Junundat facts for kids

Junundat, also known as Junandot or Ayonontout, was an important village for the Wyandot people. It was located in what is now Ohio, near Sandusky Bay. The Wyandot people built Junundat around 1740. They moved there to get away from the Odawa (Ottawa) people.

Junundat became a busy trading spot with the British. The village was left empty twice: first in 1747 during King George's War, and again in 1763 during Pontiac's War.

What's in a Name?

The village of Junundat had a few different names. People also called it Junandot or Ayonontout. Sometimes, you might see it called Sunyendeand or Junqueindundeh in old writings. However, those names actually belonged to other Wyandot villages built later in the same area.

The name "Junundat" means "one hill." The name "Junqueindundeh" means "it has a rock."

Where Was Junundat Located?

Junundat was located south of Sandusky Bay in Ohio. This spot was great because it had plenty of water and good land for farming. Both Native American groups and later European settlers found this area appealing. The Wyandot people had used this location for their hunting camps even before building the village.

We don't know the exact spot of Junundat today. This is because old historical records give different clues. However, most experts believe Junundat was probably located near the modern-day town of Castalia, Ohio.

A Village's Story

Starting the Village

In 1738, the Wyandot people living near Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit made peace with the Catawbas. The Catawbas had been their enemies for a long time. But the Wyandot didn't tell their allies, the Odawa (Ottawa) people, about this peace treaty.

Because of this, the Odawa started bothering and threatening the Wyandot. This made the Wyandot temporarily move to Sandusky Bay. In 1739, they went back to Détroit. There, they had a big discussion about where to live next. Some wanted to move to the St. Lawrence River valley. Others wanted to stay near Détroit. And some wanted to live permanently at Sandusky.

Most of the Wyandot decided to build a village on Bois Blanc Island. But a group led by Angouirot and Nicholas Orontony went back to Sandusky. They built a village south of the bay and named it Junundat.

Trading with the British

At Junundat, the Wyandot started trading with British traders. One of these traders was George Croghan. The British could offer goods at lower prices than the French, who were at Détroit. This made Junundat an important trading center.

War and Moving On

During King George's War, the Wyandot, Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi people near Détroit first supported the French. But the war made it hard to get trade goods. So, they stopped supporting the French.

Meanwhile, Orontony and the Junundat Wyandot supported the British. In 1747, they killed five French traders. They also planned to attack settlers at Détroit. But a loyal Wyandot woman heard about the plan. She told a French missionary, Father Pierre-Philippe Potier. He quickly warned the fort's commander, Paul-Joseph Le Moyne de Longueuil.

Fearing punishment, Orontony led his group south. They started a new village called Conchaké on the Muskingum River.

Returning to Sandusky

After Orontony died in 1750, a smallpox sickness spread in 1752. Also, a nearby British-allied village was attacked. Because of these events, the Muskingum River settlement was left empty. Some of the Wyandot from Conchaké went back to Détroit. But others returned to Sandusky.

The Final Abandonment

In May 1763, during Pontiac's War, the Wyandot captured Fort Sandusky. They defeated the small British army there. Two months later, Captain James Dayell destroyed Junundat. He was on his way to Fort Detroit with more soldiers. The Wyandot left their village as Dayell's soldiers approached. They moved west to the Sandusky River valley.

The Wyandot continued to live in the Sandusky River valley for many years. But in 1843, they were forced to give up their land. They had to move to Kansas.