John Hauberg (1869–1955), the noted Rock Island philanthropist, was a passionate advocate in preserving and spreading the legacy of First Nations in Illinois. Unfortunately, that mural is now obscured by a convention center. His first mural that incorporated a smaller image of Black Hawk was completed in Madison, Wisconsin. This statue also was the image that renowned American muralist, Richard Haas, used for his colossal mural of Black Hawk just a few minutes away at 1701 2nd Avenue, Rock Island, IL. The scenic peak in Black Hawk State Park, or Black Hawk’s Watchtower ( detailed history of the site written by Hauberg in 1927), has long been a popular site for hiking and viewing wildlife. Dimmick, the statue was moved to the Black Hawk State Historic Site and the Hauberg Indian Museum, from its original home in Spencer Square. It was hoped that the statue would be erected close to the corner of Twelfth and Ninth Streets, which, according to local tradition was the center of Saukenuk. At the time, the Rock Island Argus newspaper reported on the festivities of its unveiling, including Bleuer’s band performing “patriotic airs” along with a pyrotechnic exhibit. The first memorial in the country to honor Black Hawk was erected in 1892. While early American settlers displaced the original First Nation communities, the Quad Cities have worked diligently to highlight and honor the Sauk and Meskwaki Nations. During the summer of 1832, American troops and the Illinois militia (which for a few weeks included a young Abraham Lincoln) chased down and eventually defeated the British Band at the Massacre at Bad Axe near Desoto, Wisconsin. Named in honor Black Hawk’s allegiance to his former British allies, whom he fought alongside during the War of 1812, the “British Band” hoped to bargain for concessions and a return of the land and fertile soil they had long nurtured. The last armed conflict occurred in 1832 when American forces confronted Black Hawk (read his autobiography) and his “British Band” of approximately 1,200 followers.

Where the Quad Cities is today, was home to thriving Native American communities including the Sauk city of Saukenuk which may have had a population of four to six thousand in the late 1700’s.Ī series of treaties forced the Native American’s out of the region. The confluence of the Rock and Mississippi Rivers served the Meskwaki (Fox) and Sauk nation for generations. Families and travelers exploring the Midwest’s Black Hawk War of 1832, the final conflict against Native Americans east of the Mississippi River, will find the Quad Cities as a keystone destination.

Meskwaki casino bus quad cities