November 2025:
Native American History Month
November 2, 2025 at 2PM ~ Richardson-Bretz Building
Local historian Harry Frech will speak about the Native American tribes that once flourished along the St. Mary’s River. Frech will briefly discuss Native Americans in the area during the Prehistoric era. He will then examine the tribespeople’s activities in the area from 1700 to 1840; their lifestyle, involvement in the fur trade, wars and finally their removal. (Frech is not an authority on arrowheads or other artifacts.)
November 23, 2025 at 2PM ~ Richardson-Bretz Building
Join the Mercer County Historical Society as Nick Thobe and Larry Eyink share new research on the Chickasaw Nation’s involvement with the U.S. military during the Northwest Indian Wars and the War of 1812. Though the Chickasaw were a smaller tribe often overlooked in history books, their influence in this region was far greater than many realize.
Discover how the village of Chickasaw thrived as a Native community long after the Indian Removal Act began, preserving its culture and presence in Mercer County. Through maps and firsthand research, Thobe and Eyink will trace lost trails and forgotten villages, revealing the Chickasaw’s lasting impact on local and national history.