Iliniwek Village State Historic Site

Iliniwek Village State Historic Site. . , On this property is the site of a village once inhabited by Indians of the Iliniwek Tribe. The liniwek, or Illinois, were one of the three most significant Indian groups occupying Missouri at the time of first European contact. It is the only Illinois village site so far found in Missouri, and historians believe it was the Indian village that explorers Marquette and Joliet visited on their 1673 expedition down the Mississippi River , The Illinois Today , The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is a confederation of Kaskaskia, Peoria, Piankesaw and Wea Indians united into a single tribe in 1854. The tribes, which constitute The Confederated Peorias, as they then were called, originated in the lands bordering the Great Lakes and drained by the mighty Mississippi. They are Illinois or Illini Indians, descendants of those who created the great mound civilizations in the central United States two thousand to three thousand years ago. , Forced from their ancestral lands in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, the Peorias were relocated first in Missouri, then in Kansas and, finally, in northeastern Oklahoma. There, in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma is their tribal headquarters. , The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is a federally recognized sovereign Indian tribe, organized under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, and functioning under the Constitution and Bylaws approved by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior on August 13, 1997. The Peoria Tribe is now approximately 2,700 members strong. , The Tribal Administration oversees a budget of approximately $1,700,000 per year, providing to its members and other tribes' members residing in its jurisdiction, services in housing, health care, education, and child welfare. In addition, the Tribe owns approximately t,500 acres of land with the majority being used for agricultural purposes. The Tribe also manages tribal trust funds to generate income for the Tribe. , The Tribe's Economic Development Plan serves the goal of tribal self. determination and self-governance through business and economic development activities which generate income and build assets for the Tribe, provide employment for tribal members, and create an environment that will foster the growth of individual Indian-owned businesses. , The Tribe enjoys a cordial relationship with both city and county government and works cooperatively with development entities and goals in the community. In addition to providing jobs and income for the Tribe and its members, any Peoria project will generate jobs and income for private and public constituents in Miami and Ottawa County., State Parks and Historic Sites , The Missouri Department of Natural Resources preserves and interprets the state's most outstanding natural and cultural features and provides opportunities for recreation., Nearby parks and site: , Battle of Athens State Historic Site , Battle of Athens State Historic Site in Athens interprets the northernmost Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River. Visitors can tour the historic buildings and enjoy outdoor recreation such as camping, hiking and fishing at the site., Thousand Hills State Park , Thousand Hills State Park in Kirksville features Forest Lake, lodging and dining facilities, camping, and hiking and mountain biking trails. A shelter in the park protects the petroglyphs, which are rock carvings left by the area's inhabitants more than 1,500 years ago., Wakonda State Park , Six lakes, hiking trails, a campground and a rare sand prairie are features of Wakonda State Park near La Grange. The park boasts the state park system's largest natural sand swimming beach and is an excellent place for bird watching., [Captions:] , The Peoria Tribe hods fee-simple title to 290 acres of land on which it has developed a P.G.A. quality, 18-hole golf course, Peoria Ridge Golf Course, and future plans call for a residential community in surrounding property., The Peoria Tribe holds its annual Pow Wow in June of each year. Pictured are contestants in the Men's Fancy Dance category as they participate in the Grand Entry which begins the evening's activities., In January 2004 the Peoria Tribe opened its operations at Buffalo Run Casino. The 57,000 square foot building holds the 1,200 seat capacity Peoria Showplace, the Coleman House Restaurant, an Off-Track Betting Room, Poker Room, Blackjack tables and over 600 gaming machines. As the "Entertainment Center" of Northeast Oklahoma, the facility has presented such artists as George Jones, Charlie Daniels Band, 38 Special, and features live music and dancing each Thursday night when the Showplace is transformed into Club KIX. The Showplace has also been the venue for two Extreme Fights events and ESPN featured boxing.