Lusk's Ferry Road
Encyclopedia
Lusk's Ferry Road was an early road in Illinois
that provided an overland connection between the main settlement, Fort Kaskaskia
, on the Mississippi River
, and Lusk's Ferry
, an important crossing point on the Ohio River
. The overland route afforded an alternative to the river route, which required a difficult trip upstream on the Mississippi.
Fort Massac
is on the Ohio River, about 20 miles (overland) southwest of Lusk's Ferry. This was a French fort that was abandoned and burned in 1763, at the end of the French and Indian War
, when control of the Illinois Country
passed to the British. It is likely that the Lusk's Ferry road started as a French road that connected Fort Massac with Fort Kaskaskia. After Lusk's Ferry came into use, a road was built from the Ferry to the Fort Massac Road. With the Fort abandoned, the southern stretch of the road fell into disuse, and the road became the Lusk's Ferry Road.
In his conquest of Illinois in 1778 and 1789, George Rogers Clark
, with the army of Virginia
, crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky
to Fort Massac. From there he headed north to the Lusk's Ferry Road, which he followed at least part of the way to Fort Kaskaskia, whose defenses were oriented toward repelling an assault coming up the Mississippi. Clark was able to take the Fort by surprise by approaching from the interior of Illinois.
The northwestern and southeastern segments of the Lusk's Ferry Road, close to Kaskaskia and Lusk's Ferry, were accurately mapped in the early surveys of Illinois, which were conducted around 1800. This survey was oriented toward marking out "Townships" that were six miles (10 km) square, subdivided into "Sections" that were one mile (1.6 km) square, pursuant to the Land Ordinance of 1785
. Although the surveyors were not charged with mapping the roads, many did so. The locations of the roads were probably exact where they met the Section lines, about once every mile, and approximated between these points. The actual maps were drawn in the 1830s, but were based on the surveyors' notes from around 1800.
The Lusk Ferry Road was a very old road, at least by Illinois standards, being present before the original survey. It is, however, notable that, on its northwestern end, this was a carefully surveyed road. It ran east out of Kaskaskia mostly in segments that ran nearly due east, almost to modern DuQuoin, where it made a sharp turn to the southeast, running for miles on a very straight line directly toward Fort Massac and Lusk's Ferry. Although the road jogged to avoid obstacles, it did not follow the natural lay of the land like animal trails, Indian trails and most pioneer roads. This was an engineered road that was not equaled in Illinois until many decades after the original survey. This suggests that the road had its origin as a military road connecting Fort Kaskaskia with Fort Massac. The road may have been laid out by the French in the 1750s, or by the Americans after the reoccupation of Fort Massac in 1794.
The direction of the road was controlled by several factors. Out of Kaskaskia, the road went north toward the headwaters of Marys River
, avoiding a river crossing. The road then headed east to cross the Big Muddy River
as far upstream as possible consistent with a direct route to the southeast. After crossing the Big Muddy, the road seems to aim straight for the most direct pass over the Shawnee Hills
.
The Big Muddy crossing was a major limitation on this road. Although bridges over the Big Muddy existed in the area in the early 19th century, there is no reference to a bridge on the Lusk's Ferry Road. Even if there was a bridge, the Big Muddy is notable for its broad, flat floodplain. A true all weather route would have required long causeways over the floodplain that would have been more than a mile long.
In wet weather, there were two options. One would be to go down the Mississippi and up the Ohio by boat. The other would have been to follow the Fort Vincennes road northeast to the Goshen Road
, and then southeast to Old Shawneetown, Illinois
. Although this would have been at least eighty miles farther, there were no river crossings.
, consistent with its role as the original State Capital and economic center of the State. Towards the eastern edge of the County (Township 6 South, Range 5 West), one of these roads is clearly labeled as the Lusk's Ferry Road. This road crosses Mary's River, just to the north of modern County road 1400N. The road seems to join modern Illinois Route 150
through Steeleville
. At the east edge of Steeleville, the old road veered south from Route 150, heading straight for modern Illinois Route 4
at the county line.
