Ellis Grove in Randolph County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Fort Kaskaskia Woods Walk
Trail Length: Approximately 1 mile round-trip
| — | Difficulty: Easy-grass/dirt path, some uneven terrain. Stay on marked path. | — |
Photographed by Thomas Smith, October 29, 2026
1. Fort Kaskaskia Woods Walk Marker
The Fort Kaskaskia woods walk trail starts along a mowed path at the wood line of this hay field. At the back of the field, the trail enters the woods in a locust grove surrounding an old home site. The trail runs along a level ridge between the Mississippi River bluff and a holler formed by a rock creek. This creek, the "Creely Run," was named after the family of Jean-Baptiste Creely, an early French habitant who settled at Kaskaskia in about 1730. The Creely family later operated a ferry near the mouth of the creek across what was then the Kaskaskia River. Creely's ferry was captured during the American Revolution by George Rogers Clark as he entered Kaskaskia to claim it for Virginia.
The woods walk ends at a picnic area near the edge of the holler where Creely Run passes through the bluff and enters the river valley. This gap served as one of Illinois' earliest frontier trace roads and was once the site of a distillery operated by William Morrison. Morrison was a merchant and large landholder. The Woods Entrance was a contemporary and competitor of Pierre Menard. Along the wooded portion of the trail, placards
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1730.
Location. 37° 58.299′ N, 89° 54.676′ W. Marker is in Ellis Grove, Illinois, in Randolph County. It is on Park Road 0.9 miles north of Shawneetown Trail (Scenic County Road 3), on the right when traveling north. The marker stands on the grounds of Ft. Kaskaskia State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4374 Park Rd, Ellis Grove IL 62241, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Illinois — Little Egypt. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. 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.
Photographed by Thomas Smith, October 29, 2026
2. Fort Kaskaskia Woods Walk Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Kaskaskia Island (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lewis and Clark in Illinois (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fort Kaskaskia Shelter (approx. 0.2 miles away); Kaskaskia Village (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dedicated in Memory of George Rogers Clark (approx. 0.2 miles away); Garrison Hill Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Reily Lake (approx. 0.4 miles away); Site of Fort Kaskaskia (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ellis Grove.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Beaver Island (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on November 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 1, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
