Lost Towns of Illinois - Illinoistown

The human settlement of the American Bottom region goes back to ancient Native Americans and their settlement in Cahokia. Europeans beginning with the Spaniard, Hernando de Soto first traveled through the region in the sixteenth century. This European contact was transitory and it was not until the seventeenth century that the French explored the region with the intention of settlement.

French Cahokia, founded in 1699, was not the first French outpost, but it was the earliest settlement that survived more than a few years. Kaskaskia was the next place French settlers built and it was followed by a series of east bank towns at Prairie du Pont and Fort Vincennes on the Wabash River. Settlements by the French on the east bank of the Mississippi included the Village of Nouvelle Chartres & Fort de Chartres and included New Madrid (then known as Anise de la Graise or "Greasy Bend") and St. Genevieve on the west bank of the Mississippi. These were followed by St. Louis, St. Charles, Carondelet (in 1767), St. Ferdinand (now Florissant) and Portage des Sioux. Settlement increased after the late eighteenth century and the end of the American Revolution.

As settlers reached the American Bottom there were those who established homes within the Mississippi River's flood plain, on the eastern shore. At the time, the area was swampy and prone to flooding. Most settlers preferred the higher and better draining Missouri side of the river. We know the identity of only a few of the first Illinois settlers. The historical record begins in detail with the forceful presence of a single man, Captain James Piggott, who, while instrumental to the region's development, certainly benefited from the help of his family and the other settlers of the area.

James Piggott took the long view regarding the development of Illinois territory. Born in Connecticut, his fortunes took him further west throughout his life. He served in the Revolutionary War as a member of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. After his military service, he joined George Rogers Clark recruiting families to live in the proposed town of Clarksville, close to present-day Wickliffe, Kentucky. Chickasaw Native Americans forced the abandonment of this endeavor in 1782 and Piggott moved with seventeen families to Illinois territory.

In 1790 Illinois territorial Governor Arthur St. Clair made Piggott a territorial judge. He settled in Cahokia and soon began the business of providing ferry service crossing the Mississippi to the more developed St. Louis side. The ferry operation continued long after Piggott's death in 1799, later being operated by his sons and eventually absorbed into the Wiggins Ferry monopoly.

In 1808 Illinois City is established. The town's name changed to Illinoistown in 1817.

PIGGOTT'S FERRY
James Piggott, a late eighteenth-century pioneer and a territorial judge for Illinois, settled in the American Bottom Region of Illinois after migrating from the Eastern United States. Once settled in Cahokia, Piggott and his family built a log and mud road from that settlement to a point on Cahokia Creek opposite St. Louis in 1792. During that time the area that is present-day East St. Louis was swampy and uninhabited. Goods crossing the river from the Illinois side had to travel from Cahokia, upstream to St. Louis. Piggott's road allowed him to move goods onto Cahokia Creek, into the Mississippi, and across the river to St. Louis. This access was more direct than shipping from Cahokia and Piggott soon had a growing business providing access to St. Louis.

Once established Piggott refurbished the route to Cahokia Creek with a sturdy road consisting of rocks buttressed with logs through the swampy region. Cahokia Creek, not wide or deep enough for regular use, quickly became an obstacle to Piggott. He spanned a 150-foot wooden bridge over the creek to the riverfront where he built two log cabins. Piggott's Ferry became a central point for travelers and soon the area further inland began to be developed.

After James Piggott died in 1799, Piggott's Ferry remained in business. The growth of St. Louis in the early nineteenth century encouraged further development of the Illinois side of the Mississippi River through the increased demand for transportation across the river. Soon the Piggott family had a number of neighbors and their business faced competition from other entrepreneurs interested in capturing some of the ferry business.

ILLINOISTOWN - A CENTRAL RIVER CROSSING
When James Piggott established his ferry service in 1795, the closest settlement on the Illinois bank was south of the ferry in Cahokia. However, Piggott was soon transporting both people and goods to St. Louis and the ferry landing was a natural place for commerce to develop. Between 1805 and 1809 a wealthy French Canadian, Etienne Pinsoneau, purchased land behind the ferry landing and built a two-story brick tavern. He called the area Jacksonville. In subsequent years Pinsoneau sold some of the lands and in 1815 Moses Scott built a general store. The McKnight-Brady operation bought out Pinsoneau at the same time it invested in Piggott's ferry. Brady and McKnight platted the land behind the Piggott ferry in 1818 and called it Illinoistown. A traveler in 1821 described the settlement as one consisting of roughly twenty or thirty houses and one hundred inhabitants.

