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 Chief
Keokuk (Kiyo`kaga, 'one who moves about alert' ) was a member of the
Sauk tribe in the Middle Mississippi River Valley
and was noted for his policy of cooperation with the U.S.
government during the Black Hawk War of 1832. Keokuk was young when
he became a member of the Sauk council and rose to prominence
command through ability and force of character and his lodge became
a center for social and political affairs. Popular among the people
of his tribe Keokuk used diplomacy to become a leading councilor in
the Sauk assembly. Keokuk played a role in the Black Hawk War of
1832. This conflict between elements of the Sauk and Fox tribes and
the Americans was the result of a dispute over an 1804 treaty
between the Sauk and Fox and the United States. In Article 2 of this
treaty the Sauk and Fox agreed to cede to the United States all of
their lands east of the Mississippi and some of claims west of it in
exchange for thousand dollars in goods from the United States every
year. The feeling of many Sauk and Fox was that the treaty was
signed by minor chiefs and had not been authorized by the Sauk and
Fox tribal councils to negotiate a land cession. In 1832 Sauk and
Fox Indians under the leadership of Black Hawk left the Iowa
territory and returned to their homes across the Mississippi River
in northern Illinois. In response to Black Hawk’s action the
Americans organized a force that was ultimately composed of federal
troops along with militia companies raised from the states of
Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri and the territories. After a series
of battles in northern Illinois and Wisconsin Black Hawk’s forces
were finally defeated at the Battle of Bad Axe in present day
Wisconsin.
During the conflict Keokuk remained loyal to the Americans who had
made him their principal contact among the Sac and Fox people and
rewarded him with gifts. Keokuk was also a leading figure for the
native tribes during the negotiations to end the war which ceded six
million acres of land in what is now the state of Iowa. Two areas
were held back as special awards. One was these areas was a four
hundred square mile strip surrounding the village of Keokuk was a
reward for his neutrality during the conflict. The Sauk did not keep
the land for long. In 1845 Keokuk and the Sauk were relocated to
Kansas where Keokuk died of dysentery in 1848.
In 1883 the remains of Keokuk were removed from Kansas where they
were reinterred in the newly created Rand Park in the city that
bears Keokuk’s name. Rand Park is located on the bluff overlooking
the Mississippi with a panoramic view of the river. The statue on
the Chief Keokuk gravesite was dedicated in 1913, replacing the
previous stone top of the monument. Legend has it that the idea for
the statue came after some mischief makers stole a wooden cigar
store Indian and placed it on the monument. The statue was created
by noted Iowa sculptor Nellie Walker.
Visiting the
Chief Keokuk Monument
Visiting Hours
Dawn to dusk
everyday
There is no charge to visit the Chief Keokuk
Monument.
Location:
The Chief Keokuk Monument is located in Rand Park
near the
downtown area of Keokuk. Go northeast on N. 17th Street from Main Street (US-61,
IA-218) about 7 blocks to Rand Park. Continue on 17th Street to River
Road, which overlooks the Mississippi River, and take a right.
 Learn more about the
Keokuk
area.
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