Like all Native peoples, the Potawatomi attach tremendous importance to the moral worth and character of every person. Additionally, the Forest County Potawatomi is now the largest employer in Forest County.Ī reverence for culture, tradition and the wisdom that comes with age is constant throughout Potawatomi history. Through revenues from a wide array of business interests, the Tribe has been able to invest in the health, wellness, education, environment and future of its people. The reservation covers approximately 12,000 acres of forests, clear lakes and streams, most of which is held in federal trust status. Nearly half of the Tribe lives on the reservation, comprised of four communities in the southern section of Forest County, Wisconsin. Today, the Forest County Potawatomi Community is thriving with an enrolled membership of about 1,400.

The Tribe was formally organized into the Forest County Potawatomi Nation under a constitution and bylaws ratified by the Tribe in 1937. 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

Potawatomi casino reservation