▁of ▁the ▁c rab apple ▁trees ▁along ▁its ▁course . ▁A ▁folk ▁et ym ology ▁maintain s ▁the ▁river ▁der ives ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁a ▁German ▁named ▁App el ▁who ▁fell ▁near ▁the ▁river ▁in ▁the ▁Black ▁Haw k ▁War . ▁ ▁Ge ology ▁The ▁river ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Dr ift less ▁Area ▁of ▁Illinois , ▁a ▁region ▁that ▁was ▁by pass ed ▁by ▁the ▁last ▁ice ▁age ; ▁" the ▁gla cial ▁swe ep ▁which ▁iron ed ▁out ▁hills ▁and ▁filled ▁valle ys ▁in ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁left ▁this ▁area ▁un scr atch ed . ▁The ▁Apple ▁River ▁had ▁its ▁original ▁course ▁revers ed , ▁it ▁now ▁flow ing ▁south west ▁to ▁the ▁Mississippi . ▁The ▁result ▁is ▁a ▁deep ▁can y on , ▁part ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁preserved ▁in ▁Apple ▁River ▁C any on ▁State ▁Park . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁List ▁of ▁Illinois ▁rivers ▁List ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁rivers ▁Mill ville ▁Town ▁Site ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁Columbia ▁Gazette er ▁of ▁North ▁America ▁entry ▁De L orm e ▁( 2 0 0 3 ). ▁ ▁Illinois ▁Atlas ▁& ▁Gazette er . ▁ ▁Y arm outh , ▁Maine : ▁De L orm e . ▁ ▁. ▁De L orm e ▁( 1 9 9 2 ). ▁ ▁Wisconsin ▁Atlas ▁& ▁Gazette er . ▁ ▁Free port , ▁Maine : ▁De L orm e . ▁ ▁. ▁ ▁Pra irie ▁R ivers ▁Network ▁ ▁Category : R ivers ▁of ▁Illinois ▁Category : R ivers ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁Category : T rib ut