The Minett Indians, also known as the Munsee or Minsi, were a Native American tribe that inhabited the New York City area, among other regions of the eastern United States. The Minett Indians were part of the larger Lenape or Delaware Nation, which included several other sub-tribes.
The Minett Indians were one of the first Native American tribes encountered by European explorers and settlers in the New York area. They lived in villages along the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as in other parts of the region.
The Minett Indians were hunters and gatherers, and they subsisted on a diet that included fish, game, and plants. They were skilled at making weapons, tools, and clothing from natural materials, and they also engaged in trade with other tribes.
The arrival of European settlers in the 17th century had a profound impact on the Minett Indians, as it did on many other Native American tribes. The Minett Indians were displaced from their lands, and their populations declined rapidly due to disease and other factors.
Today, there are few if any descendants of the Minett Indians in the New York City area. However, the legacy of their culture and traditions lives on through the historical record and the efforts of modern-day Lenape communities to preserve their heritage.
There are areas in New York City that are named after the Lenape or Delaware Nation, of which the Minett Indians were a part. Here are a few examples:
- The neighborhood of Lenox Hill on the Upper East Side of Manhattan is named after Robert Lenox, a wealthy merchant who owned land in the area. Lenox purchased the land from the Lenape people in the 18th century.
- The neighborhood of Canarsie in Brooklyn is named after the Canarsee or Canarsie band of the Lenape people, who inhabited the area prior to European settlement.
- The Bowery, a street and neighborhood in Manhattan, is named after the Dutch word “bouwerij,” which means farm. The area was originally settled by the Dutch and was home to several Lenape farms.
- In Queens, the Rockaway Peninsula is named after the Reckowacky or Raritan band of the Lenape people, who inhabited the area prior to European settlement.