Downers Grove 10-24-18

OC TO B E R 24 , 2 0 1 8 V O L . 1 0 I S S U E 44

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FORUM

Celebrating IL Saukenuk was once home to Black Hawk, more than 6,000 Sauk SEE PAGE 10

SPORTS

Playoff fever Benet, Lisle head to second season SEE PAGE 5

BUSINESS Dave Says Pay off your car loan with cash if you can

SEE PAGE 7

BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

TRICK OR TREATING HOURS LISTED ON PAGE 6

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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SCHOOL NEWS >> DOWNERS GROVE NORTH AND SOUTH

Remodification plans shown to parents Downers Grove North and South high schools have future remodification ideas shown to community

BY RYAN OSTRY Bugle Staff @RyanOstry_BR18 rostry@buglenewspapers.com

District 99 Superintended Dr. Hank Thiele of Downers Grove rejuvenated the Downers Grove community last Wednesday night, as the anticipated wait was over to display the initial master facility designs for Downers Grove North and South High Schools.

“All we have really gotten since these plans have started going on are positive responses,” Thiele said. “People are ready for these new modern facilities.”

Improvements within the facilities have been ongoing since March when voters at the Board of Education meetings passed a referendum to fund significant renovations to both Downers Grove North and South high schools.

With Downers Grove North opening up in 1928, and South opening up in 1964, Thiele said the new modifications will be

easier for students and faculty to maneuver around and be a more safe and secure area.

“We take two old schools and transform them into two modern completely new schools,” Thiele said. “It’s very retrofitting, and we want to make sure that all of our students and visitors can easily get around to all parts of the building which we believe with our new plan that will be possible.”

With there being a wide variety of different areas that Thiele wanted to pinpoint in order to have the most success out of the new plan, some of the implementation ideas are to have new safety and security, more accessibility for students and staff, air conditioning renovation, modern learning spaces, learning commons and equity across campuses.

As for safety and security, Thiele wants to implement barriers when coming into the entrances, followed by a security personnel

MORE INFO •

The renovations are estimated to take roughly three years, with an end date being in 2021.

check, drivers license scan which will also show up as a background check and then finally distribute the guest a visitors pass.

A main focus for accessibility is the refurbishing of the cafeterias.

Two levels separated by stairs between serving lines and seating to go along with a lift being located at the center for students to use for raising and lowering to access students lines is the current plan in place.

As of now, 35 percent of District 99 classrooms are not air conditioned, which brings on the need to restructure that aspect of the plan.

For a current solution, between 90 and 100 temporary units have been installed in classrooms until each classroom is presented with its own component.

Modernizing furniture, power

stations, large work spaces in circular areas and improving instructional spaces will be apart in helping students collaborate with each other in order for more effective work to be done according to Thiele.

Reclaiming the courtyard, surrounding students with resources they need on demand and providing flexible learning space are all included in the restructuring of the learning commons.

A possible synthetic field at South will be in order to expand activities and athletic use, a new auditorium to host plays and gen-

eral venues and a two-tier gymnasium at North could also be in the works for an increase in physical activity.

More than 300 committee members have met several times, shared priorities and provided feedback about designs with the architects.

“Before this point it is a lot of projects,” Thiele said. “Now going forward you can see the whole scope and how everything plays together.”

The renovations are estimated to take roughly three years, with an end date being in 2021.

COMMUNITY

Allstate Ins. offers helping hand to food bank Allstate gives out helping hand to Northern Illinois Food Bank; Agency owners earn $24K grant to fight hunger

BY RYAN OSTRY Bugle Staff @RyanOstry_BR18 rostry@buglenewspapers.com

There are approximately 795 million people in the world that do not have enough food to lead a healthy and active life.

That number comes out to around one in nine people not getting the proper care that they need.

The Northern Illinois-area Allstate agency owners recently joined Allstate volunteers across seven states to secure a $24,000 Allstate Foundation Helping Hands grant to benefit 10 Feeding America member food banks, including the Northern Illinois

Food Bank which serves the 13 counties in Northern Illinois.

Bolingbrook agency owner representative Kristi Bloedorn said that this opportunity was something that she will never forget, because of the many people that were helped.

“Allstate really pays it forward from a personal level,” Bloedorn said. “If every one took some of their time to volunteer to a place like this that would make such a different because the donating money and time in order to help others is what it’s all about.”

Allstate volunteers collected monetary donations during an online virtual food drive in April to enable Feeding America food

bank members to support local families in need.