, just north of its fork with Gallum Creek. The road exited to T6S, R2W just north of the Pinckneyville/DuQuoin Airport. From there the road jogged back a mile north, and headed due east toward Duquoin. Although this township became a moonscape of strip mines, there is an east/west road through the spoil piles that seems to line up exactly with the old road.
Just west of DuQuoin, the Lusk Ferry Road turned toward the southeast, near the point where it entered T6S, R1W, running about six miles (10 km) toward Jackson County and the Big Muddy River
. Somewhere close to the Big Muddy, Chief DuQuoin met his defeat at the hands of the Shawnee
.
in T7S, R1W
. The road entered the County about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of the corner, heading southeast. It crossed the Little Muddy River
, and exited the County about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the northeast corner.
, heading southeast. It entered the County about four miles (6 km) north of the corner, passing through Royalton
, before exiting the county about four miles (6 km) east of the corner.
Although it is not shown on the original survey maps, there must have been a road that crossed or branched off of the Lusk Ferry Road in Franklin County. In 1814, John James Audubon
attempted to cross Illinois by horse, on his way to Henderson, Kentucky
. Audubon lost his horse crossing the Big Muddy near modern Plumfield, and nearly lost his life soon thereafter. This suggests an east/west road roughly following modern Illinois Route 149
. This road would have led to Frank's Fort
and Jordan's Fort, which were built around 1811, in response to Tecumseh's War
.
, in T8S, R1E
, about four miles (6 km) east of the northwest corner of the County, heading southeast, straight toward modern Herrin
. The road followed modern Illinois Route 148
, but was about a mile south. This area was heavily strip mined, raising the possibility that Route 148 once followed the old road, but was moved a mile north to avoid the mines.
The road turned south, running straight though modern downtown Herrin, T8S, R2E
, along the route of modern Route 148. South of Herrin, the road entered T9S, R2E
. The Lusk's Ferry Road is clearly marked as such where it entered this Township. The road then enters a maze of "Traces", none of which are clearly marked as the Lusk Ferry Road.
About five miles (8 km) south of Herrin there was once a town called "Bainbridge". All that is now left is the Bainbridge cemetery, about five miles (8 km) southwest of Marion
. This was located in what is now the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
. Some sources describe this as an important early cross roads in this area, near the base of the Shawnee Hills
. Beyond Bainbridge, the Lusk's Ferry Road is not marked on the old maps through the rest of Williamson County.
There were two routes over the hills to the south, neither of which is clearly marked on the original survey maps. The western route crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Buffalo Gap", near Goreville
. The eastern crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Mocassin Gap". While the Buffalo Gap route had the lower summit, the Mocassin Gap was the more direct route.
There is a line of disconnected diagonal road segments leading from Marion to Creal Springs
, a small village in southeastern Williamson County. A modern road runs south out of Creal Springs toward Lake of Egypt. This is the most likely route for the Lusk's Ferry Road.
On the original survey plats, a short segment of the Lusk's Ferry Road is labeled in Section 19, T11S, R4E. This segment lines up with the Wagon Creek Road, and is pointed toward modern Reynoldsburg, three miles (5 km) southeast, which some sources cite as having been on the road. (The road is not, however, shown on the map at the location of Reynoldsburg.) The Shawnee summit is between the mapped segment and Reynoldsburg, so this area was probably once called Mocassin Gap. Modern U.S. Route 45
crosses this area, but perpendicular to the apparent route of the old road.
The short, mapped segment of the road between Wagon Creek and Reynoldsburg shows the road going down a steep grade to Sugar Creek. A high ridge lies between Sugar Creek and Reynoldsburg. From the top of the ridge, a modern road runs down to Mocassin Gap and Reynoldsburg. This is probably the route of the old road: except for the missing Sugar Creek crossing, there would be a modern road all the way from Creal Springs to Reynoldsburg.
