Kellogg's Grove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kellogg's Grove
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The monument and cemetery at Blackhawk Battlefield Park.
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| Location | Stephenson County, Illinois |
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| Nearest city | Kent |
| Area | 56 acres (23 ha) |
| Built | 1827 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001191 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1978 |
Kellogg's Grove is a special historical place in western Stephenson County, Illinois, close to the town of Kent. It's famous because two small battles happened here during the Black Hawk War in 1832.
Most of Kellogg's Grove is private land today. However, a small part, about 1.5 acres (6,100 m2), is a park owned by Stephenson County. This park has a monument and a cemetery. The cemetery holds the graves of soldiers who died in the battles at Kellogg's Grove and other nearby fights. Kellogg's Grove became a U.S. National Register of Historic Places site in 1978.
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What is Kellogg's Grove?
Kellogg's Grove is an area of about 56 acres (23 ha) of land. It sits on a ridgeline, which is like a high hill. From this ridge, you can look down into the Yellow Creek Valley and the Plum River Valley.
Most of this land is privately owned. This includes the spot where the first Kellogg Cabin stood. It also includes parts of the old Kellogg Trail. This trail was used by wagons carrying lead from Galena to Peoria. The actual battles of Kellogg's Grove happened on these private lands. When the grove was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, you could still see wagon ruts from the old trail. The foundation of the old cabin was also still there. Kellogg's Grove was officially listed on the National Register on June 23, 1978.
History of Kellogg's Grove
Kellogg's Grove was first called Burr Oak Grove. It was an important stop along a Native American trail. This trail connected Peoria to Prairie du Chien. Later, fur traders also used this trail.
In the 1820s, people started moving to the lead mining areas around Galena, Illinois. Oliver W. Kellogg, from New York, was one of these people. He helped create the wagon trail from Galena to Peoria.
In 1827, Kellogg settled in the grove. He built his log cabin and barn there. His cabin often served as a wayside inn for travelers on the lead trail. Because of this, the area became known as Kellogg's Grove. When the Kellogg family moved away in 1831, the place was called "Kellogg's Old Place."
The Black Hawk War Battles
Kellogg's Grove was the site of two battles during the Black Hawk War in June 1832.
- The first battle happened on June 15, 1832. Three militia members were killed.
- The second battle took place on June 25. Five militia members and at least nine Native Americans died. Much of this battle was fought near the Kellogg log cabin and barn. Twenty-five horses and three militia men were killed there.
The Native American forces were led by Black Hawk. The militia commanders were Captain Adam Wilson Snyder in the first battle and Major John Dement in the second.
The day after the second battle, a group of Illinois militia arrived. One of the men in this group was Abraham Lincoln, who would later become president. They came to help bury the dead. Lincoln later spoke about that day. His words were written down by Carl Sandburg in his book Abraham Lincoln The Prairie Years. The battle on June 25 at Kellogg's Grove was the last fight of the Black Hawk War in Illinois.
Blackhawk Battlefield Park
In 1886, Stephenson County bought a 1.5-acre (6,100 m2) piece of land within Kellogg's Grove. This land was turned into a park. It has a monument and a small cemetery. These honor the Battle of Kellogg's Grove and the Battle of Waddams Grove. Blackhawk Battlefield Park is located near the small town of Kent, Illinois. Besides the monument, the park has picnic areas, a shelter, and a playground. In 1981, a log cabin was moved to the park.
The Monument and Cemetery
The monument was built in 1887. It is made from local limestone. It has three marble plaques on its sides. At the very top, there is a pyramid of cannonballs. The monument is 8 feet (2.4 m) square at its bottom and 3 feet (0.91 m) square at the top. It stands 34 feet (10 m) tall.
At the base of the monument is a small cemetery. It holds the graves of militia men killed in four different fights during the Black Hawk War. A 15-by-25-foot (4.6 by 7.6 m) wrought iron fence surrounds the monument and cemetery.
The cemetery contains the graves of:
- Felix St. Vrain, Joseph H. Fowler, William Hale, and Aquila Floyd. They were killed during the St. Vrain massacre on May 24, 1832.
- Mecomson, Benjamin Scott, and Benjamin McDaniel. They died during the first battle at Kellogg's Grove.
- James Black, James B. Bank, Abner Bradford, Marcus Randolph, and Robert Meek. They were killed during the second battle at Kellogg's Grove.
- Three militia men killed during the Battle of Waddam's Grove.
- Two other militia men killed at different times during the Black Hawk War.
Only the five men killed in the second battle at Kellogg's Grove were originally buried there. Most of the graves were where the soldiers fell. In the 1880s, local farmers wanted to gather these remains. They wanted to bury them in one place with a proper monument. This led to the building of the stone monument and cemetery in 1887.
Abraham Lincoln Statue
A statue of Abraham Lincoln was placed at the park in June 2018. It was made by Jay Castro, a sculptor from Freeport, Illinois. Lincoln was 23 years old when he came to Kellogg's Grove to help bury the dead from the Black Hawk War. The sculptor said he wanted to show Lincoln's compassion. He created Lincoln leaning on a shovel, with his head bowed, and carrying a rifle. This shows both his sadness and his role in the war.
