White Settlement

A sporadic collection of forward-looking American settlers found their way to the Northern Illinois prairie by 1833. But the true rush would not begin until the land rights were fully wrested from the Indians. The Treaty of Chicago, approved by the leadership of the Three Fires on September 26, 1833, opened the land in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin to a mass white migration.

 

Chicago was officially incorporated as an American town one month before the treaty was signed.

 

 

Excerpt –  Little Woods (Thunder Moon 1833: Chicago is Born)

[August 12, 1833]

 

Hidden Turtle arrived in Chicago two days before the formal ceremony that would incorporate the town. He found Angry Muskrat’s camp in the School Section just south of the town limits, and the two warriors shared tobacco as they watched the bustle of the frontier community’s lively activity. “They’re making quite a fuss over a village of less than three hundred white people living at the end of a pier,” Hidden Turtle said, expelling a globular puff of smoke with each syllable.

 

“Twice that’s here now. Lots of ‘em’ll leave soon after the ceremony.”

 

“As I passed the Green Tree Tavern, I heard a white man say ‘the incorporation of Chicago is a milestone of Providence.’ Do you understand ‘milestone of Providence’?”

 

“It means they’re taking over, and they think the Great Spirit wants them to."

 

“They’d better send more than a few hundred whites to live here, then.”

 

“Have no doubt, they’re coming.”

 

* * *
 

“Milestone of Providence….” He let his words float over the great water of Mitchigami.