exit 670

Usually for one to cross from Illinois into Missouri, or vice versa, one must traverse the Mighty Mississippi. There are various ways to do this, of course, including (but not limited to, especially if one possesses the powers of the supernatural) bridges, ferries, boats and by air. If one can find the right bridge, this privileged individual can walk or cycle; the Eads Bridge in downtown St. Louis and the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (Old US 66) in northern St. Louis City allows this, and many take advantage. No matter the mode of transportation, you must in some way conquer the Mississippi River.

In St. Mary, Missouri, though, one passes between the two states without paying the Miss any mind at all.

The first state capitol of Illinois was in the Village of Kaskaskia, one of the oldest communities in the state. Founded by the French in 1703, she saw numerous French traders sail down from Quebec and the rest of French Canada to settle at the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers to trap furs to be sent down to New Orleans. As French influence shifted to British, Kaskaskia’s importance did not lessen; she remained the economic hub of the region, protected by the British Fort Gage, just to the west of the old French Fort Kaskaskia. The area was captured during the Revolutionary War by George Rogers Clark, and the inhabitants of the city celebrated their land’s independence from England by ringing the Liberty Bell of the West; a gift from King Louis XV of France, the 650-pound bell was given to the Catholic Church of Kaskaskia in 1843, complete with the inscription, “For the church of Illinois – by the gift of the King.”

Illinois entered the union in 1818, and her first capital was, of course, Kaskaskia. As settlers moved upstate, however, legislators decided a more centrally located capital would be necessary, so the statehouse was relocated to Vandalia. Just in time.

In 1844, the Mississippi, possibly because of an old Indian curse, or maybe just angry to have Illinois’ capital robbed from her banks, became angry and flooded the community, driving away many residents. 1881 saw a complete break from her path, as the river moved east, eating through the first two miles of the inferior tributary Kaskaskia, leaving only a minor, incomplete channel to the west.

Kaskaskia, Illinois was now in Missouri.

The courts, as recently as 1970, decided that the land would remain Land of Lincoln, meaning that there is technically Illinois soil west of the Mississippi. There is a small channel dividing the small town of St. Mary’s from Kaskaskia Island, so once again we do have to use a bridge to jump from the Show Me State to the Prairie State. In addition, don’t try to get there from mainland Illinois: the only bridge is on the Missouri side, since no major Illinois roads pass close enough to the Miss, and building a massive bridge across that river just for Kaskaskia would be silly; the small, narrow, poorly guardrailed stretch of pavement on the west side of the island is sufficient enough for local traffic and the small amount of tourism the community deals in.

Little but farmland remains on Kaskaskia. The 2000 census saw a 71% drop in population, down from 32 to 9. Technically, only one village in Illinois, Ohlman, has a lower population (that city came in with a big fat zero; that’s hard to beat.) (Olhman Footnote) There are a few more families on the island, outside of the incorporated town, but the flat land reveals little civilization, just several groups of homes no larger than a city block, one of which houses the old Catholic Church and the Liberty Bell of the West, no longer able to be rung thanks to a large crack down its side. Floods continue to threaten the island, pummeling her horribly in 1973 and 1993, both years cutting off access to the land by covering the roads that lead to her western bridge to the mainland.

Looking out over the fields of Kaskaskia seems eerie. Not that this was ever a community so bustling as to rival modern day metropolitan areas, but it was the preeminent civilization along the Mississippi River two decades into the nineteenth century. Now, only a handful of homes and their accompanying farmland remains.

Slippery Slope ipod

You can see the rolling hills and trees of Illinois to the east, but you must go west to return there. You’re a prisoner of Missouri.

(Upon further research, Olhman has successfully appealed their 2000 Census result, and now has 148 people. So Kaskaskia wins our prize for lowest. populated. city. ever. Go back up.)

More images:

Next week: Fort de Chartres.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 23rd, 2005 at 8:01 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.