1135R Forest County Potawatomi Community Locator Map

The Forest County Potawatomi Community ( pot, Ksenyaniyek) is a

federally recognized tribe This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the Unite ...

Potawatomi people The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

with approximately 1,400 members as of 2010. The community is based on the Forest County Potawatomi Indian Reservation, which consists of numerous non-contiguous plots of land in southern Forest County and northern Oconto County,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, United States. The community also administers about of

off-reservation trust land In the United States, off-reservation trust land refers to real estate outside an Indian reservation that is held by the Interior Department for the benefit of a Native American tribe or a member of a tribe. Typical uses of off-reservation trust ...

in the city of

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the reservation and off-reservation trust land together have a total area of . The combined population of Forest County Potawatomi Community and Off-Reservation Trust Land was 594 in the 2020 census. The nation's administrative and cultural center are located about three miles east of

Crandon, Wisconsin Crandon is a city in Forest County, Wisconsin, United States; it is in the northeastern part of the state, about north of Green Bay. The population was 1,713 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Forest County and is the only inco ...

Tribal ventures

Casinos

The Forest County Potawatomi run the

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, formerly Potawatomi Bingo Casino, is a Native American casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community. It first opened its doors March 7, 1991. Located on ...

in Milwaukee and the

Potawatomi Bingo Northern Lights Casino The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a ...

in Carter, Wisconsin.

Crandon Mine

Along with the

Sokaogon Chippewa Community The Sokaogon Chippewa Community, or the Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, is a federally recognized tribe of the Lake Superior Chippewa, many of whom reside on the Mole Lake Indian Reservation, located southwest of the city of Crandon, ...

, the Potawatomi bought the nearby

Crandon mine Crandon mine was a mine proposed for northeastern Wisconsin, USA. It was to be situated near the town of Crandon and the Mole Lake Ojibwe Reservation in Forest County. The mine was the center of a multi-decade political and regulatory battle bet ...

in Crandon to prevent its reopening. The tribes argued the reopening of the zinc and copper mine would harm the environment.

Forest County Potawatomi Cultural Center and Museum

The Forest County Potawatomi Cultural Center and Museum were created to educate the public and pass the culture and traditions of the Potawatomi people to the next generations. The Cultural Center is a new way of gathering the people — to share stories and to learn from one another. The Forest County Potawatomi Community welcomes Native Americans and non-Native Americans alike to learn about the community and their contributions. With input from community elders and internationally-known museum designers, many unique, informative and entertaining exhibits were constructed and are now captivating general public visitors. The permanent exhibit, which is bilingual (

Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

and English), is divided into four main sections: a history of the Potawatomi, entitled The Long Walk; an interactive kiosk, entitled People Who Share a Language; a display of different traditional elements, entitled Traditional Ways; and a display of the heritage of the present day tribe. Other highlights of the exhibit include: "People of the Three Fires" main diorama-recreation of the

Council of Three Fires The Council of Three Fires (in oj, label=Anishinaabe, Niswi-mishkodewinan, also known as the People of the Three Fires; the Three Fires Confederacy; or the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians) is a long-standing Anishina ...

is located in the center of the exhibition. "The Gathering": video presentation of the various Potawatomi communities across North America. "The Wall of Treaties"—reproductions of 43 United States and seven Canadian treaties conducted with the Potawatomi. "Wigwas Tthiman" (Birchbark Canoe)—this birchbark canoe was constructed on site at the Potawatomi Cultural Center and Museum using traditional methods as a living display. The canoe project took five weeks to complete and visitors were able to watch each step of the process. "Living History/Craft Classes"—Community instructional classes such as: moccasin, flute, dance regalia, scale model canoe building, language classes, birch/quill and black ash basketry are offered throughout the year.

Notes

References

Forest County Potawatomi Community and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Wisconsin
United States Census Bureau

External links

Forest County PotawatomiPotawatomi MuseumProfile
from the State of Wisconsin
Potawatomi Bingo Casino
run by the Forest County Potawatomi
Potawatomi Bingo Northern Lights Casino
run by the Forest County Potawatomi
Crandon Mine Reports
from th
University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center"FCP Museum and Cultural Center to Expand"
in ''Potawatomi Traveling Times'', September 15, 2006. Page 9.
"FCP Museum News: On the Lake Geneva/Chief Big Foot Issue"
in ''Potawatomi Traveling Times'', August 1, 2006. Page 9. {{authority control Native American tribes in Wisconsin Potawatomi Anishinaabe reservations and tribal-areas in the United States Populated places in Forest County, Wisconsin Geography of Milwaukee Populated places in Oconto County, Wisconsin Federally recognized tribes in the United States