Every $1 donated during the online virtual food drive helps provide at least 10 meals secured

by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

Replenishing local food banks also allows rapid response during a natural disaster, which can leave community members without shelter, power and access to safe food and water.

Bloedorn said that sometimes people take things for granite with what they have, but helping people in need is something that really puts things into perspective.

“My excitement level doing this is a 10/10,” Bloedown said. “We go home to our house where our needs are met and we don’t realize what we truly have.”

With all of the donations

Allstate approximately feeds 71,000 people per week.

The online virtual food drive and hands-on volunteer activity were part of a multi-state Allstate Foundation volunteer effort benefitting Feeding America member food banks in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina and Texas.

In all, $136,000 was donated through Allstate Foundation Helping Hands grants.

“We apply for a grant, do four hours of personal time with the origination were trying to get the grant with and once we do that, Allstate allows us $1000,” Bloedorn said. “So, every year we all get together and donate our time and resources for this great opportunity.”

Bloedorn said this started just a few years back after the idea arising from Chuck Suta to help out

the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

“Four years ago [Suda], out of Shaumburg, decided he wanted to get as many agents as possible to all get together to give one big check to the Illinois food bank,” Bloedorn said.

Since 2011, Allstate and The Allstate Foundation have contributed more than $2.5 million to Feeding America to support its disaster preparedness and relief programs.

Northern Illinois Food Bank is one of thousands of organizations this year to receive Allstate Foundation Helping Hands grants secured by Allstate agency owners and financial specialists for their volunteer efforts.

The grants support organizations addressing domestic violence, youth empowerment, disaster preparedness, hunger and other causes.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

COUNTY NEWS >> DUPAGE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY

Bond set At $75K for student charged with threatening school Document Destruction Event on Saturday, Oct.27 A document destruction event will be held by the Village of Lisle, in partnership with DuPage County, on Saturday, October 27, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. until noon in Commuter Parking Lot C, located south of Village Hall.

Participants are required to bring documents in paper shopping bags or cardboard boxes (plastic bags are not permitted). The limit of paper per vehicle is three paper shopping bags or two copier sized boxes.

Paperclips and staples can be left in the documents, but binders and metal clips should be removed.

Staff at the event will remove documents from vehicles, which will be transported into a mobile shredding truck, be cross-cut shredded on-site, and then recycled. For information on other recycling events sponsored

by DuPage County that are available to Lisle residents, please click here. (https://www. dupageco.org/recyclingevents/)

Early voting for November 6, 2018 election is Monday, October 22 – Monday, Nov. 5 Early voting for the November 6, 2018 General Election begins Monday, October 22 and will run through Monday, November 5 in DuPage County. Information on early voting locations, and frequently asked questions can be found on the DuPage County website, here: https://www. dupageco.org/earlyvoting/.

On Election Day, polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Click the following link to find your polling place and for other election tools and information, click this link: h t t p s : / / w w w. d u p a g e c o . o r g / VoterLookup/.

To create a customized ballot based on your home address and view the candidates you will be voting for, click this link: https:// illinoisvoterguide.org/.

Westmont is the Bestmont Contest Asks Community To Get Creative This past summer, students from CUSD 201 and Maercker District 60 served as Youth Ambassadors for the Westmont Community Branding initiative.

“We’re interested in making sure our entire community gets involved with our branding process,” said Communications Director Larry McIntyre. “The kids had a lot of great ideas and we’re moving forward with the ‘Westmont is the Bestmont’ Contest.”

The Westmont Is The Bestmont contest provides an opportunity for residents and friends of the community to express their love for Westmont in a variety of ways. Submissions for the contest can include: • Music • Video • Drawings & Paintings • Graphic Art • Photography • Poetry • Theme Writing • Other Mediums Be Creative “This contest is a great way for Westmont to really express themselves while helping to create a new vision of our community,” said Westmont High School freshman and Youth Ambassador Pranav Viswanath.

Entries can be submitted now through Friday, January 11, 2019.

The Branding Committee is still working on the various award incentives, but prizes being considered include gift certificates to Westmont businesses, free admission to community activities and festivals, recognition at a Village Board meeting and other community events, and more.

Branding was identified as a priority in the Village of Westmont Strategic Plan for 2021. Look for more community branding meeting events to be scheduled soon. For more information, contact us at communications@ westmont.il.gov or 630-4170280.

