Native American Trail Marker Trees: Marking Paths Through The Wilderness

Special Limited Edition includes numbered signed print of trail tree by author that matches limited edition number of book. This exciting book, a beautiful combination of history and nature, has 264 pages with more than 250 color and black and white photographs, maps and sketches. Early on the author was inspired by local historians, scouting groups, and his own Native American relative. Later, in his thirties, he would begin to follow in the footsteps of anthropolgist and botanist at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, Dr. Raymond E. Janssen. Janssen had traveled to thirteen states working with Native Americans and documenting the Trail Marker Trees from the late 1920's into the 1940's. The author has traveled to over forty states and five Canadian provinces, beginning his studies with the states that Janssen visited and then expanding upon the study from there. During his travels, he met with Native Americans, anthropologists, archeologists, and local historians. He has dedicated much of his life to photographing and researching the history of Trail Marker Trees. This is the first publication to focus in such detail on this unique form of land and water navigation used by the Native Americans and, later, the early pioneers

Dennis Downes is a world renowned, award-winning artist and sculptor. The main body of Dennis' work has been inspired by research trips to ancient sites and to natural wonders across the Great Lakes region and beyond. Dennis' travels began at a young age, taking trips to visit his mother's people, the Basque Berriochoa clan living in the Idaho and Montana Rocky Mountain area. His travels have inspired both his paintings and his sculptures. Dennis currently works out of Northeastern Illinois as well as the Wilderness Coast of Ontario.