Ed Duling's lifelong passion for collecting Native American artifacts has found a lasting legacy at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS). His collection, painstakingly gathered over decades, is more than a mere assortment of arrowheads; it’s a testament to the rich tapestry of our heritage. Inspired by his unwavering dedication, his family, Sheryl Ketner and Noelle Walton, made a heartfelt decision – to contact ISAS to preserve their father's legacy and share it with the world.
Since 1925, Duling spent many hours searching the plowed fields in and around Newman, Illinois eventually amassing a sizeable collection of stone tools some of which date back over 10,000 years. In describing their father’s passion for history and collecting, Ketner and Walton note,
“He found his first arrowhead when he was 12 in a field near his home in Central Illinois. This first “find” turned into a lifelong passion. He relocated to Flint, Michigan as an adult walking many miles over various fields and through forests in Southeast Michigan, building his unique collection.”
“Annual summer trips to visit family in Illinois were planned carefully to correspond with plowing season when arrowheads and stone tools might be unearthed,” they said. “He spent most of his time leisure time collecting Native American artifacts and reading extensively to educate himself about the people, culture, and history – he took immense pleasure in sharing his collection and knowledge with various community and school groups.”
After donating their father's collection, Ketner and Walton said, “Our father would be honored to know that the Illinois State Archaeological Survey will value and protect his collection and that it is being used for educational purposes once again.”
