Some say our Island has seen three national flags fly overhead —
British, French and U.S. But in truth, people of many nations
have called Kitche-Minishon or Grosse Ile "the big island"
their home. Among them, are the Potawatomi people — the
Bodéwadmi — "Keepers of the Fire" as they refer to themselves.

 

The Potawatomi nation, along with the Ojibwe and Ottawa nations
were part of the powerful three-nation alliance called the
Council of Three Fires. The Potawatomi were considered by the
others to be the "youngest brother."

 

It was an assemblage of Potowadomi chiefs who "deeded" their
ancestral land to the Macomb brothers, William and Alexander,
on July 6, 1776. The Macombs were prominent Detroit merchants
at the time. Today, most historians start Grosse Ile's historical clock
from that real estate agreement, which was sealed under a tree,
later appropriately named, The Treaty Tree.

 

more... see the Grosse Ile Historical Timeline... go here