Starved Rock State Park derives its name from a Native American Legend. A band of Illiniwek was attacked by a band of Potawatomi. The Illiniwek sought refuge atop a 125-foot sandstone butte. The Potawatomi surrounded the bluff and held their ground until the hapless Illiniwek died of starvation thus giving rise to the name "Starved Rock."

A Spring Day on the Illinois River
1605

At the same time Hans the Elder was trying to make a baptismal gift for his new grandson half way around the world people were living in a much different way than the Moschels. These people were the Illinek Indians who lived in an area yet unexplored by white people. Wind-in-the-Grass was a young maiden of this tribe. One day the land of the Illinek would become the land of the Moschels, but that was a long time away. Now the Illinek were the custodians of this grand land with its grasses, prairies, rivers, and natural landmarks. One of these landmarks was on the river and was later to be called Starved Rock.

o o o

Wind-in-the-Grass was walking along the river. She stopped and looked at the decaying log on the opposite bank which had fallen into the river probably sometime last winter because she did not remember it and she knew every piece of the river well. The log was near the bank's edge and a grey heron was perched, one footed, at the end of the decaying log that reached the furthest into the river. The heron appeared to watch her as she walked along the river bank. It stood still and unwavering. The heron seemed unconcerned about her presence and did not move as she moved toward it.

In the distance along the same side of bank as the log Wind-in-the-Grass could see the towering, broad cliff with the flat top. It had been a landmark forever for her people. But today in addition to the memorable cliff was the pleasure of the of seeing the stately heron. Perhaps she could take some time to sit and enjoy the heron and the towering cliff. She had worked all morning getting the land ready to plant corn. It was time to take a rest. Her work was done for the moment and the weather could not be more beautiful. There was light streaming among the new budding, and full-budded green leaves in the trees along the bank. Light was also glistening on the rocks in the river. The temperature was mild and warm.

Wind-in-the-Grass and her people had just traveled back to the river and she was ready, along with her tribe, to settle in for the summer. As was her practice the last several years after settling in, she would take part of a day and go to this spot in the river where she could see the cliff, pondering its magnificence, and enjoy the gentle movement of the river. Today was the day to do that. The heron added to the pleasure. First she looked at the heron and then looked at the cliff in the distance. It towered five times as high as was the river wide. Three sides of the cliff were straight down to the river and only a reckless brave would dare try and climb it on those sides. The fourth side could be ascended. On the top it was flat and the views from there were breathtaking of the grasses, river, and woods below and in the distance. Wind-in-the-Grass had often been told by her mother she thought of her name as she stood pregnant on the cliff ever so many seasons ago and watched the wind ripple gracefully through the tall grasses.

This past winter had not been too harsh for her tribe. They had gone south, packing all summer's prepared food with them, and had found enough game to supplement their winter diet. Ten suns ago they had traveled back north ready to take up summer residence at The Great Village down a short walk on the river. They had already built their summer village homes and the women were preparing the fields for planting of corn, beans, and squash.

Wind-in-the-Grass relished the summers by the river. The work was hard and long, but the days were also long. This summer was her greatest summer yet as she knew life was growing in her. Before next winter's journey south she would have a child. Wind-in-the-Grass smiled as she thought of bringing her young to this river, maybe this year, at least by next. Wind-in-the-Grass had not told her news to anyone, in time all will know, but for now she enjoyed having it her own secret. Maybe she would tell the heron today. Yes, that is what she would do.

She looked out on the river toward the fallen log that was holding the heron, still standing on one foot, and she cupped her hands around her mouth and formed the words "life is within me" and whispered them toward the heron. The heron did not move or look at her. She took away her cupped hands and raised her voice and said the same message again. The heron turned toward her and Wind-in-the-Grass imagined the heron knowing her secret. Just then the heron took off from the log and flew over Wind-in-the-Grass in the direction of The Great Village. Its large wings spread over Wind-in-the-Grass and she started to run along the bank following the heron. In her hurry of looking up to follow the great bird, Wind-in-the-Grass brushed her arm along the huge oak tree and her seed bracelet, given to her by Lone Buffalo, scrapped along the tree and was loosened and went into the river. Wind-in-the-Grass did not notice the bracelet was gone. If she had, she would have been saddened; but these days few things saddened her as she anticipated the future and many years along the river.

o o o

Wind-in-the-Grass was a part of the Illinek tribe of Indians who lived in the valley of the Illinois River that went from the great lake to the NE (later called Lake Michigan) to the great river that went south (later called the Mississippi River). The Illinek had lived in these lands for many years and their settlement, which varied with the seasons, was quite established.

In the summer they lived on the Illinois River in the town of La Vantum, usually five thousand or more Indians lived there. Their way of living was well established in this town. Four or five families lived together in shelters that were constructed of bark on the roofs and walls and covered with buffalo skins. The women were responsible for raising the corn, drying it, and preparing it for transport during their winters south. The men hunted buffalo and other game which was in huge abundance along their rivers and prairies. They had fowl, small and large game, and of course the buffalo with which they coexisted. The numbers of buffalo matched the numbers in their large tribe.

The area in which they lived was dominated by tall and not so tall grasses, woodlands, and rivers that connected with one another and could take them far away. The buffalo lived on the grasses, and the Indians lived on the buffalo and other game. They traveled by the water routes and fished the large carp and catfish in the rivers. They also traveled by the trails tramped down by the buffalo. They had not seen horses. Everything seemed connected to everything else. Seasons came. Seasons went. They knew what to do in each part of the year and they did it.

In the winters the peoples would travel south, carrying most of their provisions, and dig partially underground huts covered with thick woven mats, living the best they could through the snows of winters. Time was passed in winter hunting, eating their smoked and dried goods, and telling stories through the long nights over and over again. As spring came, they moved back north and lived in what they considered the prime areas of waterway travel networks.

Wind-in-the-Grass's tribe had never seen white people. That event was still a number of years off and Wind-in-the-Grass's child, whom she named Grey Heron, would be an old warrior of 67 summers when the French explorers Louis Jolliet and Father Pere Marquette first traveled down from Lake Michigan; portaged to the Illinois River and found La Vantum in September 1673 and converted the Illinek Indians to Christianity. Not Luther's Christianity but Roman Catholicism. In addition to Catholicism, Jolliet took possession of the country in the name of Louis IV.

It is interesting to note when Hans the Younger was magistrate at Mimbach (1665-1682), the first explorations by white people were being made in Illinois Country. Louis Jolliet said in his journal at the time, "No better soil can be found, either for corn, for vines, or for any other fruit whatever," To him the region appeared "to be the most beautiful and most easily settled." Father Marquette added to this sentiment in his journal by stating, "we have seen nothing like this river (the Illinois) that we enter, as regards its fertility of soil, its prairies and woods." Both men knew that settlers would have a relatively easy time of using the land soon upon arrival rather than working 10 years or more clearing the land. As Jolliet said, "There are prairies three, six, ten or twenty leagues in length, and three in width surrounded by forests of the same extent; beyond these the prairies begin again, so that there is as much of one sort of land as the other. Sometimes we saw grass very short, and, at other times, five or six feet high."

In 1678 another French traveler, Father Hennepin commented on the Illinois valley in this way, "We are convinced that the soil is capable of producing all kinds of fruit, herbs and grain, and in greater abundance than the best lands in Europe." Hennepin returned to France and his words as well as the words of Jolliet and Marquette were published and filtered throughout Europe as time passed.

It was clear that the life of Grey Heron and his people would change forever. So, eventually, would the lives of the descendants of Hans the Younger. Hans' descendants would move to the land of Grey Heron. Grey Heron's people would be removed from the area.