Bond Set For Glenbard East High School Student Charged With Threatening School DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Lombard Chief of Police Roy Newton announced today that an eighteen-year-old male Glenbard East student has been charged with posting a threat on Instagram directed at his school. Jairus Castillo, 18 (d.o.b.

5/18/2000) of 266 Blue Spruce Lane, Glendale Heights, appeared in Bond Court this morning where Judge Brian Jacobs set bond at $75,000 with 10% to apply.

On October 20, 2018, Lombard police received information regarding a threatening Instagram post in which a male, not Castillo, was seen holding an

AR-15 style rifle accompanied with the words “He’s shooting up the school Monday 3rd period after the bell.” An investigation into the post led by the Lombard Police Department led to Castillo as the person who allegedly made the post. He was taken into custody the following day without incident.

“Threatening the safety and security of thousands of teachers, staff and students is not a joke,” Berlin said. “Any threat to the well-being of our students and teachers will be fully investigated and anyone suspected of such behavior will be charged accordingly. I would like to thank the Lombard Police Department for their work in quickly identifying the defendant in this case. I would also like to thank Assistants State’s Attorneys Jim French and Matthew Dambach for their efforts in securing charges against Mr. Castillo.”

“My administration’s top pri-

ority is the safety of our residents,” Newton said. “I commend my officers not only for their proactive work on this case, but for their continued day-to-day efforts in keeping our neighborhoods as safe as possible. I would also thank the State’s Attorney’s Office for their legal guidance and assistance in this case.”

Castillo has been charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct – Threat of Violence at a School, a Class 4 Felony. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 19, 2018 for arraignment in front of Judge Liam Brennan.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

COUNTY NEWS >> DUPAGE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY

Bond set at $3 Million man charged with shooting at police officers Bond set at for Bloomingdale Man Charged With Shooting at Police Officers DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Bloomingdale Director of Public Safety Frank Giammarese announced today that bond has been set for a Bloomingdale man accused of shooting at two Bloomingdale Police Officers outside his home. Raymond Vieyra, 42 (d.o.b. 2/11/1976) of 314 Plymouth Lane, appeared at a bond hearing this morning where Judge John Kinsella set bond at $3 million with 10% to apply. Vieyra has been charged with three counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, a Class X Felony and one count of Un-

lawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon, a Class 2 Felony.

At approximately 4:36 a.m., October 21, 2018, officers with the Bloomingdale Police Department were dispatched to 314 Plymouth Lane for a report of domestic disturbance. The caller lived at the residence with Vieyra. It is alleged that upon their arrival, Vieyra exited the garage and began shooting at the officers. One of the officers returned fire. It is alleged that after shooting at the officers, Vieyra retreated back into the residence. A short time later, Vieyra exited the home with his hands up at which time he was arrested and taken into custody.

“Mr. Vieyra’s alleged actions and blatant disregard for law enforcement will be met with the full force and effect of the law,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, neither

of the responding officers were injured by the alleged actions of this defendant. I would like to thank the Bloomingdale Police Department as well as the Major Crimes Task Force for a peaceful resolution to this case.

I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Helen Kapas for her efforts in preparing a strong case against Mr. Vieyra.”

“This case is another example of the dangers Law Enforcement Officers face every day,” Giammarese said. “We are thankful, that this senseless act, allegedly committed by a convicted felon, did not result in serious injury or death to one of our officers. I would like to acknowledge the professionalism and dedication of the Bloomingdale Officers and Supervisors who worked on this case.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

PAGE 5

FOOTBALL

PLAYOFF

TIME

Benet Academy, Lisle start a run to Champaign as football playoffs open this weekend

BY MARK GREGORY Editorial Director @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

It is a new season for 256 football teams across the state of Illinois and a pair of teams from the Voyager Media Coverage area are in the mix.

In Class 3A, Lisle makes a second consecutive trip to the postseason and a 24th overall showing.

The Lions are the No. 3 seed on the top half of the bracket and will host old Interstate-8 Conference rival No. 13 Dwight Co-op at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26.

Dwight is a co-op team with Gardner South Wilmington.

Lisle comes in 8-1 after falling in its regular season finale 43-14 to Coal City, while Dwight holds a 6-3 mark entering the playoffs.

A win Friday night would put Lisle in a match-up with No. 5 North Boone (7-2) or No. 12 ROWVA Mid-County Co-op.

Byron (9-0) is the top seed in Lisle’s side of the bracket, followed

by Dunbar (8-1) and Eureka (8-1).

