Voyageurs become personal....

"Voyageur strength hauled more than goods; it also allowed explorer Louis Joliet and missionary Father Jacques Marquette to search for a route to the Gulf of Mexico. These men became the first Europeans to see and map the Mississippi River along with many other natural landmarks. As they returned northward through the Illinois Territory, news reached them of a faster route back to the Great Lakes: the Illinois River. Joliet and Marquette would continue to the current site of Chicago, and Father Marquette would return to start the first Christian Mission in Illinois near Starved Rock. Today you can follow the strokes of Father Marquette when you paddle into the Illinois River at Starved Rock State Park."

Why you are interested:
So my daughter-in-law, Bridget, grew up in Ottawa, IL and her mother, Kathy, still lives there. We have visited there several times and its a historic small town of about 18,000. The Lincoln-Douglas debates, its on the slave underground railroad route and the voyageurs and others (see above) traveled the Illinois River which runs through the heart of town. We have also been to Starved Rock State Park, a really nice, beautiful spot.
We also followed the trail of the Illinois River Road (inadvertently) in traveling from Chicago (from Andy's home) to Ottawa to visit Kathy and on to Peoria, to visit Nedra’s close cousins.
While I was not aware of following this historic route at the time, I was aware of the beauty of the country and how most of it is still rural and undeveloped.