This semi-circle of Indian fire-places covered the complete range of the Green Bay Trail from Trail D. to the west shore trail. Three miles in advance and upon a narrow sandspit originally not more than a mile wide we find Indian village no. 3 located within a radius of one fourth of a mile from the corner of Halsted St and Diversey Boulevard. An outpost and the nearest one to the portage river.
The prestige given to the Indian village at the Chicago river; and that was Bowmanville, was from the Junction of the Green Bay Trail with the portage river. Bowmanville was located within hailing distance of both the north branch and the shore of lake Michigan. Certainly, we had a large Indian village at the Chicago river, controlling the portage river, even if part of the population was deployed or transitory.
At the Bowmanville - Forest Glen Indian villages were displayed the eagle feathers, no hostile tribe could share this, to the unfettered Indian mind small territory with them. And also that the Bowmanville - Forest Glen Indian village as a human habitation was occupied -- when wild fowls gathered and the fiery Salamander sported on the elongated sandbar which is today north Chicago. Pottery from Indian village No. 3 can only be found in the archaeological collection of Carl Dilg.
From Bowmanville, down the North Branch river to its mouth there were six Indian camps. South of this along the portage river no pottery or chips have been found. The supplementary trail running north from Indian village no. 3, with Evanston Ave shows a minor Indian village and several chipping stations and incidentally that the old shore line here has not changed materially. There are a number of these stations at intervals which collectively show where the "Indians parked their guns" on the shore of the great lake. This minor Indian village was south of Foster Avenue at the Sheridan drive. An Indian grave was found here, in line with Carmen Avenue, by Daniel J. Gates, who assisted in laying-out Kenmore Avenue and its entire contents, bones and all, utilized in making the grade.
At Birchwood there were minor Indian villages in two places near the Indian Boundary line, all within easy reach of Bowmanville.