Crossing the Sugar Creek valley and the ensuing ridge was probably very difficult. Having reached the ridge overlooking Sugar Creek, it would have been far easier to go southwest toward Tunnel Hill, circling around the watershed back east toward Reynoldsburg. A line of modern roads follows this route. Alternatively, it would have been much simpler to have gone in a zig zag from Creal Springs to New Burnside
, through the gap along modern U.S. Route 45, and then back east to Reynoldsburg. The original route may be hard to spot in this area because it was abandoned early on for the simpler routes followed by the modern roads.
and Rising Sun
, down to Illinois Route 146
. The road then followed Route 146 into Golconda
and Lusk's Ferry
.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
that provided an overland connection between the main settlement, Fort Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
, on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and Lusk's Ferry
Lusk's Ferry, Illinois
Lusk's Ferry was a place where pioneers crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky into Illinois. Some sources say that Golconda, Illinois was once called "Lusk's Ferry"...
, an important crossing point on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The overland route afforded an alternative to the river route, which required a difficult trip upstream on the Mississippi.
Fort Massac
Fort Massac
Fort Massac is a colonial and early National-era fort on the Ohio River in Massac County, Illinois, United States.Legend has it that, as early as 1540, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his soldiers constructed a primitive fortification here to defend themselves from native attack...
is on the Ohio River, about 20 miles (overland) southwest of Lusk's Ferry. This was a French fort that was abandoned and burned in 1763, at the end of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, when control of the Illinois Country
Illinois Country
The Illinois Country , also known as Upper Louisiana, was a region in what is now the Midwestern United States that was explored and settled by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. The terms referred to the entire Upper Mississippi River watershed, though settlement was concentrated in...
passed to the British. It is likely that the Lusk's Ferry road started as a French road that connected Fort Massac with Fort Kaskaskia. After Lusk's Ferry came into use, a road was built from the Ferry to the Fort Massac Road. With the Fort abandoned, the southern stretch of the road fell into disuse, and the road became the Lusk's Ferry Road.
In his conquest of Illinois in 1778 and 1789, George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
, with the army of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to Fort Massac. From there he headed north to the Lusk's Ferry Road, which he followed at least part of the way to Fort Kaskaskia, whose defenses were oriented toward repelling an assault coming up the Mississippi. Clark was able to take the Fort by surprise by approaching from the interior of Illinois.
The northwestern and southeastern segments of the Lusk's Ferry Road, close to Kaskaskia and Lusk's Ferry, were accurately mapped in the early surveys of Illinois, which were conducted around 1800. This survey was oriented toward marking out "Townships" that were six miles (10 km) square, subdivided into "Sections" that were one mile (1.6 km) square, pursuant to the Land Ordinance of 1785
Land Ordinance of 1785
The Land Ordinance of 1785 was adopted by the United States Congress on May 20, 1785. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation of the inhabitants of the United States...
. Although the surveyors were not charged with mapping the roads, many did so. The locations of the roads were probably exact where they met the Section lines, about once every mile, and approximated between these points. The actual maps were drawn in the 1830s, but were based on the surveyors' notes from around 1800.
The Lusk Ferry Road was a very old road, at least by Illinois standards, being present before the original survey. It is, however, notable that, on its northwestern end, this was a carefully surveyed road. It ran east out of Kaskaskia mostly in segments that ran nearly due east, almost to modern DuQuoin, where it made a sharp turn to the southeast, running for miles on a very straight line directly toward Fort Massac and Lusk's Ferry. Although the road jogged to avoid obstacles, it did not follow the natural lay of the land like animal trails, Indian trails and most pioneer roads. This was an engineered road that was not equaled in Illinois until many decades after the original survey. This suggests that the road had its origin as a military road connecting Fort Kaskaskia with Fort Massac. The road may have been laid out by the French in the 1750s, or by the Americans after the reoccupation of Fort Massac in 1794.
The direction of the road was controlled by several factors. Out of Kaskaskia, the road went north toward the headwaters of Marys River
Marys River (Illinois)
Marys River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in Illinois. It drains a small watershed between the Big Muddy River and the Kaskaskia River. It joins the Mississippi just southeast of Chester, near Kaskaskia...
, avoiding a river crossing. The road then headed east to cross the Big Muddy River
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River south of Murphysboro. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.-Hydrography:...
as far upstream as possible consistent with a direct route to the southeast. After crossing the Big Muddy, the road seems to aim straight for the most direct pass over the Shawnee Hills
Shawnee Hills
The Shawnee Hills is a region of Southern Illinois that rests mainly in an east-west arc roughly following the outline of the southern end of the Illinois Basin. Whereas Mississippian and Pennsylvania Age rock layers are deep beneath the surface in central Illinois, these strata pierce the surface...
