War Eagle Monument

Wambdi Okicize, popularly known as War Eagle, was a defining presence in the founding of Sioux City.  While not much is known about his early life, War Eagle became a riverboat guide on the upper Mississippi, worked for the American Fur Company, and delivered messages for the government during the War of 1812.  He became chief of the Yankton Sioux and traveled to Washington, DC to negotiate peace treaties.  Dedicated to fostering peace between two groups of people he both considered friends, War Eagle’s contributions to Sioux City ensured the survival and prosperity of the settlement.  Today, his legacy lives on in the monument dedicated to him along a bluff overlooking the Missouri River Valley.  This historic site is maintained by the Sioux City Public Museum.