After 175 years, Illinois is contemplating returning land to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation that was taken from Chief Shab-eh-nay in 1848 while he and his tribe were visiting relatives in Kansas. The land, originally reserved for Chief Shab-eh-nay under a treaty signed in 1829, was sold to white settlers, leading to an ongoing dispute.
The proposed transfer involves a 1,500-acre state park named after Chief Shab-eh-nay, located west of Chicago. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation aims to preserve the park's natural state while Illinois would continue to provide maintenance.
