The French Midwest

As we get ready for our 2025 Convention, did you know that where Chicago stands today was once a critical site for the French travelling through the Great Lakes and on to the Mississippi River?  Before it was the Windy City, Chicago (also written as Chickago, Checagou or Chicagou!) was the site of an important portage that created a connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  As our 2025 convention theme—“Le français chez nous”—suggests, there are many places throughout the United States that have a rich French heritage, and a significant number of those can be found in the American Midwest, especially in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

Come join AATF President Will Thompson as he traces the history of the French presence along the Midwest waterways, and explores how this French heritage continues to be celebrated today.