Location and Land

Illinois

We provide walks in what is now known as the State of Illinois in Cook, DuPage, and Will counties.

DuPage County is located on the homelands of the Council of Three Fires — the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. Many other tribes reside on, have resided on, or have migrated through this land for generations, as humans have been living on these lands for millennia. There is record of Clovis and Fulsom hunters in the area from 65000 BC.

In 1833 the Treaty of Chicago ordered all Native Americans to be removed and forced west of the Mississippi River to free up land for American, non-Native settlers. The arrival of European colonizers and settlers to Turtle Island (North America) ushered in a devastating and traumatic time for Native Americans that continues to impact Native Americans to this day.

Today, Chicago has one of the largest urban Native American populations in the U.S.

According to the 2020 census, 0.4% of DuPage county is American Indian and Alaska Native.

We want to acknowledge this history and continue to learn how the legacy of settler-colonialism impacts Native and non-Native Americans to this day. Please join us in supporting native owned businesses, organizations, and initiatives.