Editorial: Bicentennial is time to learn about Kaskaskia
In naming downstate Kaskaskia Island as the starting point to Illinois' 200th birthday celebration, the Bicentennial committee has put a stamp of approval on downstate Randolph County's claim it is, "Where Illinois Began."
Long before the Civil War; before picturesque riverboats plied the mighty Mississippi River; before Illinois was a state, or even a territory - Kaskaskia was a vital Native American and then European settlement, favorably situated on a peninsula on the river's eastern shore.
After thousands of years of being a hub for indigenous peoples, it became a major French colonial village, prized by missionaries and trappers alike. Later it became the capital of Upper Louisana; then the administrative headquarters of Quebec, the British province; later still it was the county seat of Illinois County, Virginia (yes, at one point we were part of Virginia). In the early 1800s it was capital of the Illinois Territory, and finally, in 1818, the first capital of the state of Illinois.
The state capital was moved to Vandalia the following year and Kaskaskia's influence dropped dramatically.
Yet, to fully understand Illinois some understanding of Kaskaskia is vital, even though today there are fewer than 20 people living there. Furthermore the island hasn't been connected to Illinois since 1881, when the Mississippi changed course eastward - drowning most of Kaskaskia Island and making it reachable now only via Missouri.
Interesting, no? This is the unique opportunity the upcoming bicentennial provides. This state is full of surprising, fascinating little tidbits - hundreds of Kaskaskia-like places that played a role in our formation, largely forgotten. They are there for the taking.
Illinois is about to turn 200 and now is the time to learn about our state with fresh eyes.
Our state has its troubles, and it is easy to lose sight of its tenacious history. None one can escape the mess in Springfield nor can it be ignored.
But perhaps a better understanding of Illinois' past will remind many of us that the state has seen tough times in the past 200 years, and we're still here.
Illinois became a state on Dec. 3, 1818. The bicentennial will kick off with a 100-day "countdown," starting Aug. 26 on Kaskaskia Island and featuring the Kaskaskia-Cahokia trail, the Fort de Chartres State Historical Site, the Liberty Vell of the West shrine and more. For details, visit <URL destination="http://www.illinois200.com/">illinois200.com/.
</URL>Let's get the party started.