The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1919-07-17

on the east bank Their unique character makes
them exceedingly interesting from the scientific
viewpoint The park is 5otancally and geo.
logically interesting.
Great Historical Interest.
Historically the region is genuinely interesting
The first white man known to have journeyed by
way of Green bay, Fox river and Wisconsin river
Jean Nicoett; he may may not have kept
on TO the Mississippi. Pierre Eadissons suppressed
journal" brought to light in Paris in 1880, shows
that he and Jean Groseer in 1855 went down the
Wisconsin and the Mississippi and up the Missouri
to the Mandan villages bismarck. n. D. In 1873
Joliet and Pere Marquette. usually credited with
the discovery of the Upper Mississippi went down
the Wisconsin and the Mississippi to the Arkan-
sas returning to Quebec by way of the Illinois and
Lake Michigan La Sale explored the region be-
fore going down the Mississippi to the Gulf in
1852 and taking possession of Louisiana in the
name of Louis NV.
Local history begins before 1900. In 1871 Sieur
Marin, a French commander, built AZ fort near
Pixies Peak. In 1894 Basil Girard Frenchman,
held conference in midstream with the Spanish
governor of Louisiana and secured grant OF 100
acres ON the present site of McGregor The United
States confirmed the grant after the Louisiana Pur
chase.
Prairie du Chen is very old. In ITS it was
Sac and Fox village at which an annual mart or
fair was attended by fur traders from the St Law
renee and the Lower Mississippi. In 1865 1t was
a trading post of the Northwest company, the
rival of the Hudsons Bay company. Lieut.. Zebu
Ion NJ. Pike. U. S. A., was there III that year. ex-
ploring the headwaters of the Mississippi. He
crossed to Pixies Peak and raised the flag for
the first time in what is now Iowa.
Though the United States secured the territory
to the Mississippi by the Treaty of Paris Q1S3)
the British hung on to the Northwest and we did
not get full possession until generation later
When John Jacob Astor established the American
fffAt fI1a AixSf Eftrp
company and the Northwest company in 1905 he
set up a trading post at Prairie du Chen that
played an important part in the American fur
trade In 1914, during the War of 1872. the United
States built Fort Shelby mt Prairie du Chen. 1t
was captured the same year by the British and In
dians and was called Fort Mckaye until its evacu-
alton in 1915. 1t burned and the Americans
built Fort Crawford on its site. This was aban-
doned in 1876 and a larger Fort Crawford
built farther down the river; the ruins of this
still stand The arsenal of Fort Shelby is still in
existence.
In 1881 the Black Hawk war broke out. Abra-
ham Lincoln captain of Illinois volunteers.
Col Zachary Taylor and Lieut.. Jefferson Davis
also fought. When Black Hawk oyerpowered
he was taken to Fort Crawford. Colonel Taylor
commanded Fort Crawford for time and Lieu.
tenant Davis was under him. Local tradition tells
of the elopement of Davis and Taylor's daughter.
Natives will show you the very window through
which the young woman climbed. The last garri-
son marched out under Gen Albert Sidney John
son, bound for the Mormon campaign in Utah.
When Zachary Taylor, "Old Rough and Ready,
hero of the Mexican war; became twelfth presi-
dent of the United States in 1912 Jefferson Davis
was the pro-slavery leader in the United States
senate
When Abraham Lincoln was president Of the
United States during the Civil war and comman-
in chief of the Federal army. Jefferson Davis
w.tS n he Confectionery
in chief of Its armies.