.
The Big Muddy crossing was a major limitation on this road. Although bridges over the Big Muddy existed in the area in the early 19th century, there is no reference to a bridge on the Lusk's Ferry Road. Even if there was a bridge, the Big Muddy is notable for its broad, flat floodplain. A true all weather route would have required long causeways over the floodplain that would have been more than a mile long.
In wet weather, there were two options. One would be to go down the Mississippi and up the Ohio by boat. The other would have been to follow the Fort Vincennes road northeast to the Goshen Road
Goshen Road
The Goshen Road was an early road that ran from Old Shawneetown, Illinois, on the Ohio River, northwest to the Goshen Settlement, near Glen Carbon, Illinois, near the Mississippi River. In the early 19th century, this was the main east/west road in Illinois....
, and then southeast to Old Shawneetown, Illinois
Old Shawneetown, Illinois
Old Shawneetown is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 193. Located along the Ohio River, Shawneetown served as an important United States government administrative center for the Northwest Territory. The village was...
. Although this would have been at least eighty miles farther, there were no river crossings.
Randolph County
The original surveys of Illinois show several roads in Randolph CountyRandolph County, Illinois
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
, consistent with its role as the original State Capital and economic center of the State. Towards the eastern edge of the County (Township 6 South, Range 5 West), one of these roads is clearly labeled as the Lusk's Ferry Road. This road crosses Mary's River, just to the north of modern County road 1400N. The road seems to join modern Illinois Route 150
Illinois Route 150
Illinois Route 150 is an east–west state road in southern Illinois. It runs from the Chester Bridge, a truss bridge over the Mississippi River to Route 51 in the state of Missouri, to Illinois Route 154 in rural Perry County well west of Pinckneyville...
through Steeleville
Steeleville, Illinois
Steeleville is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,077 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.76% is water...
. At the east edge of Steeleville, the old road veered south from Route 150, heading straight for modern Illinois Route 4
Illinois Route 4
Illinois Route 4 is a long state road that runs south from the Interstate 55 business loop around Springfield south to Illinois Route 13 just north of Murphysboro. This is a distance of .-Route description:...
at the county line.
Perry County
The Lusk Ferry Road entered Perry County, in T6S, R4W, on modern Route 4. Rather than follow that road south, however, the old road headed almost due east across the Township to the what was once the village of Denmark. There the road jogged a mile south, along the eastern boundary of T6S, R3W, and again headed due east, crossing Beaucoup CreekBeaucoup Creek
Beaucoup Creek is a major tributary of the Big Muddy River in Illinois. The name is pronounced locally as in "Ba Cou".Beaucoup Creek is in length.-Cities and counties:The following cities are in the Beaucoup Creek watershed:*Pinckneyville*Vergennes...
, just north of its fork with Gallum Creek. The road exited to T6S, R2W just north of the Pinckneyville/DuQuoin Airport. From there the road jogged back a mile north, and headed due east toward Duquoin. Although this township became a moonscape of strip mines, there is an east/west road through the spoil piles that seems to line up exactly with the old road.
Just west of DuQuoin, the Lusk Ferry Road turned toward the southeast, near the point where it entered T6S, R1W, running about six miles (10 km) toward Jackson County and the Big Muddy River
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River south of Murphysboro. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.-Hydrography:...
. Somewhere close to the Big Muddy, Chief DuQuoin met his defeat at the hands of the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
.
Jackson County
The Lusk Ferry Road cut through the northeast corner of Jackson CountyJackson County, Illinois
Jackson County, incorporated January 10, 1816, is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 60,218, which is an increase of 1.0% from 59,612 in 2000...
in T7S, R1W
Elk Township, Jackson County, Illinois
Elk Township is one of sixteen townships in Jackson County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,001.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Elk Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Hallidayboro at Elk...
. The road entered the County about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of the corner, heading southeast. It crossed the Little Muddy River
Little Muddy River (Illinois)
The Little Muddy River is a tributary of the Big Muddy River in Illinois. It forms the boundary between Franklin and Perry counties.-Cities and counties:The following cities and towns are drained by the Little Muddy:*Ashley*DuQuoin*Radom...
