Local American Indian Artifact Display

Local American Indian Artifact collectors will bring their collections to the Academy and be there for visitors between 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. Local collectors include Steve Zeiders, Dennis Zeiders and Andy Paige. Aside from arrowheads, there are many, many other relics found by these avid hunters. Tools of various types have been found by these men and will be displayed by them that afternoon.

Hunting since 1962, Steve Zeiders, of Mifflintown, will have a vast array of artifacts among his display tables. Some include banner stones, drills, mini-axes, knives, hammer stones, sharpening tools, Celts, engraved tools, stone bowls, scrapers, spearheads, sewing needles, clay and stone pipes and a fire starter rock. He’s found most of his items within the Keystone state but he has also found others in Ohio and elsewhere. He says it is getting harder to find items these days but he keeps searching regardless.

Also of Mifflintown, Dennis Zeiders has been searching artifacts since after the 1972 flood and will be on hand with his collections. Rare pieces he’s found include clay pots, complete pieces of pottery, a plow and a stone eagle medallion. There will also be other relics he has found within Juniata County and some unique ones from the Huntington area. His seven pieces of pottery that are complete potters ware, are very unique and seldom found, he says.

Collector Andy Paige of Thompsontown is going to display his collection of American Indian artifacts that afternoon too. His gathering of American Indian relics come from Thompsontown, Mifflintown, Lewistown, Newport, Millerstown, Great Island in Lock Haven and Isle of Que in Selinsgrove. His interest doesn’t stop with the American Indian as Paige has a keen desire to learn more about local history.

All three collectors invite visitors to bring their own artifacts along for identification.

Steve Zeiders identifies an artifact brought to the event by a local. Zeiders is an avid hunter and collector, a hobby he’s been doing since a teenager.

Dennis Zeiders [right] shows off some of his pottery and a plow to visitors at the Tuscarora Academy. He, his cousin Steve and Andy all have different items which makes a full-rounded display of items that describes how the American Indians lived and maintained their way of life.