FL/GT Historical Society Meeting, Jan. 2014: Black Hawk War Cannonball

January was Show and tell where folks brought in stuff to show. //// A person from Round Lake Park brought in a small cannonball he had found while digging a garden at his home close to the American Legion on Il-134. How a two-inch diameter iron cannonball got in his yard was a puzzling thing. First thought was that it might be from the Civil War. But, there were no battles fought in Lake County, Illinois. He contacted museums and was told the cannonball pre-dated the Civil War. Maybe someone had dropped it there? //// A good clue came from the Round Lake 75th Anniversary pamphlet which mentioned that Chief Black Hawk passed through what became the Round Lake area when he was forced to retreat from Big Hollow (by where Il-134 and US-12 intersect) Illinois militia pursued him and had small howitzer cannons which likely fired shots at the retreating Indians. //// Most People Don't Know That Chief Black Hawk Was in the Area. --RoadDog

July Mississppi River Trip-- Part 1

Historically speaking about yesterday's drive through northern Illinois.

We passed two sites associated with the Blackhawk War dating to the 1830s. The town of Stillmam Valley has a statue honoring soldiers killed fighting Chief Blackhawk and his warriors. Their graves are nearby.

We also visited the Blackhawk Statue on the bluff overlooking the Rock River. Well, it's not actually of Blackhawk, but represents Indians in general. The impressive fifty foot statue was built 100 years ago by famed sculptor Lorado Taft. Three weeks ago, I saw it from a river boat, but today saw it up close and personal. Impressive.

Then, there is the small town of Grand Detour where one man named John Deere developed his famous prairie plow that enabled farmers to break through the tough prairie sod in the midwest which led to its becoming one of the world's major agricultural areas.

Historically Speaking, Of Course. --DaCoot