Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins
National Register of Historic Places

Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins

LaSalle-Peru, La Salle County, Illinois
Listed
May 7, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85002702

About this property

Starved Rock State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Illinois, characterized by the many canyons within its 2,630 acres (1,064 ha). Located just southeast of the village of Utica, in Deer Park Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, along the south bank of the Illinois River, the park hosts over two million visitors annually, the most for any Illinois state park. A flood from a melting glacier, known as the Kankakee Torrent, which took place approximately 14,000–19,000 years ago led to the topography of the site and its exposed rock canyons. Diverse forest plant life exists in the park and the area supports several wild animal species. Of particular interest has been sport fishing species. Before European contact, the area was home to Native Americans, particularly the Kaskaskia who lived in the Grand Village of the Illinois across the river to the north. Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette were the first Europeans recorded as exploring the region, and by 1683, the French had established Fort St. Louis on the large sandstone butte overlooking the river, they called Le Rocher (the Rock). Later after the French had moved on, according to a local legend, a group of Native Americans of the Illinois Confederation (also called Illiniwek or Illini) pursued by the Ottawa and Potawatomi fled to the butte in the late 18th century. In the legend, around 1769 the Ottawa and Potawatomi besieged the butte until all of the Illiniwek had starved, and the butte became known as "Starved Rock". In the late 19th century, parkland around 'Starved Rock' was developed as a vacation resort. The resort was acquired by the State of Illinois in 1911 for a state park, which it remains today. Facilities in the park were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, which have also gained historic designation. The Rock was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The park region has been the subject of several archeological studies concerning both native and European settlements, and various other archeological sites associated with the park were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Location

LaSalle-Peru, La Salle County, Illinois
41.31884, -88.99288

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Geology
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Native Heritage
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Nearby Battles

Battle of Starved Rock (Potawatomi)
1769Colonial
0.3 mi
Fox Wars - Battle of Arrowsmith (Illinois) 1730
1730Colonial
0.4 mi
Red Ocher Culture Conflict – Illinois Valley
1100Pre-Columbian
7.2 mi
Skirmish at Sycamore Creek / Ottawa Raid (May 1832)
1832Early Republic
7.9 mi
Battle of Burnt Village Illinois 1832
1832Early Republic
8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins listed on the National Register?

Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 7, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins?

Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins?

The period of significance for Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins is recorded as the industrial era.

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