12/16/2020
Illinois State Museum-Dickson Mounds
The Mystery of the Peoria Falcon
(Drawn from material originally published in Illinois Antiquity, 1991)
One of the most widely known examples of Mississippian period embossed or repousse' copper is the Peoria Falcon plate. Discovered in 1859 near Peoria, this plate was also probably the first of its kind to have been excavated. Similar examples were not found until a quarter of a century later when the famous Southern Illinois Dancing Figures plate and the Rogan plates from the Etowah site in Georgia were excavated by archaeologists working for the Smithsonian. Since that time, many other examples have been reported from various locations throughout the Midwest and Southeastern United States.
The discovery of the Peoria Falcon was first reported by the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of Ethnology Fifth Annual Report, published in 1887. The report indicated that the Peoria Falcon was "obtained by Major Powell, the director of the United States Geological Survey, from a mound near Peoria, Illinois". Later, the find was described in more detail in the introduction of the Twelfth Annual Report of the Bureau, written by John Wesley Powell, the director of the Bureau.
With these descriptions Powell gives the strong impression that he excavated the Peoria Falcon. Unfortunately, important information concerning the exact location of the find, and further description of any associated material was not included in this or any other published account.
In an effort to learn more about the Peoria Falcon, Lawrence Conrad of the Western Illinois University Archaeological Research Laboratory looked at the Smithsonian accession records (Conrad, personal communication). He later reported that the accession card for the Peoria plate states that it was excavated by Sidney Pulsifer and acquired by Powell in 1859. The original catalogue of the Smithsonian's Division of Mound Exploration also indicates that the collector was Sidney Pulsifer thru Major John Wesley Powell (Bruce Smith, personal communication). This 1884 catalogue card, with several handwritten additions, does not indicate the date of the find or the transaction. Thus, in addition to the mystery of where the plate was actually found, we now have to add, by whom?
In an attempt to answer these questions, background information on Powell and Pulsifer was collected. Much is known about John Wesley Powell, who was a Civil War hero, explorer of the Colorado River canyons, founder of the Smithsonian Bureau of Ethnology, and director of the United States Geological Survey. Locating background information on Sidney Pulsifer was much more of a challenge. Little was known about Pulsifer except that he may have lived in the Peoria area. When background information for both men had been attained the story of the finding of the Peoria Falcon began to unfold.
In January of 1858, Powell began teaching at the public school at Hennepin, Illinois. That summer he conducted a nature study along the Illinois River from Ottawa to its mouth, and ascended the Des Moines River to Racoon Creek. In the fall of 1859 he returned again to teach at Hennepin. At about this time he also joined the newly formed Illinois Natural History Society and promptly became secretary.
Background information on Sidney Pulsifer is somewhat scantier. Working under the assumption that Pulsifer lived in the Peoria area a search of records, newspaper archives, and census reports was conducted at the Peoria Public library and Peoria Historical Society.
This research found a number of references to Sidney Pulsifer. On May 7, 1856 The Peoria Weekly Democratic Press reported that Sidney Pulsifer had moved to Peoria from Putnam County. A check of the 1850 and 1860 Illinois Census reports confirmed this move. On May 30, 1856 The Peoria Weekly Democratic Press reported that Pulsifer had opened a banking house under the name of Pulsifer and Company. Pulsifer soon after became one of Peoria's leading businessmen.
In addition to opening his banking business, Pulsifer acquired a 79 acre tract of land from his brother, Samuel. This tract included part of the terrace above Peoria Lake, the bluff face, and bluff top near the center of present day Peoria. The University of Illinois School of Medicine at Peoria now occupies most of this area. Pulsifer quickly had the land incorporated into the city as Pulsifer's addition and subdivided. Development was well under way by 1860.
During the year the Peoria Falcon was found, the July 22, 1859 issue of The Peoria Daily Transcript reported that Sidney Pulsifer was appointed to a committee of businessmen to solicit subscriptions to stock in a proposed pottery. On October 6, 1859 The Peoria Daily Transcript announced that the American Pottery Company had decided to locate in Peoria. Ground breaking was held on October 10, contracts for construction were let, and the cornerstone was laid on October 24, 1859.
Let us now return to the mystery surrounding the discovery of the Peoria Falcon in light of what is now known about Pulsifer. Although Powell indicated that he excavated the plate, the collector indicated by the Smithsonian's accession and Mound Exploration Division catalogue cards was undoubtedly Sidney Pulsifer. It is possible that Powell helped Pulsifer excavate the Peoria Falcon, but it is more likely he was notified shortly after its discovery.
Much more intriguing is the question, where was the Peoria Falcon found? According to Powell's description, the plate was found in the fall of 1859 on the shore of Lake Peoria. The land Pulsifer attained and developed when he moved to Peoria presents a possible location for the find. Although this development was taking place at the right time, its location is away from the shore of Lake Peoria. Much more interesting is the site of the American Pottery Company project that Pulsifer was involved with.
The place chosen for the construction of the American Pottery Company was between Caroline and Mary streets, bounded on the east by the railroad and on the west by Adams Street. This block is situated right on the shore of Lake Peoria.
With the information presented here much of the mystery of the discovery of the Peoria Falcon begins to disappear. Pulsifer's Peoria Pottery business transaction presents one very possible location for the finding of the Peoria Falcon. Many aspects of this do fit Powell's description of the find. Although the information presented here is convincing the exact details of the discovery of the Peoria Falcon may never be revealed.
Go to this link for the original version which contains more detail and references:http://museum.state.il.us/pub/dmmweb/peoria/IllinoisAntiquity1991.pdf
