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Chief Kack-Kack

The Native Americans were a major part of Kansas History and Culture. The Potawatomi Indian Reservation is located in Mayetta, Jackson County, Kansas so it is this Tribal Heritage and its people who will be presented here.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a tribal unit that originated in the Great Lakes area. Formed from the Forest and Prairie Potawatomi bands west of Lake Michigan, they were removed to southwest Iowa in 1834. They were accompanied by Ottawa and Ojibwe from the same area who merged with them. They were placed on the Kansas reservation in 1846 with the Potawatomi of the Woods and Mission Band, the Prairie Potawatomi preferred to hold their land in common and remained in Kansas when the Citizens left for Oklahoma in 1870.

 

 

 

 


The Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation

Initially constituted 11 square miles in the northeast corner of the original reservation. The total Potawatomi holdings began at 568,223 acres in 1846 and by 1867 had decreased by 87 percent to only 77,357 acres. They were eventually forced to accept allotment which reduced their land from the 77,357 acres to 20,325. Population in 1908 was only 676, but since then, it has grown to almost 4,000 with the tribal headquarters in Mayetta, Kansas. Many changes through the years affected the land holdings of the Prairie Band. According to the 2000 Census, the total land area was 121.43 square miles.

Even though you may not have Native American Heritage in your research I would recommend that you visit the below links and take the time to read about the history of this tribe and the many obstacles they had to endure over the years to get to where they are today. The Prairie Potawatomi are usually traditional, and many practice either the Drum Religion or belong to the Native American Church. Today, the Prairie Band has become one of the largest employers in Jackson County, Kansas.

 

Resources

Offsite Native American Records

  • William Elsey Connelley's "Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians" Primarily historical, this publication gives a detailed picture of the way the allotment policy developed and played out over time, effecting the transfer of most of the reservation lands out of Potawatomi  hands. It includes a detailed history of The Prairie Band on Soldier creek, the present reserve in Jackson County.

  • Native Americans in Kansas 1861-1930 - Don Knarr, who is researching his wife's Native lines in Kansas has set up a wonderful site where he has transcribed several roll lists from the Kansas Kickapoo, the Citizen Band Potawatomi, and the Prairie Band Potawatomi.