Land Acknowledgement
The Wilmette Historical Museum recognizes that Wilmette is located on the traditional homelands of many Indigenous nations over a period of more than 8,000 years, including the Council of Three Fires – Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Odawa people – who lived here in the 1800s. We acknowledge that we are on territory ceded to the United States Government in the 1829 Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien by the Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Odawa nations who were later removed from the area.
Today the Chicago region is home to over 65,000 Native people representing 175 tribes. We express our gratitude to Native peoples who have cared for the land for many generations.
The museum will continue to seek out ways to share Indigenous stories, and offer the below resources as just a small component of larger efforts. Revisit this page, as we will continue to add to it. As always, please contact us if you have questions or comments, or if you would like to visit the museum to explore our exhibits in person.
1997.38.1: 1841 survey map of Archange Ouilmette’s 1280 acres granted on July 29, 1829 by the Treaty of Prairie du Chien.
Plaque commemorating the site of the Ouilmette cabin at Gillson Park.