The Black Hawk War of 1832

Black Hawk circa 1837

The Black Hawk War of 1832 is very important to the history of the United States and was fought in the surrounding area and era in which Stephen Mack lived. Mr. Mack had a cabin at Birds Grove at the time of the Black Hawk War (now the present location of Hononegah Park), but he was so respected by the local Native Americans that his settlement went untouched. Many of Stephen Mack’s letters have survived, and he writes about an incident when a group of  Sac (a.k.a. Sauk) warriors wanted to destroy Mack’s dwelling, but a group of Winnebago stopped them from accomplishing their task. Mr. Mack was married to a Native American woman named Ho-no-ne-gah. She was raised by uncles when Mack married her. Stephen Mack’s knowledge of Native American culture through his wife and neighbors made Mr. Mack an understanding ambassador to the indigenous population, where many settlers were not so kind. If you would like to learn more about the Macktown Forest Preserve, come out to visit with the family! We have a wonderful park for a picnic, so bring out some food and have a wonderful day!

Buy-A-Brick to support Macktown

Stephen Mack House circa 1839

Hello Folks,

If you did not know, we have a “Buy-A-Brick” Heritage Brick Campaign. By buying a commemorative Heritage Brick, you will help support this very important project. There are three sizes of brick available for individuals, families, organizations, and corporations. We welcome memorials and future generations will be able to note their names of those that came together to support history. You can order as many bricks as you like. Like they say, “you can never donate too much!” Your donation will go to support Macktown, which is a national historic site that hosts numerous cultural and educational programs throughout the year. An annual favorite is “The Gathering,” where visitors can step back in time to experience the lifestyles of the Native Americans, traders, trappers, and settlers of the Illinois frontier. For more information you can call (815)-624-4200 or click here to find out more about membership opportunities. Thank you for visiting our Blog and have a wonderful day!

Welcome to our new Blog!

The Whitman Trading Post

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for visiting our new Blog! We will tell you about the Macktown Forest Preserve in beautiful Rockton, Illinois. We will share the history of Macktown and give you updates on the many projects that we do, like the annual archaeological dig. We will share interesting facts about the grounds and the people that lived here. We hope you take time to visit us at 2221 Freeport Road, Rockton, Illinois, 61072. Give us a call to find out hours of operation at (815)-624-4200. Again, thank you for taking time to visit our Blog and come out to see us!