Land of the Oneidas
Central New York State and the Creation of America, from Prehistory to the Present
By Daniel Koch
2023 SUNY Press, Albany
A review by Kandice Watson (Wolf Clan)
Oneida Indian Nation Documentarian
One might assume that The Land of the Oneidas is an historic account of the Oneida Indian Nation’s loss of land throughout the time between contact with Europeans and present times, as I did. However, it is more of a description of the role New York State played in the development of the culture of America throughout that time period, which coincided with the loss of Oneida land. It is a very good account of the history that occurred on lands previously held by the Oneida Indian Nation.
Koch describes many incidents and occurrences in Central New York and the impact those events had on the shaping of America, including the building of the Erie Canal, the development of the Utopian Oneida Community in Sherrill, immigration, and many other topics vital to Central New York history.
He presents the information in a way that is straight forward and honest, without leaving the reader with a feeling of neither guilt nor sadness, simply the truth of what happened and how it affected the area and America as a whole.
The book is available at sunypress.edu.
