Chamber Information
 The
City of Four Flags
Over 300 hundred years ago, the first European
explorers settled in this beautiful river valley, making this area one
of the oldest European settlements. Upon their arrival, they wrote in
their journals about the hospitality of the natives, the natural beauty
of the land, the combination of the climate, richness of the soil and
the calming waters of the St. Joseph River Valley that produced an
abundance of fish, fowl, fruits and vegetables. It is no wonder that
four nations under four flags – France, England, Spain and the United
States – fought for and defended this picturesque region.
The Four Flags Area is built around the St. Joseph River, a unique river
that flows north, and has provided the citizens of the Four Flags Area
with a different perspective on life. Like the river flowing north,
citizens following the river’s course have strived onward and upward to
prosperity. Continuing the tradition of the hospitality our Native
Americans extended to the first explorers in 1679, the Four Flags Area
extends a warm welcome to visitors and new residents alike.
Return
to a Small Town Quality of Life
 The
settlement of Niles was founded on the banks of the St. Joseph River as
Fort St. Joseph in 1691, because this area offered the region’s safest
river crossing. The Potowatomi Indians called this shallow,
well-graveled ford a “pawating” and used it for centuries on their
annual migration to summer on the cool shores of nearby Lake Michigan.
Today on this site, a bridge spans across the St. Joseph River adjacent
to a regional medical center – taking the place of the safe passage for
ferry and wagon. But the residents of the Four Flags Area still walk the
streets of the town of Niles safely among our historic buildings to
transact business and industry, work or play. In downtown Niles, it’s
just a short walk away from shopping for treasures in one of our many
antique shops, malls, or quaint downtown stores.
Yes, the Four Flags Area is a place of solace, yet the excitement and
thriving commerce of downtown Chicago is just a 90-minute drive, or an
easy commute from our historic train station. Get used to walking down
the street and experiencing the familiarity of running into neighbors.
Unlike many communities created by urban sprawl, Niles and the beauty of
the rolling hills of the surrounding townships has been an acclaimed,
vibrant hub of trade since 1691, close to the establishment of many of
the first cities located on the east coast.
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