Our Past & Future

Prophetstown’s name honors Wa-bo-kie-shiek, a Native American prophet who served as advisor to Sauk chief Black Hawk in the 1800’s. Half-Sauk and half- Winnebago, Wa-bo-kie-shiek lived in a Winnebago village on the Rock River where the community of Prophetstown stands today.

Progressive from its earliest days (the city had electric power in the 1896, and municipal water and telephone service in 1904), Prophetstown is committed to a tradition of excellence. In 2005, the city was named “The Most Arts-Friendly Small Town in Illinois” by the Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation, the Illinois Municipal League and the Motorola Corporation. The City of Prophetstown received the President’s Award for the program in which Prophetstown High School students and community volunteers collaborated on a series of historically significant murals. It’s just one more way the Prophetstown builds for the future while honoring the past.