The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-07-12

on the east bank. Their unique character makes
them exceedingly interesting from the scientinc
viewpoint. The park area is botanically and geo
logically interesting
Great Historical Interest.
Historically the region Is genuinely interesting.
The first white man known to have 1ourneyed ny
way of Green bay, Fox river and Wisconsin river
was Jean NicOllett he may may not have kept
on to the Mississippi Pierre Radissons suppressed
journal" brought to light in Paris in 1850, shows
that he and Jean Groseiller In 1853 went down the
Wisconsin and the Mississippi and up the Missouri
TO the Mandan villages bismarck, N. d.. In 1913
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 ana
Lake Michigan. La Sale explored the region De
fore going down the Mississippi to the Gulf In
1852 and taking possession OF iouisiina Al ''e
name Of Louis XIV.
Local history begins before 1900 In 1877 Sieur
Marin n French commander, built fort near
Pixies Peak In 1904 Basil Girard, frenchman'
held conference in mdstream with the spanish
governor of Louisiana and secured grant OF 1.ooO
acres on the present site Of McGregor. Inc United
States confirmed the grant after the Louisiana FUR
chase.
Prairie du Chen is very old. In 177S 1t was
Sac and Fox village at which annual mart or
fair was attended by fur traders from the St Law
renee and the Lower Mississippi. In 1910 II was
a Trading post Of the Northwest company, the
rival Of the Hudson's Bay company. Lieut. Zeou-
Ion NJ Pike U. S. A., was there IL thnt year. e4-
plorng the headwaters Of the Mississippi. he
crossed over to Pixies Peak and raised the nag 1of
the first time in what Is now Iowa.
Though the United States secured the territory
RI the Mississippi by the Treaty of Paris 11S5).
the British hung on to the Northwest and we old
not get full possession until generation later.
When John Jacob Astor established the American
Fur company as q competitor OF the Missouri Fur
cornany and the Northwest company In 1SOo ne
set I'D trading post at Prairie du Chlen that
nlaved an important part in the American fur
trode Tn 1914. during the War of 1872, the United
S+o+as bult Fort Shelby at Prairie du Chen. II
was captured the same year by the British and In
dams and was called Fort Mckaye until its evacu-
otion in 1915. 1t was burned and the Americans
bnilt Fort Crawford ON its site. This was aDan-
donad in 1926 and q lir-ger Fort Crawford was
but farther down the river; the ruins OF TINS
stu stand. The arsenal of Fort Shelby is still in
existence
Tn 1891 the Black Hawk war broke out. Abra-
ham Lincoln was a captain of Illinois volunteers
Col, Zachary Taylor and Lieut.. Jefferson DAVIS
olso fought When Black Hawk was overpowered
no wos taken to Fort Crawford. Colonel Taylor
commanded Fort Crawford for time and Lieu
tenant Davis was under him. Local tradition tells
~ tho 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 BeadY
hero of the Mexican war, became twelfth prest
dent of the United States In 1S49 Jefferson Davis
was. the pro-slavery leader In the united States
senate. e.tE
when Abraham Lincoln was president Of the
rrn,ted states during the ctvil war and tomman
Ser IN chief of the Federal army. Jeffersos Davis
was president Of the Confederacy and commander
In chief OF fts armies -