Bark and Dugout Canoes

   For thousands of years, the vast networks of rivers and inland lakes that crisscrossed the North American continent served as the highways for native travel and commerce.  Bark and dugout canoes were the main vehicles for transporting goods and people across this network.  Over the last century and a half the knowledge of building these ancient forms of watercraft has faded close to extinction.

   As an effort to help preserve and add to our societies understanding of these amazing crafts, we dedicated much time to researching and reconstructing both full sized, functional, solid sheet, bark canoes including elm bark canoes, hickory bark canoes, birch bark canoes and traditionally carved/burned dugouts copied from historic and prehistoric examples recovered from lakes and rivers in the region.  Canoe building is available on a custom order basis.  We can reconstruct a specific canoe for your museum or facility or provide a building workshop, residency or demonstration at your site.