ILLINOIS STATE - Illinois, a state synonymous with the heartland of America, boasts a rich history that stretches back long before its statehood. Nestled on the Mississippi River, or rather near it after nature took its course, lies a place of immense historical significance: Kaskaskia. Once the first capital of Illinois and a thriving French colonial settlement, Kaskaskia's story is one of shifting fortunes, devastating floods, and a remarkable endurance.
Illinois's First Capital and a Village Lost (and Found) on the Mississippi
This article explores the rise and fall (and partial relocation) of Kaskaskia, Illinois' oldest town.
From Indigenous Inhabitants to French Settlement
The area around Kaskaskia was inhabited for centuries by Native American tribes. The Illini Confederacy, including the Kaskaskia tribe, were the primary inhabitants of the region, relying on the fertile lands and the resources of the Mississippi River (Source: Illinois State Museum, historical accounts of the Illini Confederacy).
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, French explorers and missionaries established a presence in the area, leading to the founding of a permanent settlement at Kaskaskia in 1703, it became a French colony (Source: Histories of French colonization in Illinois, Kaskaskia records).
A Flourishing French Colonial Center
Kaskaskia quickly became a significant center of French colonial life in the Illinois Country. Its location on the Mississippi River made it a vital hub for trade and transportation, connecting the French settlements in Canada with those in Louisiana. The fertile land surrounding the village supported agriculture, and Kaskaskia became known for its wheat production (Source: Historical accounts of Kaskaskia, colonial records). It became one of the most important French settlements in Upper Louisiana.
Illinois' First Capital: A Brief but Significant Role
When Illinois became a state in 1818, Kaskaskia, being the largest settlement at that point.
It, was designated as the first state capital. However, its tenure as capital was short-lived. Concerns about flooding from the Mississippi River led to the capital being moved to Vandalia in 1819, just one year later (Source: Illinois State Archives, historical accounts of Illinois statehood).
The Great Flood of 1881: A Town Relocated
Kaskaskia's vulnerability to flooding ultimately proved to be its undoing. In 1881, a devastating flood caused the Mississippi River to shift its course, cutting off Kaskaskia from the rest of Illinois and making it an island attached to Missouri (Source: U.S. Geological Survey, historical accounts of the 1881 flood). The original townsite was largely destroyed, forcing residents to relocate.
Kaskaskia Today: A Village on an Island
Today, Kaskaskia is a small village, technically still part of Illinois, but geographically an island on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. It's accessible only from Missouri. The Kaskaskia Bell State Historic Site preserves the "Liberty Bell of the West," a bell gifted to the Catholic church in Kaskaskia by King Louis XV of France in 1741 (Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources).
Kaskaskia, Illinois' first capital and oldest town, offers a poignant story of resilience, adaptation, and the unpredictable power of nature. From its origins as a French colonial settlement to its dramatic relocation due to a shifting river, Kaskaskia's history is a testament to the challenges and triumphs of early Illinois. While now a small village, its legacy as a pivotal site in the state's history endures, reminding us of the ever-changing relationship between people and the landscape.
Sources:
- Illinois State Museum
- Illinois State Archives
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
- Historical accounts of the Illini Confederacy
- Histories of French colonization in Illinois
- Kaskaskia records
- U.S. Geological Survey (for information on the Mississippi River's course changes)
- Historical accounts of the 1881 flood
