Prophetstown State Park is an Illinois state park on in Whiteside County,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Situated on south bank of the Rock River adjoining modern

Prophetstown, Illinois Prophetstown is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,080 at the 2010 census, up from 2,023 in 2000. Geography Prophetstown is located at (41.670504, -89.935869). According to the 2010 census, Prophetstown ...

, it was the site of a native American village founded by

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hocąk, Hoocągra, or Winnebago are a Siouan languages, Siouan-speaking Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois ...

chief

Wabokieshiek Wabokieshiek (translated White Cloud, The Light or White Sky Light in English) (c. 1794 – c. 1841) was a Native American army commander of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) and Sauk tribes in 19th century Illinois, playing a key role in the Black ...

(also known as White Cloud) along the

Sauk Trail The Sauk Trail was originally a Native American trail running through what are present-day Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in the United States. From west to east, the trail ran from Rock Island on the Mississippi River to the Illinois River near ...

and populated in the early 19th century by Native Americans of various tribes who did not wish to evacuate across the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

as whites moved to the area. It became a strategic target during the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...

. Illinois militia general

Samuel Whiteside Samuel Whiteside (April 12, 1783 – January 12, 1866) was an Illinois pioneer. A farmer and backwoodsman, Whiteside briefly served in the Illinois General Assembly after statehood and led the Illinois militia for decades, rising to the rank o ...

ordered the recently abandoned village burned on May 10, 1832. Pursuant to the efforts of newspaperman and 10-term Prophetstown mayor George S. Brydia, who also served many terms as a representative in the

Illinois General Assembly The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in ...

, the state park was founded in 1947. Gov.

William G. Stratton William Grant Stratton (February 26, 1914 – March 2, 2001) was an American politician who served as the List of governors of Illinois, 32nd governor of Illinois from 1953 to 1961. Early life and career Born February 26, 1914, in Ingleside, ...

formally dedicated the park on September 18, 1953. It has a campground and other facilities, but may be closed (especially before May 1 annually) due to flooding or budget constraints.

References

* * State parks of Illinois Protected areas of Whiteside County, Illinois Protected areas established in 1947 1947 establishments in Illinois {{WhitesideCountyIL-geo-stub