Four undefeated teams (Monticello, Carlinville, Fairfield, Farmingtyon) are on the bottom half of the bracket.

Lisle heads into the postseason averaging 24.3 points per game, while allowing 16.4.

Dwight scored 26.9 points per contest and allowed 15.7.

In Class 7A, No. 21 seed Benet Academy (6-3) will travel to Des Plaines to take on 8-1 Maine West at 7 p.m. Friday.

Benet enters the playoffs with a 25-21 overall record in the playoffs and has advanced to the state semifinals the last two seasons.

Benet is again tested by its play in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, where its opponents were a combined 46-35 on the season, with five opponenst making the playoffs.

Maine West, while winning the Central Suburban North, had only two opponents make the playoffs, one being its only loss - Hersey.

Maine West’s opponents had a combined record of only 33-48.

Maine West averaged 41.9 points per game this season, while allowing only 11.7, a differential of 30.2.

The differential is fourth best in 7A, behind only Rolling Meadows (33.7), Glenbard East (31.8) and Simeon (31.3).

Benet Academy averaged 25.7 points per game and allowed 17.6, a differential of 8.1.

All three of Benet’s losses came to playoff teams, while the Redwings defeated postseasonbound Joliet Catholic Academy and Moline.

An upset win in round one would pit Benet against the winner of No. 5 Willowbrook or No. 28 Lincoln Park.

PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY

Benet Academy will join Lisle as the two teams in the IHSA state playoffs.

TWITTER: For up -to-the-minute coverage of upcoming local sport events going on in your area, follow @VoyagerSport

6 SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

SOCCER

Benet wins Wheaton Academy Regional

BY MATT LE CREN For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com

CJ Warren and his Benet teammates have had a chip on their shoulder ever since the Redwings were seeded seventh at the Class 3A Addison Trail Sectional.

They felt they were snubbed because they had a better record and were ranked higher than several of the teams that were seeded ahead of them.

They may have a point.

Warren broke a scoreless tie early in the second half and Franklin Rutkowski and Christopher Mankowski also tallied goals Saturday as the Redwings stunned host Wheaton Academy 3-1 to win a regional championship.

Benet (16-3-1) has won nine straight games and next faces sixth-seeded Addison Trail in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals.

Second-seeded Wheaton Academy, which finished third in the state in Class 2A last season, finished at 20-3.

It was the first time the Warriors had given up three goals in a home game since 2015.

“That seventh seed, it definitely motivated us before the game,” Warren said. “(People) underestimated us, but we were able to pull together and get the win.”

The Redwings did it against a storied program that is notoriously tough to beat at home. The weather did the visitors no favors as a howling wind, 26-degree wind chill and occasional snow flurries added to the challenge.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WENDY SARAFIN

Benet Academy defeated Wheaton Academy to win the regional championship.

Yet the Redwings used the conditions to their advantage. After shutting out Wheaton Academy’s high-powered offense despite going against the wind in the first half, Benet struck first with 35:06 to go in the second half.

A throw-in from the right wing resulted in Rutkowski diving forward to head the ball up to Warren, who deflected it off the left post and in for a 1-0 lead.

“Franklin headed it to me and I just kind of swung around and heel-flicked it in,” Warren said.

“We had battled against the wind the whole (first) half, so we knew we were going to get a lot more chances going with the wind and fortunately (Rutkowski and I) were each able to get one on frame.”

Indeed, Rutkowski had a dominant game. The powerful senior forward had a hand in all three Benet goals, scoring one and assisting on the other two.

His goal came just four minutes after the Warriors had tied the game against the wind and run of play. Senior Jack Kilgallon took a counterattack into the right corner before crossing into the middle.

The ball was volleyed into the crossbar by a Benet defender and Kilgallon’s twin brother, Seamus, was there to score on the rebound at the 17:46 mark.

The Redwings shrugged that off, however, and Rutkowski intercepted a clearing pass about 30 yards from the Wheaton goal.

Wasting no time, he ripped a

sidewinding shot toward the upper right corner of the net and the ball caromed high off the inside of the right post and in.

“That was awesome,” Rutkowski said. “That’s probably the best goal I’ve ever scored at Benet.

“We’d been talking about that wind all day, so I knew I just had to put it on target,” Rutkowski said. “I mishit it a little. I got a little fluff on it but the wind carried it in for me.”

Rutkowski’s goal seemed to deflate the Warriors, who did not get another shot off and finished with only three against a Benet defense which has allowed only nine goals this season.

