Morris in Grundy County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Half-Faced Camp
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, December 30, 2023
1. The Half-Faced Camp Marker
This half-faced camp, built by Joe Sukle of logs cut from the Aux Sable timber, is a replica of the one built by Henry Cryder, Nathaniel Tabler, and Zachariah Walley when they arrived at Aux Sable Creek on October 23, 1833. The original camp measured about 12 feet square.
Cryder chose the site, on the east side of Aux Sable Creek near a good spring of water, E ½ NW Ό Section 17, near what is now the I-80 Rest Stop.
Michael Cryder, age 13 at the time, later wrote:
Well, we had finally arrived (from Delaware County, Ohio,) but there was nothing to shelter us but the wagons. The first thing done was to split some rails and build a three-sided pen, and cover it with clap boards.
This group of pioneers traveled in three wagons:
1. Henry Cryder, age 53; his wife Mary Ann, age 49; and three children: Michael, age 13; Harriet, age 11; and Susan, age 8.
2. Nathaniel Tabler, age 24; his wife, Mary Ann Cryder, age 21; and their two sons: Joseph, age 2; and David, 2 months old.
3. Zachariah Walley, age 26; his wife, Catherine Ann Cryder, age 19; and their daughter, Emily, 4 months old.
Twelve people spent their
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is October 23, 1833.
Location. 41° 21.389′ N, 88° 25.715′ W. Marker is in Morris, Illinois, in Grundy County. It can be reached from the intersection of West Illinois Avenue and Nettle Street, on the left when traveling west. The marker stands in front of the Grundy County Historical Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 510 W Illinois Ave, Morris IL 60450, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Illinois River Valley and in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, December 30, 2023
2. The Half-Faced Camp Marker
Also see . . . Some Early History of The Cryder Family Beginning From The Time They left Ohio Until They Reached Il. In this 1895 letter to his son Eugene, Michael Henry Cryder recalls his family's move from Ohio to the Illinois wilderness in 1833. (51st Regiment Illinois Volunteers) (Submitted on January 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 13, 2024. This page has been viewed 524 times since then and 98 times this year. Last updated on April 21, 2026. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