WIGGINS' FERRY
In 1819, Samuel Wiggins, a politician, and businessman bought an interest in the Piggott family's ferry operation and began to compete with the McKnight-Brady ferry and other ferry services. Soon after he began operations Wiggins used his political clout to persuade the Illinois General Assembly to grant him a charter with exclusive rights to two miles of Illinois riverfront opposite St. Louis and the right to establish a toll road leading to his landing. The act went further and allowed no new ferry operations to be created within a mile on either side of Wiggins' landing. Wiggins later bought out the McNight-Brady interest in Piggott's Ferry. To further his control of the Illinois side of the river he went into partnership with a prominent businessman who owned substantial portions of land in Illinoistown.

An Undated St. Louis & Illinois Team Boat Ferry 50 Cents - Ticket № 193. Circa 1819-21

The Wiggins operation marks a watershed for the area that would become East St. Louis. Through Wiggins' political power in Illinois, he established a stronghold on river transportation to St. Louis and the west. This concentration of power was temporary, but lasted long enough to make Illinoistown and later East St. Louis a central crossing point for goods and people heading west. One of the first steamboats to ply the Mississippi stopped at St. Louis and the McKnight-Brady landing in 1817. The new technology promised new economic potential for the Illinois side of the river and Samuel Wiggins capitalized on this future.

In the early years of Illinoistown it is clear that Samuel Wiggins, a politician, and Illinois businessman, was an influential presence. The Reverend John Mason Peck described the town as a small one of about a dozen families with a post office, hotel, livery, and store. The post office was called Wiggins Ferry and Samuel was the postmaster.

Although a flood in 1826 (only one of many to damage the area) may have set back the growth of Illinoistown, Wiggins' concentrated ferry business helped spawn economic growth throughout the 1820s and 1830s. According to a study by the National Park Service, by 1841 Illinoistown had become a bustling place with numerous groceries [EXPLANATION], general stores, two bakeries, a clothier, a cooper, blacksmiths, and hotels. There were more than one hundred homes and a newspaper, "The American Bottom Reporter."

Samuel Wiggins was apparently not a person to have others do his work. He was involved in the lives of the people living in and around Illinoistown as an excerpt from William Wells Brown's narrative proves.

The first thirty years of the nineteenth century marked a period of regular growth along either side of the Mississippi. St. Louis was established as the largest city in the region and a central starting point for people heading west. The community on the Illinois side was growing as well, providing passage to St. Louis.

Steamboats brought Illinoistown and St. Louis a variety of new ventures. Steamboats needed fueling stations and a means of transporting their goods once ashore. The local ferry operations were a natural fit, developing shore facilities for steamboats and already possessing the ability to quickly move goods across the river at low cost.

An example of a time-period wood-burning steamboat ferry on the Mississippi.

By 1828 the Wiggins operation had converted its ferries to steam, taking advantage of its renovated facilities and the fairly low cost of constructing a steamboat.

Illinoistown becomes East Saint Louis, Illinois in 1861.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

The Rise of Baseball in the Rogers Park community of Chicago.

In the mid-1900s, as the bustling city of Chicago expanded northward, the community of Rogers Park emerged as a haven for baseball enthusiasts. While professional baseball held sway with the renowned White Sox and Cubs, Rogers Park nurtured a vibrant semi-professional scene that captivated local fans. 

The Rogers Park Baseball Club played its first games in 1906 and entertained fans at the Rogers Park Baseball Grounds near the corner of Devon Avenue and Clark Street in Chicago. The Club rose to prominence within this landscape, becoming a beloved institution for the residents of many Chicago Northside communities until 1916, when the ballpark closed.

Rogers Park Baseball Club

The Rogers Park Baseball Grounds was located at approximately 1600 W. Devon Avenue in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. More specifically, it was situated just north of the Clark-Devon Hardware store on the east side of Clark Street.

The Rogers Park Baseball Grounds: A Field of Dreams

The heart of the Rogers Park baseball experience was the Rogers Park Baseball Grounds, located near the intersection of Devon Avenue and Clark Street. While not as grand as the professional stadiums of the era, the grounds exuded a certain charm and intimacy that drew in dedicated crowds. While uneven in places, the field bore the marks of countless games, each adding to its storied character. Wooden bleachers lined the field, offering spectators a close-up view of the action. The crowd's buzz, the bat's crack, and the shouts of encouragement echoed through the grounds on game days.

The Club: A Local Institution

The Rogers Park Baseball Club was more than just a team; it symbolized community pride. The players, mostly local men with day jobs, embodied a spirit of dedication and passion for the game. Local businesses often sponsored the team, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared identity within the community.

The Club competed in semi-professional leagues, facing fierce rivals from other Chicago neighborhoods and nearby towns. These games held the allure of intense competition played out on a familiar stage. Rivalries were fierce as the Rogers Park team locked horns with other semi-pro clubs across Chicago. Teams like the Logan Squares, the Gunthers, and the West Ends provided formidable competition, resulting in thrilling battles that kept fans on the edge. Newspaper accounts would detail nail-biting plays, spectacular catches, and clutch hits, vividly depicting the action.

