Chief Wabansi was a daring and brave warrior.  He was a chief of great intelligence and influence, and he maintained the interests of his people very well.  Wabansi was the principal war-chief of the Pottawatomie of the Prairie on the Kankakee River in Illinois.  He was also one of the chiefs who helped negotiate the treaty of the Wabash in 1826.  In 1836, Wabansi moved his Pottawatomie tribe to Missouri.  This made his name more well-known among the settlers moving to Kansas.  His bold and fierce reputation and the fact that many people knew about him made his name more prone to be adopted as the name of an area, more specifically being present-day Wabaunsee County.

 

You can visit an exhibit featuring Chief Wabansi and the Pottawatomie Indians at the Wabaunsee County Museum located at 227 Missouri.

Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m.  Closed for lunch 12-1 p.m.