Starved Rock State Park is located along the banks of the Illinois River near Utica, Illinois. The park features nature trails that weave through 18 sandstone canyons formed by glaciers and streams.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources web site, “Starved Rock State Park derives its name from a Native American legend of injustice and retribution. In the 1760s, Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa tribe upriver from here, was slain by an Illiniwek while attending a tribal council in southern Illinois. According to the legend, during one of the battles that subsequently occurred to avenge his killing, a band of Illiniwek, under attack by a band of Potawatomi (allies of the Ottawa), sought refuge atop a 125-foot sandstone butte. The Ottawa and Potawatomi surrounded the bluff and held their ground until the hapless Illiniwek died of starvation- giving rise to the name Starved Rock.”
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