Westland in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Chief Tonquish Burial Site

Photographed by Joel S., August 20, 2015

1. Chief Tonquish Burial Site Marker

Inscription. Chief Tonquish and his son are buried nearby. Chief Tonquish led a band of Potawatomi Indians in this area in the early nineteenth century. In 1819, a series of clashes between these Indians and pioneers in the vicinity culminated in the death of a white man. Angry settlers pursued the Indians along the River Rouge to the point where it branches into what is now known as Tonquish Creek. Here Chief Tonquish was killed in a futile attempt to save his son's life. Their deaths marked the end of significant Indian skirmishes in southeastern Michigan. This event reflected many of the tensions and conflicts between Indians and settlers over such matters as food and territory which occurred during the westward movement in America.

Erected 1977 by Michigan History Division, Department of State. (Marker Number L426.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1819.

Location. 42° 21.069′ N, 83° 23.146′ W. Marker is in Westland, Michigan, in Wayne County. It is at the intersection of North Wayne Road and Fountain Boulevard, on the right

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when traveling north on North Wayne Road. Fountain Boulevard is the entrance road to the Holiday Park townhouses, which is 0.4 miles south of Ann Arbor Trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34850 Fountain Boulevard, Westland MI 48185, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: "Learning by Doing" (approx. 0.7 miles away); Nankin Millers House (approx. 0.8 miles away); Nankin Mills (approx. 0.8 miles away); a different marker also named Nankin Mills (approx. 0.8 miles away); Newburgh Cemetery (approx. 0.8 miles away); Newburg Methodist Church (approx. 1.1 miles away); Newburgh Mill (approx. 1.7 miles away); Perrinsville School (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Westland.

Also see . . . Chief Tonquish. Find A Grave website entry (Submitted on November 25, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Joel S., August 20, 2015

2. Chief Tonquish Burial Site Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2015, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 4,044 times since then and 214 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 25, 2015, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.