Mankowski then put the exclamation point on the win, firing a

23-yard blast off the inside of the right post with 1:22 remaining.

“Three great goals in a game like this against a great team with great players at their place,” Benet coach Sean Wesley said. “It was perfect.

“We’ve talked all year about being mentally tough and this group has really proved it over and over and over again. Even after losses to (reigning state champion Naperville) North and (2017 state runner-up) Libertyville where we could have hung our head and went the other way, I think we did the exact opposite.

“Even games that are tough and where the weather is not good, like today, the kids attitude and effort was great. You couldn’t ask for more.”

COMMUNITY

Trick-or-Treating hours announced for Oct. 31

While there are no mandated Village of Westmont Designated the Police Department recThe Westmont Police DepartTrick-or-Treating hours, ommends trick-or-treating during ment recommended hours for daylight hours. trick-or-treating are 2 to 7 p.m. on hours vary on Halloween, Oct. 31. Following are Wed. Oct. 31 a few trick or treating safety tips Village of Lisle

Village of Downers Grove Beware of little ghosts and goblins knocking at your door. Trickor-Treating in the Village will be on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Trick-or-Treat Hours - Downtown Lisle and on Halloween!

On Halloween Day (Wednesday, October 31, 2018) trick-or-treat hours are from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

to consider to help ensure that everyone has a SAFE HALLOWEEN!

Village of Woodridge Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat Hours are 3 to 7 p.m.

FOR TRICK-OR-TREATERS AND PARENTS: • Accompany all young children while trick-or-treating.

Older participants should travel in groups and avoid traveling alone.

• Stick to neighborhoods you are familiar with.

• Closely inspect all candy before eating. Check labels closely for potential allergens.

• Avoid homemade treats giv-

•

•

•

en out by strangers.

Remind children to walk, not run, between houses and use sidewalks when available.

Use caution when crossing the street and cross only at intersections when traffic is clear.

Wear brightly colored costumes or add reflective tape to costumes for visibility.

Carry a flashlight.

BUSINESS + REAL ESTATE

NEWS ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

TA K E 5 M I N U T E S FOR YOURSELF!

7

DAVE SAYS

Pay off your car loan with cash if you can Dear Dave: I can’t decide what to do about my car. I owe $8,000 on it, and I have the cash to pay it off with plenty left over. One of my co-workers said I shouldn’t pay it off, because I have a very low interest rate on the loan. What do you think? — Derricka Dear Derricka: What do I think?

I think your co-worker is broke.

Taking financial advice from broke people is like taking dieting advice from fat people. In other words, it’s dumb.

Pay off your car, and never borrow money to buy a car again for the rest of your life. If you want to win with money, you have to get out of the land of car payments.

The idea that you’re stuck with car payments — that you’re always going to have one — is the mantra of those who’ve given up hope. You are in charge of your life. You are in charge of your financial situation. Don’t be like all those folks out there who whine about stuff like stagnant wages and are unwilling to get up off their stagnant butts to make their lives better.

Derricka, pay off your car today.

And please, don’t take any more financial advice from broke people.

— Dave

8

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Saukenuk was once home to Black Hawk and more than 6,000 Sauk

E D I TO R I A L

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BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM facebook.com/thebuglenewspapers twitter.com/buglenewspapers instagram.com/buglenewspapers EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed in guest columns, editorial cartoons and letters to the editor belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the The Bugle or its staff.

Saukenuk was well-known as one of the largest Native American villages in North America, but one of its residents, the warrior Black Hawk, was even better known.

Although born in Saukenuk, which was located where Rock Island stands today, his father Pyesa and mother Summer Rain and other relatives could trace their ancestry back thousands of years.

According to their oral traditions, both the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes were living in Canada 12,000 years ago at the time of the last glacial retreat. Many centuries later they were displaced from their Canadian home by the Iroquois.

The Sauk and Meskwaki migrated through New England and New York to the area near Niagara Falls. By 1640, the Meskwaki had settled at the west end of Lake Erie, near present-day Detroit, and the Sauk near Saginaw Bay in Michigan.

In 1701, the decades-long war began between the French and the Meskwaki, which almost led to the tribe’s extinction. Weakened, they joined the Sauk and together they migrated to the Mississippi River, where for nearly 100 years the tribes lived in their own villages and farmed, hunted and traded.

The two tribes were separate nations.

