“Peace Garden/Fire Circle” lead artist - Kunhild Blacklock 1998

Campbell's Island, Illinois

The Peace Garden and Fire Circle is a thirty foot circle of concrete benches covered with tiled mosaics. These mosaics represent the designs of Sauk and Mesquakie bead work, ribbon appliqués, woven bags, rugs and paintings on hides, created between 1830 and 1890. A turtle inscribed in concrete in the center of the benches holds a fire grate.

This project was designed to honor the Native American history of the Quad-Cities. From about 1750 until 1831, the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes resided in this area. The Sauk village, Saukenak, was the largest Native American village in North America. It was located about seven miles from this site.