Driving Tour of Great Lakes Native American Sites
Description
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"Indian Land Dancing" is a multimedia mural that covers both sides of the Foster Avenue underpass at Lake Shore Drive, located near the Edgewater neighborhood in Chicago. The mural, built using various forms of multimedia including ceramic tiles, plaster, paintings, and printed pictures, was assembled over the summer of 2009 in a mosaic style and covers nearly 3,400 square feet of previously undecorated concrete. The mural represents the collaborative efforts of the Chicago Public Art Group, Native American community members and artists, and volunteers of every age and skill level, who worked together to create a piece of public art to celebrate and tell the story of Native Americans in Chicago.
Deaf Man's Village was home to the Miami War Chief, Shepoconah, after the year 1812. After the Chief's retirement he moved his wife, Maconaquah (Frances Slocum) out of his previous headquarters at the Osage Village near the mouth of the Mississinewa River to what was established as "Deaf Man's Village." The village was located eight to nine miles south of present-day Peru, Indiana. The village was established as a trading post using a log cabin at its center for trade and commerce. Shepoconah was called "Deaf Man" by the white men because he became deaf in his later years, leading to his ultimate retirement as War Chief. Until his death, Deaf Man's village was a popular trading settlement and social center for both white men and Indians. After Deaf Man's death in 1833, Maconaquah built a log cabin in the village next to the burial site of Deaf Man. Deaf Man, died in 1833. His widow Frances lived here with her daughters and their families. In addition to bark-covered wigwams, they had log cabins, typical of the Miami, who were living in a forested area reserved to them. Deaf Man's family and others also had stables. In the village were 50 or 60 horses, 100 hogs, 17 head of cattle, as well as geese and chickens. There were many small Miami villages in this area, where Miami people received payments from the United States for their land cessions. Miami villages had Indian, Métis, Anglo-American, and African-American residents. Unlike the Ottawa, Dakota, Menominee, and Winnebago, the Miami, who resided on rich farmland, already were surrounded by a large population of settlers. The settlers relied on the Indian trade and sometimes stole stock or other property from the Miami. In 1830, there were 1,154 settlers, and in 1840, 5,480. Courtesy of Tippecanoe County Historical Association Tourists can see on one side the Mississinewa Dam how the river used to be in relation to the village. However, there's a chance that the village remains are underwater today. Other focus points of interest, such as the Indiana Francis Slocum Trail and Francis Slocum State Forest, are near Deaf Man's Village.
The Chief Richardville House became a National Historic Landmark in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2012. Akima Pinsiwa Awiiki, or the Chief Richardville House, was built in 1827 on the west bank of the St. Marys River in Fort Wayne as a dedication to the Miami Civil Chief, Jean Baptiste Richardville. After his death in 1841, the home remained in his family until 1894. The large and spacious house features crystal chandeliers, two first-floor parlors, two upstairs bedrooms with fireplaces, and a kitchen in the basement. There is also a barn, a corral, and pens for livestock outside of the home. For most of the 19th century, the Chief Richardville House was considered the grandest home in Northern Indiana. Today, the Chief Richardville House welcomes museum tours, family celebrations, and annual festivals.