Pulaski County History
History of Pulaski County
Kathleen Thompson
Vice President, Pulaski County Historical Society
In 1776, the inhabitants of “Pulaski County” were mainly Potawatomi Indians with a few Miami. Recorded history places the Potawatomi in what would become Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States by at least the 13th century. Over the centuries, they slowly migrated to settle in what is now known as the Great Lakes Region. What is now the Winamac Town Park is known to have been a gathering place. Every spring, the horseshoe bend in the river would be host to families from several villages gathered for communal hunting and fishing.
The Potawatomi were required to marry outside of their own community. A network of social bonds were created through these marriages and through trade agreements. The Potawatomi people had a decentralized system of government. Without a chief to speak for the entire tribe, village heads met in council to make decisions and discuss diplomatic negotiations. Many such councils were held at Lake Bruce.
When the Potawatomi fought, it was to protect their rights to the land. Because of their decentralized government, in any recorded war, one could find Potawatomi on both sides. The first historically recorded wars in which they were involved were the Beaver Wars. In a series of conflicts from 1628 to 1701, the Potawatomi sided with the French against the Iroquois in disputes over the fur trade. Due to their relationship with the French, with some exceptions, they sided with the French against the British and the colonies in the French and Indian War. When the French were defeated, Great Britain’s King George III issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to protect land traditionally claimed by Native Americans. This denied colonists the right to move west of the Appalachian Mountains. Because of this protection, the Potawatomi, with some exceptions, sided with the British during the Revolutionary War. It should be mentioned that none of these wars touched Pulaski County. They were fought to the east, north, and south.
Following the Revolutionary War, King George’s protection of Native American land was no longer in force. The Northwest Territory was formed from part of the unorganized territory west of Pennsylvania, land that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and a portion of Minnesota. White settlers pushed past the Appalachians. The Northwest Ordinance, another foundational document, established the framework for settling and governing the Northwest Territory. Enacted in 1787, the ordinance was crucial for the westward expansion of the United States. It was also the beginning of the end of the Potawatomi retaining their land.
For much of this time, the Potawatomi lived peacefully, trading with the whites that moved among them. Villages continued to use the horseshoe bend of the river for hunting and fishing; diplomatic relations where established with the new government. Unfortunately for the native population, William Henry Harrison, the territorial Governor, was focused on U.S. expansion. His primary concern was to obtain land. He aggressively pursued treaties and was not above using alcohol or working one tribe or village against another.
The Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 was a direct result of Governor Harrison’s aggressive tactics. Many Potawatomi joined the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh at Prophetstown. When native forces were defeated, British arms were found in their possession. The battle became a major catalyst leading to the War of 1812. Again, and with some exceptions, the Potawatomi aligned with the British.
Fun story: Theories exist that Chief Winamac – for whom our county seat was named – was said to be at Prophetstown with the Shawnee and, alternately, with U.S. forces. He was also said to have been at the Battle of Fort Dearborn – an early battle of the 1812 conflict – on both sides. He was either an ally of the U.S., an ally of Great Britain, or a double agent.
The stories of Chief Winamac point out the serious situation in which the Potawatomi found themselves. Their negotiations with the young and growing nation were disparate. While relations with the settlers were good, the nation and the settlers wanted what they had. The land.
In 1816, Indiana was carved out of the Northwest Territory. Starting from the southern part of the state, moving north, counties were formed. They were formed because, piece by piece, sections of land were ceded to the United States government. It happened through a series of treaties made by a variety of tribes, and on the part of the Potawatomi, village leaders. No treaty had full tribal approval and all were later broken by the government.
The area that would become Pulaski County was settled when the land was ceded by the Potawatomi. In 1832, all other Native Americans had given up claim to any land. Only the Potawatomi retained claim. The Treaty of Tippecanoe gave most of the land to the U.S. and established a reservation for the tribe along the Yellow River (just south of what is now Plymouth). In exchange for the land, the tribe was granted an annual payment of $20,000 for 20 years. The tribe was also granted $100,000 in goods and a lump sum payment of $62,412 for payment of debts owed to the tribe. Assistance was offered in moving to the new reservation, and farming implements were provided to assist in cultivation.
The Treaty of Yellow River (1836), one of Indiana’s more contentious treaties, broke the Treaty of Tippecanoe and offered the Potawatomi a pittance of what the 1832 treaty required: only $14,080 for two sections of Indiana land. In addition, they were required to vacate their land in Indiana within two years. Chief Menominee and seventeen others refused to accept the terms of the sale, refusing even to take part in the negotiations. They did not recognize the treaty’s authority.
By then, trappers and squatters had established themselves in the area to become Pulaski County with permanent settlers soon to follow. The county was officially established in 1839.
As a sad footnote, 1839 is also the year the Potawatomi were finally ejected from the state. They were walked at gunpoint on the Trail of Death from Menominee’s Village, 21 miles from Winamac as the crow flies, to Kansas.