The Heyday (1900-1910s)

The early 1900s through the 1910s marked the golden age of the Rogers Park Baseball Club and its grounds. Fans flocked to the ballpark on Sundays and holidays, creating a festive atmosphere. Children chased foul balls, families shared picnics, and neighbors rooted for their local heroes.

The Rogers Park Baseball Club enjoyed considerable success during this period, claiming several league championships and producing a few players who even caught the eye of professional scouts. One such player was the speedy outfielder and shortstop Lou Gertenrich, who even had a brief stint with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901.

The Club and its home grounds played a pivotal role in the growth of baseball in Chicago. The popularity of these semi-pro teams fueled a broader interest in the sport, with amateur leagues and youth teams springing up throughout the city. The ballpark hosted the home team and became a hub for community baseball at all levels.

In a historic moment, Rogers Park etched its name into baseball lore by hosting one of the first successful night games under artificial lights in 1910. This exhibition match between the Rogers Park team and the Logan Squares demonstrated the potential for expanding the game beyond the limits of daylight.

The Demise and Legacy

Sadly, the Rogers Park Baseball Grounds met their demise in 1916. Changing demographics, a decline in the popularity of semi-professional baseball, and the pressures of urban development led to the ballpark's closure. The land where thrilling games were once played was repurposed, leaving only memories in its wake.

Though the physical embodiment of the Rogers Park Baseball Club and its grounds faded, their legacy endured. The era fostered a love of baseball within the community, passed down through generations. The stories of the Club and its players, the rivalries, and the thrilling victories became part of the fabric of Rogers Park.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

Birchwood Country Club, Chicago's other Rogers Park/West Ridge community golf club.

Most people of a certain age remember West Ridge’s only golf club at Western Avenue and Pratt Boulevard (now in Warren Park and named the Robert A. Black Golf Course). For the first few years of its life, it was located in Edgewater and was called the Edgewater Golf Club.

But, the Rogers Park community had another golf club, although no one living today remembers it or even knew it existed. The Birchwood Country Club was always within the Rogers Park community.

Unlike the Edgewater Golf Club, it had a short life, from Wednesday, July 4, 1906, until perhaps 1913. A group of residents opened the Birchwood Country Club, with membership initially limited to 100 individuals living in the Birchwood Beach area.

The clubhouse shown in the photo looks more like a railroad depot than a typical clubhouse of the period, and sure enough, it was—originally. A Friday, May 29, 1959, Chicago Tribune article recounts the recollections of Graham Jackson. It confirms that the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (known then as the “St. Paul”) donated the clubhouse to the club after it discontinued passenger service into Rogers Park in 1908 when the Northwestern Elevated Railroad’s line took over operation on the St. Paul’s trackage.

According to Mr. Jackson’s recollections, the club’s nine-hole course was located north of Rogers Avenue and south of Calvary Cemetery near Sheridan Road. Jackson and his father, Walter L. Jackson, jointly won the Pater-Filius alternative shot event in 1910 at the club. 

Graham Jackson recounted that Sheridan Road ran between the first and second holes and wasn’t much of a road back then. 

The Birchwood Country Club, Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.

The Birchwood Country Club, Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.

The Birchwood Country Club, Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.

According to Jackson, “The first hole started at about where is now Rogers Avenue and Sheridan Road and went north. The third tee must have been about where the gas station was [since replaced by townhouses]. The fairway ran west, following the curve of the cemetery to form a dogleg. It was known then as the “Devil’s Elbow.” According to Jackson, the golf club members had an opportunity to buy the land from the owner from whom it was leased but declined because they thought the price was too high--$600 an acre. 

Charles E. “Chick” Evans was first exposed to golf as a
caddie at a Chicago course, the Edgewater Golf Club.

In a Tribune article, Chick Evans, a nationally known golfer affiliated with the Edgewater Golf Club, confirmed Jackson’s recollections. Chick added that the Edgewater Club considered purchasing the Birchwood Club in 1910, but bought the land at Pratt Boulevard and Western Avenue instead, today’s Warren Park.

The Birch Forest extended from about Birchwood Avenue south to Touhy Avenue, about 1/2 mile, and west to just west of where Sheridan Road is today, in the Rogers Park community of Chicago, ca.1900.

Jackson remembered plentiful strands of white birch trees—which, not surprisingly, gave its name and the name of the subdivision to the south, Birchwood Beach.

The North Shore School at 1217 West Chase Avenue began life as the Birchwood Country Club. Sometime after 1913, the building became a Montessori Boarding School housed about 10 boys and 10 girls. It is unclear if non-boarding students attended also.

Gathered from online comments: The school’s library was full of obscure children’s books from the 1940s. There was a manual bowling lane in the dining hall. Boarding students went to a local stable for weekly horseback riding lessons, but because it was a privilege, only that week’s model students were allowed to go. The end of the school year meant a trip to Lincoln Park Zoo.

The North Shore School was razed in March 2008 to make way for a condo building.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.