in fact, there have been several.
~ Mr. Downes' study was chosen, based on his decades of research, to be made into a documentary
by the Northbrook Art's Commission in 2004, the half hour documentary aired on local cable
channels.
~In 2006, Mr. Downes was the recipient of a small grant from the Illinois Public Library System,
which was used to place a bronze Trail Marker Tree sculpture in the entrance to the Antioch,
Illinois Public Library. In conjunction with this, a short documentary was filmed and aired
throughout the State of Illinois on the educational channels.
~In 2008, the News Sun filmed a short documentary.
~In 2009, a documentary filmed by the Northbrook Arts Commission was released. This documentary was
filmed at the Northbrook Historical Museum, where Mr. Downes had his Trail Marker Tree Exhibit on
display for 4 months, the documentary shows parts of the exhibit as well as Mr. Downes' bronze
sculpture.
~As of 2011, Mr. Downes' book, Native American Trail Marker Trees: Marking Paths Through the
Wilderness, has also been released. It is the most detailed and extensive publication to have been
completed about the Trail Marker Trees.
~Since the release of his book, Mr. Downes has been involved with numerous documentaries and
personal interviews regarding his research. He has been interviewed by Janet Davies (ABC), Richard
King (WGN), Gary Donatelli, Geoffrey Baer (WTTW), JoBe Cerny, and others. He has also been honored
to receive four separate proclamations for his efforts in preserving this piece of Native American
History for generations to come.
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