Chief Black Hawk - Rock Island, Illinois
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 41° 27.836 W 090° 34.387
15T E 702674 N 4593103
Black Hawk was a famous leader of the Sauk people. He lived 70 years and spent the bulk of his lifetime fighting for the land of his people along the banks of the Mississippi River.
Waymark Code: WM1Z7H
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 08/07/2007
Views: 112
The man known to whites as Black Hawk was born Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak (Black Sparrow Hawk) in the year 1767 and was a member of the Sauk Nation. By the age of fifteen, Black Hawk had become a "brave" and later fighting with the Osage Indians he earned the title of war chief.
Over his life time Black Hawk continually fought for the land of his people - the Sauk Valley - and those battles came to be known as the Black Hawk War. During the war 72 whites and between 450 and 600 Native Americans were killed in battle.
This statue is at the Hauberg Indian Museum and it looks out over the Valley below where Black Hawk's village was originally located. The museum features full-size replicas of Sauk winter and summer houses and dioramas with life-size figures depicting activities of the Sauk and Mesquakie people typical of the period 1750 to 1830. Many artifacts, including authentic trade goods, jewelry and domestic items are displayed.
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.