Wāpahkoh

Wāpahkoh. Digging Further Into the Past. , A historical marker erected in 1957 at this location portrayed the legend of Chief Waupaca, or Sam Wapuka, and perpetuated the myth that the City of Waupaca was named for "Chief Waupaca." The marker represented a legend and did not fully recognize the Potawatomi and Menominee and their significance to the city and county., Around 10,000 BCE, the first people, ancestors of the Menominee, reached this land. The Menominee lived across nearly 10 million acres, including much of Waupaca County. The Menominee lived here long before the first white settlers arrived in the county and the city of Waupaca in the 1840s., Today, the city and county are named Waupaca, not from a person, but from the Menominee word for a place, Wāpahkoh, which means, “Place of Tomorrow Seen Clearly.”, The Potawatomi settled this land in the mid to late 1800s and lived here until the early 1900s. This land today is the Shopodock family cemetery, the family of Chief Wabki. We honor the Potawatomi and their ancestors by protecting this land., The Waupaca Historical Society engages different perspectives and examines historical sources to better understand the past. The Society worked with the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Forest County Potawatomi, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the community as part of the process of removing the historical marker at this location. These partners will work to install a historic marker honoring the indigenous history in this area in the future., Learn more about the Waupaca Historical Society and Waupaca and Chain O’Lakes history. Share Your Ideas! What do you want to learn about Waupaca and Waupaca County history? Scan this QR code to submit your ideas.