Kaskaskia, Illinois

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Village with a population of 9 at the 2000 census. Originally the site of a Native American village, a Jesuit mission was built here in 1703 to convert the natives. The French built Fort Kaskaskia, named for the Kaskaskia River, at this site in 1733. After the Seven Years' War the British were ceded the land and destroyed the fort, but the settlement that had formed around it remained. In 1778 American forces under George Rogers Clark captured the city. It served as territorial capital of Illinois from 1809 until 1818, and state capital until 1820. Much of the city was destroyed in the floods of 1844 and 1881 and never recovered.

The Mississippi river which once flowed around Kaskaskia, settled into a new channel after the 1881 flood. Even though Kaskaskia is now on the other side of the river, it is still part of Illinois.

www.iltrails.org/kaskaskia/
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaskaskia,_Illinois
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   37°54'54"N   89°54'39"W

Comments

  • Kaskaskia is actually interesting to explore. Historic and very quiet!
This article was last modified 14 years ago