What 

 To 



In 

 Illinois 



STARVED ROCK 

 STATE PARK 



y^\yl«HHN you visit Starved Rock 

 ^^y r/ state park, situated on the 

 Q g south bank of the lUinois 

 river midway between Ottawa and La 

 Salle, this summer you will find many 

 new improvements on the grounds. They 

 are designed to make your stay in this 

 scenic and historic spot more pleasant 

 and interesting. 



Starved Rock park has been increasing 

 in popularity in recent years, and is the 

 scene of gatherings of many farm groups 

 throughout the season that extends from 

 May 1 to mid-October. George R. Luk- 

 er, superintendent of state parks, predicts 

 that the estimated attendance of nearly 

 1,000,000 in -1936 will be exceeded this 

 year. 



Special accommodations are provided 

 at the park for house trailers in a camp 

 grounds that is equipped with modern 



WATERFALLS AT STARVED ROCK PARK 

 "A camp ground for house trailers, a new 

 lodge, and cabins await you." 



STARVED ROCK STATE PARK 

 llinois Indians were besieged by Pottowatomi and starved to death.' 



conveniences including hot and cold 

 showers. 



In preparation for the increased influx 

 of visitors in prospect this season, an ex- 

 tensive program of construction was com- 

 pleted during the fall and winter months 

 by the CCC under supervision of the Na- 

 tional Parks Service. Scores of new rustic 

 shelters have been erected, cook furnaces 

 constructed, roads and trails improved^ 

 and bridges built. 



Outstanding among the new construc- 

 tion is a huge log lodge and adjoining 

 group of cabins for tourists. In this is a 

 gigantic double fireplace towering to a 

 height of two stories. 



Starved Rock, which abounds in natural 

 beauty, stretches for four miles along the 

 Illinois river and contains many canyons 

 with perpendicular moss and fern-covered 

 walls. The predominating feature is 

 the rocky eminence known as Starved 

 Rock — a cylindrical pillar of St. Peter's 

 sandstone rising 140 feet above the water 

 of the Illinois river and containing on its 

 surface about an acre of ground. 



Starved Rock was the site of Fort Saint 

 Louis for 10 years. Robert Cavelier Sieur 

 de La Salle and his trusted lieutenant 

 Henry De Tonti in December 1682 began 

 the construction of the fort on this 

 promontory. 



Below this outpost, symbol of French 

 protection to the Indian tribes of the Il- 

 linois, Indian villages numbering 20.000 

 souls developed. In the year 1691-2 Fort 

 Saint Louis was moved to a site near 



the outlet of Lake Peoria. A decade later 

 the French establishments in the INinois 

 river were moved once more to the east 

 bank of the Mississippi, extending from 

 the present site of East St. Louis to the 

 mouth of the Kaskaskia river. 



Indian tradition tells that about 1765 

 a band of Illinois Indians was pursued 

 by an overwhelming force of Pottowatomi 

 seeking to avenge the death of Chief 

 Pontiac. and took refuge on the summit 

 of this rock which had been the site of 

 Fort Saint Louis. 



The inaccessibility of this natural for- 

 tress enabled the Illinois to keep their 

 forces at bay, but hunger and thirst 

 united to defeat them. Their provisions 

 failed, the enemies cut the cords with 

 which they tried to lift vessels of water 

 from the river. With their vast hunting 

 grounds in a panorama before them they 

 died from starvation w^ith true Indian 

 fortitude, and this gave to this lofty 

 citadel the name of Starved Rock. 



10 



will County Farm Bureau assisted in 



the organization of a new Home Bureau unit 

 in that county at an all day meeting on 

 June 11. More th.in 1^0 persons were 

 present and 20 of the 24 townships were 

 represented. The Farm Bure.iu furnished the 

 lunch, and the Service Company rented the 

 hall for the occasion. Nine other counties 

 are working on organization plans for 

 Home Bureau units, according to Miss 

 Mary Louise Chase. Extension Leader from 

 the LIniversity. They are Winnebago, Ogle, 

 Kendall, Grundy, Effingham, St. Clair, Craw- 

 ford. Edwards and Wabash. 



I. A. A. RECORD 



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