The creek was the site of the 1832 Battle of Stillman 's Run during the Black Hawk War . The battle and the creek became humorously known as " Stillman 's Run " after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield in defeat , believing they were being chased by thousands of Chief Black Hawk 's warriors . The use of the word " run " was a double entendre describing both the creek and Stillman 's " tactics " during the battle . It has been known by other names as well , those include , Mud Creek , Old Man 's Creek , and Sycamore Creek . The stream 's current name , Stillman Creek , descended from Isaiah Stillman , who also lent his name to the village of Stillman Valley ( via the creek ) , along the creek , in Ogle County . A 1999 water quality assessment by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency rated Stillman 's Creek as " good , " along with about 78 % of the rest of the water ways found in the Rock River watershed . In modern times , the village of Stillman Valley has been authorized to discharge treated wastewater into the creek . During the 2007 Midwest flooding the creek poured over its banks
2007 Midwest flooding
2007 Midwest flooding
Stillman Creek (Illinois)