▁been ▁an ▁important ▁transport ation ▁route ▁for ▁civil izations . ▁The ▁port ages ▁between ▁the ▁Des ▁Pla ines ▁and ▁Chicago ▁R ivers ▁and ▁the ▁K ank ake e ▁and ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁rivers ▁allowed ▁Native ▁Americans , ▁Europe ans , ▁and ▁later ▁Americans ▁access ▁between ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁and ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁bas in . ▁The ▁first ▁European ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁the ▁Jes uit ▁mission ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 5 ▁by ▁Father ▁Jacques ▁Mar qu ette ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁Illinois ▁across ▁from ▁Star ved ▁Rock ▁at ▁the ▁Grand ▁Village ▁of ▁the ▁Illinois , ▁near ▁present ▁day ▁Ut ica . ▁The ▁Illinois ▁Confeder ation ▁were ▁the ▁primary ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁valley . ▁Mar qu ette ▁wrote ▁of ▁the ▁river , ▁“ We ▁have ▁seen ▁nothing ▁like ▁this ▁river ▁that ▁we ▁enter , ▁as ▁regards ▁its ▁fert ility ▁of ▁soil , ▁its ▁pra i ries ▁and ▁woods ; ▁its ▁cattle , ▁el k , ▁de er , ▁wild c ats , ▁b ust ards , ▁sw ans , ▁du cks , ▁par ro qu ets , ▁and ▁even ▁be aver . ▁There ▁are ▁many ▁small ▁la kes ▁and ▁rivers . ▁That ▁on ▁which ▁we ▁sa iled ▁is ▁wide , ▁deep , ▁and ▁still , ▁for ▁ 6 5 ▁le agues ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 8 0 , ▁René - Ro bert ▁C avel ier , ▁Sie ur ▁de ▁La ▁S alle ▁built ▁the ▁first ▁fort ▁in ▁Illinois , ▁F t . ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁at ▁Star