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| Isle a la Cache Museum has been completely renovated and reopened in June 2007. All new exhibits, many of them interactive, an enlarged display area, and enhanced native landscaping around the museum make for a totally new experience for museum visitors.
"Island of the Hiding Place" - this mysterious title is the translation of the French phrase Isle a la Cache. It refers to a time when the French voyageurs traveled down rivers deep into the wild unknowns. A time when the native Potowatomi lived off the land, directly using their resources for food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. A time when it was stylish in Europe to wear fur hats from an animal found plentiful in the new land - the beaver. The eighteenth century was a time of change and mixing of diverse cultures; see all this at Isle a la Cache Museum.
Situated in the Des Plaines River, Isle a la Cache rests on historic land: legend tells of a French trader in the late 1600s who, when warned of possible danger down the river, buried or "cached" his goods on the island.
Inside the Museum, explore exhibits of the French fur trade. Find out about a voyager's day on the river; examine a real birch bark canoe; see the trade items of metal, beads, and cloth that changed the Native American's lifestyle. |
 501 E. Romeo Rd. (135th Street) Romeoville, IL 60446 815.886.1467 Located 0.5 mile east of Route 53, in Romeoville. Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 4:00 p.m., Sunday |
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| Step inside a Native American wigwam where you can play native games or dress-up in period clothing. Touch the soft, silky fur of a beaver and realize for yourself why Europeans desired this waterproof coat. School children visit Isle a la Cache as it was 250 years ago as they take a "Walk Through Time." How many beaver pelts would you give for a metal pot? Children take part in a "trade" and understand the value of items for different cultures and experience Native American life while visiting an 18th Century replica longhouse.
For most of the year, the island is a relatively quiet and peaceful setting: a good place to fish on the river or take a refreshing walk along the trail. In June, however, the scene is dramatically transformed: feasting, playing, drinking, and dancing the Island Rendezvous! A spirited celebration, a rendezvous was a gathering of trappers, traders, and travelers at the end of the trading season. As an annual event that has attracted thousands of people for the past 15 years, the Island Rendezvous includes musket shoots, canoe races, tomahawk throwing contests, and more! Visit with re-enactors, individuals who dress as the French voyageur and Native American people of the 1700s. Wander through their camps, watch demonstrations of their fascinating crafts and skills. Join the celebration and experience the Island Rendezvous as close to time travel as you can get! |
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