Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center

What happened

The Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center (6NICC) is a nonprofit museum and cultural center in Onchiota, New York, in the Adirondacks. A Nature Conservancy release says Ray Fadden founded it in 1954 and that it is directed today by his grandson, David Kanietakeron Fadden. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer lists Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center Inc as a 501(c)(3), exemption issued August 2021.

On March 9, 2026, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced that, with its assistance and funding, the 6NICC purchased a forested 600-acre property from Paul Smith's College for $1.1 million. The release says the center will combine management of it with 330 adjacent acres already in its care, for about 900 acres. TNC calls this one of the largest private land return initiatives in what is now New York State and the first land return for TNC in New York.

The release says the land will host an extension of the center, a Haudenosaunee gathering space, and a youth camp, and will be managed according to Indigenous traditions and scientific ecological principles. Partners named include the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force and the Adirondack Land Trust. ICT, a Native news outlet, reported on the land return on April 7, 2026.

Outlets differ on acreage ("600," "over 600") and on who formally bought the land.

Good to know. Reports differ on the acreage (nearly 600, 600 or over 600) and on who formally bought the land.

Summarized with AI assistance from 5 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error