Another stop we made on our recent little getaway was to the Iliniwek Village Historic Site in the far northeastern part of MO. Not far from Battle of Athens State Park, this quiet cultural development sits way off the beaten path. So much so, in fact, that we blinked and missed the signage the first time down the road and had to turn around! This 127 acre site sits in the middle of undeveloped agricultural areas. I couldn't resist snapping a photo of this cornfield. We never grow tired of traveling through farm country.
Iliniwek Village State Historic Site is the only Illinois Indian village location found in our state. It is situated on sandy soil high above the Des Moines River. Once home to an estimated 8,000 residents, it was inhabited from 1640 to the late 1670s. That means it was occupied when Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet came through the area in 1673. In fact, the people of this tribe were the first Native Americans for the explorers to meet on their trip. There have been, and continue to be, archeological digs where numerous artifacts have been discovered.
Although Illinois Native Americans built several different styles of homes, posts have been placed back in the ground to show a longhouse which stood in this particular village. We took this picture standing at the front end of what would be the structure. It is difficult to imagine that as many as 26 relatives lived together in one home.
Today there are nice walking paths dotted with interpretation boards so that visitors can learn as they stroll back to the remains of an Illinois tribe style longhouse. The setting is thick with native grasses and plantings which attract birds and butterflies and it's all very well maintained. We were the only two there during our visit so we had the place to ourselves while we enjoyed this interesting historical stop. We recommend it!