, and exited the County about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the northeast corner.
Franklin County
The Lusk Ferry Road cut through the southwest corner of Franklin CountyFranklin County, Illinois
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 39,561, which is an increase of 1.4% from 39,018 in 2000. Its county seat is Benton.-History:...
, heading southeast. It entered the County about four miles (6 km) north of the corner, passing through Royalton
Royalton, Illinois
Royalton is a village in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Royalton is located at ....
, before exiting the county about four miles (6 km) east of the corner.
Although it is not shown on the original survey maps, there must have been a road that crossed or branched off of the Lusk Ferry Road in Franklin County. In 1814, John James Audubon
John James Audubon
John James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats...
attempted to cross Illinois by horse, on his way to Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
. Audubon lost his horse crossing the Big Muddy near modern Plumfield, and nearly lost his life soon thereafter. This suggests an east/west road roughly following modern Illinois Route 149
Illinois Route 149
Illinois Route 149 is an east–west state road in southern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 3 near Grimsby east to Illinois Route 37 in Thompsonville. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
. This road would have led to Frank's Fort
West Frankfort, Illinois
West Frankfort is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, USA. The population was 8,182 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.-History:...
and Jordan's Fort, which were built around 1811, in response to Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion are terms sometimes used to describe a conflict in the Old Northwest between the United States and an American Indian confederacy led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh...
.
Williamson County
The Lusk's Ferry Road entered Williamson CountyWilliamson County, Illinois
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*92.7% White*3.8% Black*0.4% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*0.4% Other races*2.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, in T8S, R1E
Blairsville Precinct, Williamson County, Illinois
Blairsville Precinct, formerly township, is Congressional Township 8 South, Range 1 East of the Third Principal Meridian located in Williamson County, Illinois. It is named for the village of Blairsville, Illinois.-References:...
, about four miles (6 km) east of the northwest corner of the County, heading southeast, straight toward modern Herrin
Herrin, Illinois
Herrin is a city in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,501 at the 2010 census. It is home to Country Musicstar David Lee Murphy, the hometown of baseball's Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman, and the hometown of San Diego State University men's basketball coach Steve...
. The road followed modern Illinois Route 148
Illinois Route 148
Illinois Route 148 is a north–south state road in southern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 37 at Pulleys Mill north to the western terminus of Illinois Route 142 and Illinois 37 south of downtown Mount Vernon...
, but was about a mile south. This area was heavily strip mined, raising the possibility that Route 148 once followed the old road, but was moved a mile north to avoid the mines.
The road turned south, running straight though modern downtown Herrin, T8S, R2E
Herrin Precinct, Williamson County, Illinois
Herrin Precinct, formerly township, is Congressional Township 8 South, Range 2 East of the Third Principal Meridian located in Williamson County, Illinois. It is named for the community of Herrin, Illinois.-References:...
, along the route of modern Route 148. South of Herrin, the road entered T9S, R2E
West Marion Precinct, Williamson County, Illinois
West Marion Precinct, formerly township, is Congressional Township 9 South, Range 2 East of the Third Principal Meridian located in Williamson County, Illinois. It is named for the community of Marion, Illinois.-References:...
. The Lusk's Ferry Road is clearly marked as such where it entered this Township. The road then enters a maze of "Traces", none of which are clearly marked as the Lusk Ferry Road.
About five miles (8 km) south of Herrin there was once a town called "Bainbridge". All that is now left is the Bainbridge cemetery, about five miles (8 km) southwest of Marion
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
. This was located in what is now the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a 43,890 acre National Wildlife Refuge primarily in southwestern Williamson County, but with small extensions into adjacent eastern Jackson and northeastern Union counties of southern Illinois, in the United States. Its land and water contain a wide...
. Some sources describe this as an important early cross roads in this area, near the base of the Shawnee Hills
Shawnee Hills
The Shawnee Hills is a region of Southern Illinois that rests mainly in an east-west arc roughly following the outline of the southern end of the Illinois Basin. Whereas Mississippian and Pennsylvania Age rock layers are deep beneath the surface in central Illinois, these strata pierce the surface...
