 Starved Rock is probably the single most prominent historic place connected with early Indian life in the Corridor. This striking pedestal of sandstone has a colorful history to match. Its name comes from a semi-legendary disaster that befell a group of Illinois Indians besieged on its top in the aftermath of Pontiac's Uprising around 1769. Prior to its calamitous event, archeological investigations of a large part of the top of the rock has disclosed this landmark to have witnessed approximately 5000 years of continuous human use. All but the Paleo-Indian Period is recorded in this long sequence of repeated occupation. The rock or as it was called by the French, Le Rocher, became famous in 1682 when La Salle constructed Fort St. Louis on top to induce the Illinois Indians to remain in their village (Old Kaskaskia) after they had been scared off by an Iroquois war party in 1680. The fort's wooden design was tailored to fit the topography on top and utilized locations where the surface soil was anchored most securely. Several sunken bunkers were dug in areas where the mantle was sufficiently deep. Archeologists excavated a deep deposit of early 18th century trash in one of these bunkers. When the fort was abandoned in 1691, it remained in use by Native Americans, however. Deep pockets of trash that filled the bunkers of LaSalle's fort testify to this use, probably by one of the Illinois tribes--perhaps the Peoria who were recorded to be living near the rock as late as 1736. The rock's present-day name was not to come into use until sometime after 1769. Clues to the rock's prehistoric use are buried in the soil that occupies a deep basin-like depression in the rock surface. Here ancient camp fires were found.
Several hundred feet east and downslope of the Starved Rock Park lodge lies the Hotel Plaza Site, occupied repeatedly in ancient times. This encampment was heavily occupied in the 17th and early 18th centuries by Indians concentrated around Starved Rock as a defensive measure. Its rich history was disclosed by excavations in 1948.
 Across from Starved Rock lies the Old Kaskaskia Village or the Zimmerman site. This large village has a 1000-year old history of settlement as a preferred location for farming. This village, much of which lies under the water of the flood pool behind the Starved Rock Lock and Dam, achieved fame as the site of Father Marquette's visit to the Kaskaskia Indians in 1673. When first found by the French, the village held 74 cabins of long, loaf-shaped wigwams covered with reed mats. The size of the village grew shortly thereafter by the addition of other groups of Illinois Indians. It attained a size of 460 cabins before the Iroquois raid of 1680. Later many thousands were said to have was occupied the site.
 Archeology and history agree upon the lifeways of these villagers. They lived in their village during the spring and summer. In early winter and in mid-summer before the corn harvest they roved the upland prairies in search of bison or American buffalo. Although these large game animals were not as plentiful as they were west of the Mississippi, herds were an important source of food. Prehistoric occupants of this village lived in very different housing and pursued a more sedentary existence. Dwellings were earth-covered and set part-way into the ground to resemble the earth lodges of the Plains Indians. Hunters concentrated on game available locally and on plentiful fish.
For more information about the archeology along the Illinois River and Starved Rock area visit
http://www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/i&m/CORRIDOR/archeo/home.htm
Starved Rock State Park - State Parks - Starved Rock State Park
As you explore the trails and parks of the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, you'll become aware of the beauty and variety of the landscape along the canal route. But you may not realize that the distinctively shaped hills and ridges, the bedrock gorges, the marshes, and the lakes are all evidence of the activity of glaciers and glacial meltwaters.
Continental glaciers invaded Illinois repeatedly during the Ice Age, a span of time from about 2.4 million years to 10,000 years ago. The modern landscape you now see records the retreat of the last major ice sheet that extended into Illinois from 25,000 to 14,000 years ago. This invasion took place during the most recent or Wisconsinan Glaciation, which geologists estimated extended from 75,000 to 10,000 years B.P. (before present time). During that time, the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered much of Canada and the northern United States. Nurtured by a continental climate colder than today's, the ice sheet grew as snow accumulated and the pressure of its own weight caused it to change to ice and spread outward from its Canadian center.
The tongue of the ice sheet that flowed into Illinois came from the north. It became known as the Lake Michigan Lobe because it flowed as a river of ice through the Lake Michigan Basin before it spread out into central Illinois. When the glacier reached its southernmost limit about 20,000 years ago, the ice was a mile thick at Chicago--an enormous weight that depressed the land beneath. Later as the ice retreated and the glacier's weight was released, the Earth's crust began to rebound. The crust is still rebounding today, especially from Milwaukee northward.
When glaciers extended into Illinois, the climate was much different from today. At the ice margin, long-haired mastodons browsed among spruce forests. The average yearly temperatures were near or just above freezing, and most of the year's precipitation was in the form of snow. In the summer, enormous volumes of meltwater and sediment flowed away from the glacier, but during winter, river volumes were reduced to a relative trickle.
For more information about the geological history along the Illinois River and Starved Rock area visit http://www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/i&m/CORRIDOR/geo/geo.htm.
Starved Rock is an erosional remnant of St. Peter Sandstone that forms a high terrace in the Illinois Valley. The rock is an historic site of a successful siege against the Illini Indians, resulting in the starvation and demise of the entire tribe.
Split Rock, located near the mouth of the Pecumsaugan Creek, midway between La Salle and Utica, is a picturesque area. The canal right-of-way was cut through this rocky promontry. In this area, the St. Peter Sandstone and Shakopee Dolomite are exposed along the northern side of the canal.
Buffalo Rock is located on a bluff which was once an island in the Illinois River. Now standing majestically on the north bank, this promontory affords a magnificent sweeping view of the Illinois River. Located approximately three miles west of Ottawa in LaSalle County.
Matthiessen State Park, consisting of the Upper and Lower Dells, provides an unusual and interesting walking tour. Located in central LaSalle County, approximately four miles south of Utica and three miles east of Oglesby, Matthiessen is a paradise for those interested in geology as well as recreation.
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