The Monee Historical Society plans a free program for Saturday, Oct. 10, on the village’s earliest known Native inhabitants, featuring author and speaker Sharon Hoosten.
The program is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Monee Heritage Center, the old Creamery, at 5210 W. Court St., society board member Betsy Youdris told the Village Board at its Sept. 23 meeting.
Youdris said Hoosten is a tribal member, which she called of special interest to the society. Hoosten has written a book and plans to bring six signed copies, Youdris said.
Youdris described the Potawatomi as once spread across Canada, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, a region she said includes Monee. She also pointed to the woman for whom the village is named, whom Youdris calls Marie/Monee.
“These people, contrary to popular opinion, are not gone,” Youdris said. “They had to move out of the area, but many of them moved back again.”
The society hopes the program leads to November presentations for grade school students, Youdris said. Members are also talking with a high school history teacher about working with his classes when they study the people who lived in the area, their government, culture and tribal membership.
“Come and hear the story of the people who made this place beautiful before you and I got a chance to live here,” Youdris said.