Kathleen Thompson, Vice President
Pulaski County Historical Society
Pulaski County Journal and Courier - Dec. 2025
Kathleen Thompson
Vice President, Pulaski County Historical Society
In 1776, the inhabitants of “Pulaski County” were mainly Potawatomi Indians with a few Miami. Recorded history places the Potawatomi in what would become Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States by at least the 13th century. Over the centuries, they slowly migrated to settle in what is now known as the Great Lakes Region. What is now the Winamac Town Park is known to have been a gathering place. Every spring, the horseshoe bend in the river would be host to families from several villages gathered for communal hunting and fishing.
The Potawatomi were required to marry outside of their own community. A network of social bonds were created through these marriages and through trade agreements. The Potawatomi people had a decentralized system of government. Without a chief to speak for the entire tribe, village heads met in council to make decisions and discuss diplomatic negotiations. Many such councils were held at Lake Bruce.
When the Potawatomi fought, it was to protect their rights to the land. Because of their decentralized government, in any recorded war, one could find Potawatomi on both sides. The first historically recorded wars in which they were involved were the Beaver Wars. In a series of conflicts from 1628 to 1701, the Potawatomi sided with the French against the Iroquois in disputes over the fur trade. Due to their relationship with the French, with some exceptions, they sided with the French against the British and the colonies in the French and Indian War. When the French were defeated, Great Britain’s King George III issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to protect land traditionally claimed by Native Americans. This denied colonists the right to move west of the Appalachian Mountains. Because of this protection, the Potawatomi, with some exceptions, sided with the British during the Revolutionary War. It should be mentioned that none of these wars touched Pulaski County. They were fought to the east, north, and south.
Following the Revolutionary War, King George’s protection of Native American land was no longer in force. The Northwest Territory was formed from part of the unorganized territory west of Pennsylvania, land that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and a portion of Minnesota. White settlers pushed past the Appalachians. The Northwest Ordinance, another foundational document, established the framework for settling and governing the Northwest Territory. Enacted in 1787, the ordinance was crucial for the westward expansion of the United States. It was also the beginning of the end of the Potawatomi retaining their land.
For much of this time, the Potawatomi lived peacefully, trading with the whites that moved among them. Villages continued to use the horseshoe bend of the river for hunting and fishing; diplomatic relations where established with the new government. Unfortunately for the native population, William Henry Harrison, the territorial Governor, was focused on U.S. expansion. His primary concern was to obtain land. He aggressively pursued treaties and was not above using alcohol or working one tribe or village against another.
The Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 was a direct result of Governor Harrison’s aggressive tactics. Many Potawatomi joined the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh at Prophetstown. When native forces were defeated, British arms were found in their possession. The battle became a major catalyst leading to the War of 1812. Again, and with some exceptions, the Potawatomi aligned with the British.
Fun story: Theories exist that Chief Winamac – for whom our county seat was named – was said to be at Prophetstown with the Shawnee and, alternately, with U.S. forces. He was also said to have been at the Battle of Fort Dearborn – an early battle of the 1812 conflict – on both sides. He was either an ally of the U.S., an ally of Great Britain, or a double agent.
The stories of Chief Winamac point out the serious situation in which the Potawatomi found themselves. Their negotiations with the young and growing nation were disparate. While relations with the settlers were good, the nation and the settlers wanted what they had. The land.
In 1816, Indiana was carved out of the Northwest Territory. Starting from the southern part of the state, moving north, counties were formed. They were formed because, piece by piece, sections of land were ceded to the United States government. It happened through a series of treaties made by a variety of tribes, and on the part of the Potawatomi, village leaders. No treaty had full tribal approval and all were later broken by the government.
The area that would become Pulaski County was settled when the land was ceded by the Potawatomi. In 1832, all other Native Americans had given up claim to any land. Only the Potawatomi retained claim. The Treaty of Tippecanoe gave most of the land to the U.S. and established a reservation for the tribe along the Yellow River (just south of what is now Plymouth). In exchange for the land, the tribe was granted an annual payment of $20,000 for 20 years. The tribe was also granted $100,000 in goods and a lump sum payment of $62,412 for payment of debts owed to the tribe. Assistance was offered in moving to the new reservation, and farming implements were provided to assist in cultivation.
The Treaty of Yellow River (1836), one of Indiana’s more contentious treaties, broke the Treaty of Tippecanoe and offered the Potawatomi a pittance of what the 1832 treaty required: only $14,080 for two sections of Indiana land. In addition, they were required to vacate their land in Indiana within two years. Chief Menominee and seventeen others refused to accept the terms of the sale, refusing even to take part in the negotiations. They did not recognize the treaty’s authority.
By then, trappers and squatters had established themselves in the area to become Pulaski County with permanent settlers soon to follow. The county was officially established in 1839.
As a sad footnote, 1839 is also the year the Potawatomi were finally ejected from the state. They were walked at gunpoint on the Trail of Death from Menominee’s Village, 21 miles from Winamac as the crow flies, to Kansas.
Kathleen Thompson, Vice President
Pulaski County Historical Society
Pulaski County Journal and Courier - Dec. 2025