The Forest County Potawatomi are descendants of these proud people.
Many perished en route to new lands in the west, and the march became known as 'The Trail of Death.' Some members rebelled against this forced exodus and refused to leave the Great Lakes region. Following the Treaty of Chicago in 1833, most of the Potawatomi people were forcibly taken from tribal lands. In the early 1800s, major portions of Potawatomi lands were ceded to the U.S. This proximity, along with having similar languages and culture, helped the three tribes to form an alliance known as the “Council of the Three Fires.” The Potawatomi were given the task of keeping alive the “Sacred Fire.” In the 16th Century, the Potawatomi migrated south and settled along the shores of Lake Michigan where they lived close to the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes. Spirituality, perseverance and love for all living things have enabled the Potawatomi people to survive, and in recent years, prosper.Ĭenturies ago, the Potawatomi people numbered more than 10,000 and occupied and controlled almost 30 million acres in the Great Lakes region. Tremendous suffering and loss due to the forced removal from their lands followed hundreds of years of self-sufficiency. The history of the Potawatomi tribe is rich in honor, tradition and emotion. FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI History Rich In Honor, Tradition & Emotion
