The Lewistown Trail - Lewistown, Illinois - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

County of marker: Fulton County
Location of marker: Main St. (IL-97) & Lincoln Ave., Courthouse Plaza, Lewistown
Marker erected: 1974
Marker erected by: Fulton County Historical Society and the Illinois Historical Society

Marker Text:
LEWISTON TRAIL

Lewistown Trail, from Springfield to Galena via Lewistown, was one of the main routes to the Galena Lead Mines from 1827 to 1837. The Trail crossed the Illinois River at Havana, where Ossian M. Ross, the founder of Lewistown, operated a ferry. He was one of three men who surveyed and marked out the Trail. The Springfield-Lewistown section was made a post road in 1834. At that time Abraham Lincoln was postmaster at New Salem, one of the towns on the road.

Link to book regarding Lewiston Trail:

- River Towns in the Great West

Road of Trail Name: Lewiston Trail State: Illinois County: Fulton County Historical Significance: It opened up northern Illinois to homesteaders, a but more important connected the river (Mississippi, Spoon, Illinois) to each other and improved the movement of goods Years in use: 1825-1840 - 15 years How you discovered it: Looking for historic markers found this one on the courthouse lawn, Book on Wagon Road or Trial: River Towns in the Great West: The Structure of Provincial Urbanization in the American Midwest 1820-1870 By Timothy R. Mahoney Website Explination: see long description Why?: Road built in 1825 to accommodate Beardsville and Rushville to the increase of traffic on the Illinois river and the movement of goods. Also at this time the Lead mines were being opened in this area, and the land being opened for pioneers. Directions: 100 N Main St, Lewistown, IL 61542

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