Forest County Potawatomi Tribal leaders launch canoes on Menomonee River
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- For the first time in nearly 200 years, Forest County Potawatomi Tribal leaders launched canoes on the Menomonee River on Friday, Aug. 14.
Leaders launched five handcrafted birch bark canoes.
It marks the first time in 188 years that Potawatomi members paddled the river since their ancestors were removed from the area.
Leaders say the historic event is a celebration of how far the Menomonee Valley has come since 1838.
"We've been teaching different generations how to make them in hopes that would carry on into the future, and as a reward we wanted to come down and take a ride on the river our grandfathers used to ride on," said Ned Daniels Jr. Potawatomi Tribal elder.
Leaders say the historic launch is a celebration of how far the Menomonee Valley has come since 1838 and the tribe's enduring presence in Milwaukee.