. Beyond Bainbridge, the Lusk's Ferry Road is not marked on the old maps through the rest of Williamson County.
There were two routes over the hills to the south, neither of which is clearly marked on the original survey maps. The western route crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Buffalo Gap", near Goreville
Goreville, Illinois
Goreville is a village in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Goreville is located at ....
. The eastern crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Mocassin Gap". While the Buffalo Gap route had the lower summit, the Mocassin Gap was the more direct route.
There is a line of disconnected diagonal road segments leading from Marion to Creal Springs
Creal Springs, Illinois
Creal Springs is a city in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 702 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Creal Springs is located at ....
, a small village in southeastern Williamson County. A modern road runs south out of Creal Springs toward Lake of Egypt. This is the most likely route for the Lusk's Ferry Road.
Mocassin Gap/Johnson County
The road from Creal Springs enters Johnson County a little to the east of Lake of Egypt. There it turns southeast, running up the Shawnee Hills alongside Wagon Creek.On the original survey plats, a short segment of the Lusk's Ferry Road is labeled in Section 19, T11S, R4E. This segment lines up with the Wagon Creek Road, and is pointed toward modern Reynoldsburg, three miles (5 km) southeast, which some sources cite as having been on the road. (The road is not, however, shown on the map at the location of Reynoldsburg.) The Shawnee summit is between the mapped segment and Reynoldsburg, so this area was probably once called Mocassin Gap. Modern U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
crosses this area, but perpendicular to the apparent route of the old road.
The short, mapped segment of the road between Wagon Creek and Reynoldsburg shows the road going down a steep grade to Sugar Creek. A high ridge lies between Sugar Creek and Reynoldsburg. From the top of the ridge, a modern road runs down to Mocassin Gap and Reynoldsburg. This is probably the route of the old road: except for the missing Sugar Creek crossing, there would be a modern road all the way from Creal Springs to Reynoldsburg.
Crossing the Sugar Creek valley and the ensuing ridge was probably very difficult. Having reached the ridge overlooking Sugar Creek, it would have been far easier to go southwest toward Tunnel Hill, circling around the watershed back east toward Reynoldsburg. A line of modern roads follows this route. Alternatively, it would have been much simpler to have gone in a zig zag from Creal Springs to New Burnside
New Burnside, Illinois
New Burnside is a village in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 242 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Burnside is located at ....
, through the gap along modern U.S. Route 45, and then back east to Reynoldsburg. The original route may be hard to spot in this area because it was abandoned early on for the simpler routes followed by the modern roads.
Pope County
The original survey shows the Lusk's Ferry Road entering Pope County near the modern village of Robbs. From there, the road followed the modern County/Forest Service road through GlendaleGlendale, Illinois
Glendale is an unincorporated community in Pope County, Illinois, United States. Glendale is located on Illinois Route 145 southwest of Eddyville....
and Rising Sun
Rising Sun, Pope County, Illinois
Rising Sun is an unincorporated community in Pope County, Illinois, United States. Rising Sun is northwest of Golconda....
, down to Illinois Route 146
Illinois Route 146
Illinois Route 146 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. It serves the extreme southern region of the state, commonly called Little Egypt or the Illinois Ozarks. IL-146 is long. An east–west highway, it serves Hardin County, Pope County, Johnson County, and...
. The road then followed Route 146 into Golconda
Golconda, Illinois
Golconda is a city in, and the county seat of, Pope County, located along the Ohio River. The population was 726 at the 2000 census. The entire city has been designated a state Historic District.-Geography:Golconda is located at ....
and Lusk's Ferry
Lusk's Ferry, Illinois
Lusk's Ferry was a place where pioneers crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky into Illinois. Some sources say that Golconda, Illinois was once called "Lusk's Ferry"...
.
- TopoQuest Reynoldsburg to Robbs & Glendale, Illinois
- TopoQuest Robbs & Glendale to Rising Sun, Illinois
- TopoQuest Rising Sun to Golconda, Illinois
External links
External references
- History of Southern Illinois, G.W. Smith, 1912