The Meskwaki were the smaller of the two, numbering about 1,600. In Rock Island, the Meskwaki had a village located across from Arsenal Island in what is now downtown Rock Island.

In the days before the locks and dams, the river was 17 feet lower than today. Fort Armstrong loomed 30 feet above the river, according to Beth Carvey, retired historian at the Black Hawk State Historic Site.

Over the years, the Sauk had several cities called Saukenuk. In 1808, the decision was made by the Sauk nation to consolidate smaller villages into the city now known as Saukenuk, located near the Rock River in Rock Island. Its location is near the Black Hawk State Historic Site, home to the John Hau-

berg Indian Museum which commemorates the lifestyle of those who lived at Saukenuk.

According to Ferrell Anderson, a local archaeologist, the Meskwaki village was made up of two rows of huts – about 30 total – located where downtown Rock Island is today.

In 1824, Thomas Forsyth, the Indian agent at Rock Island, wrote a report detailing the Indian villages within his jurisdiction.

Two miles up from the mouth of the Rock River was the “grand Sauk village where the principal chiefs, braves and warriors reside, ... and where all the affairs pertaining to the Sauk Nation of Indians were transacted,” Forsyth wrote.

“Indeed, I have seen many Indian villages, but I never saw such a large one or such a populous one.”

Behind the town, on the side of the ridge, were the Sauk gardens which Black Hawk indicated extended about 2 miles. Forsyth estimated the Sauk had about 800 acres under cultivation.

Saukenuk had a north-south and an east-west esplanade that formed a “T.” The east-west road was defined by the river and the bluffs.

It intersected with a longer northsouth avenue that was lined with many lodges. At one end was a gathering area and the council lodge. We know there were as many as 100 or more lodges at one point, and Saukenuk was home to as many as 6,000 – perhaps more.

For most of the years that the Sauk and Meskwaki lived on these lands, their life was an idyllic one. They lived peacefully in their villages with occasional skirmishes with other Indian tribes. They traded with the French and fought alongside the British, providing a lifestyle that was partially Indian and partially European.

The Sauk lived what might be described as an affluent lifestyle by Indian standards. Many of the Sauk dressed in European clothes and hunted with rifles.

When they did use arrows, they had metal tips, not stone. Their village on the shore of the Rock River was a thriving metropolis during the summer.

In fall, crops from their farms were stored in food pits and they crossed the river and wintered in southern Iowa and Missouri – returning to Saukenuk in the spring.

Unknowingly, the end of this lifestyle had been assured in 1804 when a few chiefs – possibly plied with alcohol – signed a treaty in St. Louis in which they agreed to move west of the Mississippi River in exchange for $1,000 a year, at such time as settlers arrived seeking to live on the land.

In 1830 the Sauk and Fox were ordered to leave their villages in Illinois and move to Iowa. Black Hawk and others refused to accept the terms of the 1804 treaty that the Sauk and Meskwaki had not been involved with.

In the winter of 1830, the tribes left but faced a winter of near starvation. In spring 1831, Black Hawk defied the government order and returned to Saukenuk and planted crops.

The settlers who had now occupied the old village were alarmed. Illinois Gov. John Reynolds sent 1,500 men to move the tribes out. On June 20 the volunteer army moved on Saukenuk.

When the militia arrived at Saukenuk, they found fresh footprints and fires still burning. The Sauk had left without a fight. The militia burned the lodges, destroyed the crops and vandalized the main cemetery and dug up graves, according to a letter from the new Indian agent, Felix St. Vrain, to Indian superintendent William Clark.

Fearing he would be pursued, Black Hawk went to Fort Armstrong and sued for peace. He got it, under the terms that he would stay out of Illinois.

Peace lasted until the next winter when the Indians, unable to grow crops in the less tillable land, once again faced starvation. In 1832 the Indians again crossed into Illinois, marking the second year of the Black Hawk War. There were numerous skirmishes and Black Hawk’s people, on the verge of starvation, fled into Wisconsin. They were finally trapped at Bad Axe Creek where they were slaughtered. Black Hawk and other leaders were captured and the militia killed old men, women and children, as well as 150 braves.

“When I call to mind the scenes of my youth and those of later days – and reflect that the theatre on which these were acted had been so long the home of my fathers, who now slept on the hills around it, I could not bring my mind to consent to leave this country … for any earthly consideration,” Black Hawk wrote in his autobiography.

Roger Ruthhart is former editor of The Dispatch-The Rock Island Argus.

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