A 'Wonderful Land'

STORY BY JOHN ALLEN
PHOTOS BY ADELE HODDE

The 1.3 million people who visit Kankakee River State Park each year find a site with a rich history, an abundance of things to do and a setting whose beauty and serenity rival any in the state.

Native American word, Au-Ki-Ke, provides apt description of Kankakee River State Park.

Stretching for 11 miles on either side of the river six miles northwest of Kankakee, the park had its origins about 12,000 years ago when the Kankakee Torrent broke through the Minooka and Tinley moraines to form the river valley. The moraines, which held back water left by the melting of the Wisconsonan Glacier, are still visible on the north side of the river upstream from the park.

Starting near South Bend, the 140-mile-long Kankakee River flows west through Indiana and Illinois, joining the DesPlaines River six miles northwest of Wilmington to form the headwaters of the Illinois River. A clear, shallow river with a sand/gravel bottom, the meandering Kankakee contains numerous natural islands and is listed on the federal Clean Streams Register.

A fisherman's dream, the Kankakee contains healthy populations of smallmouth and largemouth bass, rock bass, black and white crappie, channel catfish, northern pike, bluegill and walleye. In fact, the state record walleye, a 14-pound monster, was taken from the river in 1961.

The combination of good fishing, clean water and abundant wildlife (deer, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, fox, coyote, waterfowl and dove) was probably the draw for Native Americans, whose presence at the site dates to prehistoric time. The Miami, Illini, Kickapoo and Mascouten were the tribes encountered by the first Europeans in the

Even when covered in snow, it's hard to deny the beauty of Kankakee River State Park.

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Rock Creek was once the site of an Indian village.

1670s, with the former so numerous that the river was known as the "River of the Miami."

A century later, the area was the domain of the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi Indians, the latter naming the river the Au-Ki-Ke, which meant "wonderful land." Led by Chief Shawanasee (Shaw-waw-nas-see), the Potawatomi had a sizable settlement called Rock Village along Rock Creek in the current state park. It was the site of the last Great Council of the Potawatomi in 1830.

"The Three Fires," as the tribes were called, began leaving the area in 1833 as a result of the Treaty of Camp Tippecanoe, which ended the Black Hawk War. They ceded all land along the Kankakee and Illinois rivers to the U.S. government, and moved to reservations in western Iowa and Kansas.

Shawanasee, however, did not leave. He was granted a land reserve within the current park boundaries and resided in a log cabin there until his death in 1834. He was interred in a seated position above ground near Rock Creek, his pipe, tobacco, knife, rifle, tomahawk and other artifacts entombed with him. After Shawanasee's remaining family left the area in 1838, the chief was buried and a large boulder bearing his name and the date the Potawatomi departed was left at the burial site.

Prior to the Treaty of Tippecanoe, the Potawatomi had a long-time relationship with French fur traders. One trader, Noel LeVasseur, was married to a Native American and sat in on tribal council meetings. He moved from Iroquois County to present-day Bourbonnais in 1832, becoming the first white settler and earning the moniker "Father of Kankakee."

LeVasseur was followed in short order by the Thomas Durham family, William Baker and Dr. Hiram Todd, who in 1836 bought Chief Shawanasee's land reserve and founded the village of Rockville. The long-gone town and its post office are commemorated with a marker on the west side of Rock Creek in the park.

In 1842, Todd financed construction of a mill about a mile above the mouth of Rock Creek, one of several built in the area during the 19th century. Though the exact whereabouts of Todds Mill is unclear, remains of the 1850s-era Altorf Mill are visible along the river near the southwest end of the Town of Altorf, and those of the 1880s-era Yost Mill can be seen near the headwaters of Davis Creek on the east side of the park.

The cornerstone for the Altorf Mill is located near the Potawatomi Campground in the state park. Financed by Isaac Fred Markle, the mill was later sold to a Mr. Hall (first name unknown), whose family had several members buried in the

Kankakee River State Park

1860s in a small cemetery on what is now the park's east end.

Another abandoned cemetery within the park belonged to the Ira Smith Family. Located east of Rock Creek and surrounded by a wooden fence, the graveyard contains the remains of mostly infants and children who died of Yellow Fever around the turn of the century. Though many are broken or damaged by weather or vandals, headstones in the cemetery indicate that interments took place between 1847 and 1892, with Grace Smith being the first burial.

A couple of other notable historic features in the park are the remnants of a 19th century railroad bridge that was never completed because the financiers ran out of money, and a memorial just inside the main entrance dedicated to C.A. Stevens, the first site superintendent, who served from 1948-68.

When Stevens began his tenure, Kankakee River State Park consisted of 35 acres of land donated by Chicagoan Ethel Sturges Dummer 10 years earlier. The area had been popular among vacationers since the mid-1920s, and had drawn crowds from Chicago as early as the 1890s when the Custer Bowery Amusement Park was in operation.

