SJ0067 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0067 LRB098 20924 GRL 58566 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The earliest American settlements in Illinois were located in the American Bottoms in present day St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph counties; and

WHEREAS, Transportation and communication was facilitated by the Mississippi, Ohio, and Kaskaskia rivers, but improvement in land transportation was fundamental for Illinois to develop; and

WHEREAS, Old Native American trails, originally buffalo traces and deer paths, were used by trappers and settlers during the earliest periods of exploration; and

WHEREAS, The first mention of the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail was by French trappers in 1725, making it the oldest road in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, In the early days of the Republic, the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail linked locations such as the Cahokia Courthouse, Holy Family Church, the Jarrot Mansion, Piggot's Fort, Whiteside Station, Bellefontaine House, Fort de Chartres, the Pierre Menard Home, Fort Kaskaskia, and the Liberty Bell of the West - many of which are maintained today by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as historic sites of State and even federal significance; and

WHEREAS, In 1917, the St. Clair-Monroe County Good Roads League decided that the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail should be marked with signs depicting a representational Native American head with the words "Kaskaskia Trail", but these signs were never installed; and

WHEREAS, The 1917 edition of the official State highway map designated the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail, but that designation was left off editions published after 1922; and

WHEREAS, Nearly a century later in 2000, Landmarks Illinois cited the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail as one of the top ten and called for a concerted effort to identify and designate the route before all traces would be lost; and

WHEREAS, Today, community leaders from Monroe, Randolph, and St. Clair counties have formed a coalition to identify, designate, and promote the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, this cooperative effort won statewide recognition from Landmarks Illinois and endorsement from local cities, villages, and counties; and

WHEREAS, Designation by the State of the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail as a Scenic and Historic Route will preserve a key element of the State's history and provide opportunities to promote heritage tourism; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail Scenic and Historic Route is designated as follows:

(1) from the Cahokia Courthouse south on Elm Street to West 2nd Street in Cahokia;

(2) along West 2nd Street to Water Street;

(3) along Water Street to North Main Street in Dupo;

(4) along North Main Street to South Main Street;

(5) along South Main Street to Old State Route 3 into Monroe County;

(6) along Old State Route 3 to Ghent Road in Columbia;

(7) along Ghent Road to North Main Street;

(8) along South Main Street to Illinois State Route 3;

(9) along Illinois State Route 3 to North Market Street in Waterloo;

(10) along North Market Street to Columbia Avenue;

(11) along Columbia Avenue to North Main Street;

(12) along North Main Street to South Main Street;

(13) along South Main Street to Hoener Street;

(14) along Hoener Street to South Church Street;

(15) along South Church Street to Debra Lane;

(16) along Debra Lane to Elaine Drive;

(17) along Elaine Drive to Cathy Drive;

(18) along Cathy Drive to South Library Street;

(19) along South Library Street to Illinois State Route 3;

(20) along Illinois State Route 3 to Kaskaskia Road;

(21) along Kaskaskia Road to Stringtown Road;

(22) along Stringtown Road to Illinois State Route 155 in Randolph County;

(23) along Illinois State Route 155 to Henry Street in Prairie du Rocher;

(24) along Henry Street to Market Street;

(25) along Market Street to Bluff Street;

(26) along Bluff Street to Bluff Road;

(27) along Bluff Road to Lock & Dam Road in Modoc; and

(28) along Lock & Dam Road to the Confluence Heritage Area; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation and units of local government that maintain any portions of the above designated Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail Scenic and Historic Route are requested to erect at suitable locations on their respective portions of the route, consistent with State and federal regulations, plaques or signs giving notice of the designation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the Illinois Office of Tourism are requested to post the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail Scenic and Historic Route's location on their Agency websites; the Illinois Office of Tourism is further requested to produce and distribute brochures and other related materials that will make the route known to the public; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Secretary of Transportation, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the Illinois Office of Tourism, and each of the local governments having jurisdiction over any portion of the route.