Rockford in Winnebago County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Black Hawk

Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, April 23, 2019

1. Black Hawk Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Black Hawk (or Black Sparrow Hawk as he was originally known) led a dissident band of Sauk and Fox Indians into the Rock River Valley of northwest Illinois in the spring of 1832 in an attempt to reclaim tribal lands from American settlers. The move precipitated the tragic "Black Hawk War" and led to the decimation of the band by the Illinois Militia and the U.S. Army. The Battle of Stillman Run (in present Stillman Valley), which occurred on May 14, 1832, was one of the main encounters.

Black Hawk (Black Sparrow Hawk) lideró una banda disidente de nativos americanos sauk y fox al valle del río Rock del noroeste de Illinois en la primavera de 1832 en un intento fracasado de recuperar tierras tribales de los colonos blancos. La consecuencia fue la trágica "Guerra de los Black Hawks" en que la banda resultó decimada.

Erected by Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is May 14, 1832.

Location. 42° 10.956′

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N, 89° 3.367′ W. Marker is in Rockford, Illinois, in Winnebago County. Located near the bridge at the Atwood Outdoor Education Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford IL 61109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Theodore Roosevelt (here, next to this marker); Stephen Mack (here, next to this marker); Former Camp Grant Rifle Range (approx. ¼ mile away); Field Bunkers (approx. ¼ mile away); Memorial Hall (approx. 6½ miles away); Stillman's Run Battle Site Memorial (approx. 8.1 miles away); Stillmans Defeat (approx. 8.1 miles away); The Stinson House (approx. 13.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rockford.

Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, April 23, 2019

2. Black Hawk Marker

Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2015

3. Black Hawk

This c. 1835 portrait of Black Hawk by George Catlin hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2019, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 373 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 5, 2019, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. 3. submitted on September 23, 2020, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.