The tiny park became a large park in 1956 when Commonwealth Edison turned 1,715 acres over to the state. The utility company further enlarged the site in 1989, when

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Horses can be rented year-round at the park's riding stables, while hikers might find solitude along the frozen riverbank. another land grant brought the park to its current 3,932 acres. Stacey Powers, Kankakee River State Park site interpreter, covers the history and geology of the park during interpretive tours, and information also is available at the visitor center near the main entrance. Powers also offers fall color walks, winter walks, cross-country ski hikes, spring wildflower walks, campground children's programs, wetland programs, bike hikes and a variety of other activities. Advance registration is required by calling (815) 933-1383, ext. 25. Self-guided geology and nature hikes are also available. Powers said. Hiking is just one of the ways to see Kankakee River State Park up close. An extensive trail system on both sides of the river allows bicyclists, equestrians, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers to enjoy the park's rocky outcroppings, majestic canyons and whispering pines. During the winter, a 12-mile trail through the wildlife management area on the south side of the river is open to snowmobilers from sunrise to sunset, provided there are four or more inches of snow. That trail is used by horseback riders from April 1 to Oct. 31, and an 11-site campground is available for equestrians planning overnight stays. Horseback riding also is offered in the park's natural area on the north side of Illinois Route 102. Horses can be rented year-round at the park's riding stables at a cost of $13 per hour weekdays and $15 per hour weekends. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (815)939-0309. Bicycles are available for rent at the park's concession stand, with prices ranging from $4 to $10 per hour, depending on the type of bike. A 10 1/2-mile bike trail runs nearly the entire length of the park on the north side of the river. That trail, and another 4 1/2-mile loop on the far west edge of the park, offer opportunities for cross-country skiers in the winter. The concession stand also rents canoes from spring to fall, depending on water levels. For $36, two people can paddle a 17-foot canoe from Bird Park in Kankakee to the state park. The 10-mile trip lasts 2-4 hours, and includes transportation to the put-in area. Reservations are required by calling (815) 932-6555. Because the river tends to be shallow in the summer, boating can be risky. Nonetheless, the park offers two free ramps for launching canoes or boats, with motors of 10 h.p. or less recommended. Such craft obviously wouldn't be used for water-skiing, which leaves fishing. As mentioned, the river teems with fish and is considered one of Illinois' better aquatic resources. As a bonus, Rock Creek is stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout each spring The park's 10 1/2-mile bicycle trail is used for cross-country skiing during winter. Snowmobiling also is offered.

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Spring's arrival finds the river valley bursting with new life.

under the Department of Natural Resources' Inland Trout Program.

Up-to-date Kankakee River fishing reports are available by calling (312) 814-2070 or via the Internet at www.wkan.com/sports. River fishing atlases can be purchased by calling (815) 932-7285, and a professional fishing guide can be hired at (815) 932-6507.

Shore fishing is easily accessible on both sides of the river, and anglers with disabilities have a wheelchair-accessible pier available to them.

Indeed, having the park accessible is a priority for Site Superintendent Kathy dark and her staff. The entire park, including restrooms, trails and campgrounds is fully accessible, and the site is one of the state leaders in special programs for disabled individuals.

A 16-day archery deer hunt for handicapped visitors that began in 1995 will next year be complemented with a full-year hunt in three specially designated areas. A pilot put-and-take pheasant program began this year.

Hunting also is offered for the able-bodied, with 2,000 acres open for the sport. Species that may be hunted include deer (archery only), dove, squirrel, woodcock, pheasant, rabbit, partridge, coyote, skunk, raccoon, fox and waterfowl. Most of the hunting is by special permit, so a pre-hunt call to the park office is advisable.

The park offers more than 250 sites in its three main campgrounds. With the exception of the Chippewa Campground, which is open all year, camping is permitted from early April to the end of October. Alcohol is prohibited throughout the park.

The Potawatomi Campground on the park's east side has 112 Class A sites with electrical hook-ups and shower access, plus a sanitary dump station for trailers. The Chippewa Campground on the west side has 53 Class B/E sites with electrical hookups, and 46 Class C sites without electricity. It also has a dump station for trailers.

Between the Chippewa and Potawatomi campgrounds lies the park's Class D tent camp with 41 walk-in-only sites. The park also contains a youth campground that can accommodate groups of several hundred. However, groups of 25 or more are required to register in advance at the site office.

Groups of 25 or more must also obtain a free permit at least two weeks in advance to use the park's covered picnic shelters. Other picnic facilities, scattered throughout the park, are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kankakee River State Park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 1 to Oct. 31, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 1 to March 31. More information about the park is available by calling (815) 933-1383.

The Kankakee River is a fisherman's dream, and Rock Creek is stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout every spring.

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