October 2022 Sightings

We spent October learning the history of the property. Key points we discovered:

• The treaty of September 26, 1833 ‘removed’ the Pottawattamie Indians. This treaty was not proclaimed until February 21, 1835, and the Indians were ‘allowed’ to remain in the territory until August 1836. (So many comments and thoughts about this.)
• Settlers started to settle Lake County, IL in 1834.
• The Gibbons family owned the property from 1861 through the early 1900s. (Still need to research additional ownership history)
• The family that still lives on the adjoining property shared some wonderful memories of growing up there. They have lived there for over 60 years, if not more.
  • The property was pasture for their horses 
  • The pond was made by humans and has cement blocks with drainage pipes.
    • They would wade/swim in the pond, it was approximately four feet deep. There were leeches.
    • It had fish (stocked); bluegill and bullheads. 
    • There were frogs, they do not recall seeing any turtles.
    • The Great Blue Heron and Kingfisher would visit the pond.
    • The area would easily flood when it rained.