Kankakee river history. Starved Rock State Park is a state park in the U.

Kankakee river history 102 and Rt. Joseph River to Kankakee River portage. Post rebuild Circa 1920. Joseph River, the Kankakee River, Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers, the Illinois River and Lake Peoria, and the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers. Joseph River & Kankakee River portage and the Great Sauk Trail, which would develop into Fort St. The upper river is low gradient, running through the Momence The Kankakee River has played an important role in the history of the Kouts area. Bailly’s aim was to establish a trading post near present day Porter, Indiana. Wilmington is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States. Joseph County, into Illinois. Jan 31, 2016 · She selected the St Joseph-Kankakee River portage. Indiana State Road 55 crosses the Kankakee River at Shelby, making one of the few Kanakee River crossings from Lake County. The ditch drained all but 1/10 of the lake, though most of the marshes were dry. Click on pictures to view larger image. Kankakee County Museum Photo. J. French Canadian Heritage Corridor (pdf) Download There is so much French history in our community. the mouth of the St. Its natural beauty makes it a great destination for nature lovers, history buffs, and families looking for a place to spend a relaxing afternoon. state of Illinois, [5] the river has a drainage basin of 28,756. Joseph River and the Kankakee River/Grand Kankakee Marsh first established by Native Americans and then used by the French explorers and traders traveling from Detroit to New Orleans. Eventually, the Kankakee Marsh was drained almost dry. Fishing on the Kankakee River at Momence. The Illinois River (Miami-Illinois: Inoka Siipiiwi [4]) is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River at approximately 273 miles (439 km) in length. Exploring the park provides a unique opportunity to connect with the past and appreciate the significance of the Kankakee River in shaping the area’s heritage. It is part of the Kankakee–Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area. The dredging of the Kankakee River was completed about 1922, shortening the length by many miles, with over 80 miles of curves taken out in Lake and Porter Counties This sealed the fate of the Jul 23, 2020 · Major tributaries to the Kankakee River in Indiana include the Yellow River. Potawatomi Indians hunted along the Kankakee River in the 1760s, and by the 1770s, the Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa nations - "The Three Fires" - dominated the area. And, when Autumn arrives, the Park's trees put on a spectacular show of color and natural wonder. “Before this I had seen many Indians, but 3,000 wilder, more uncouth and repulsive human beings can hardly be imagined. Elliott of the USDA reported on the situation The Kankakee River flowed into the Illinois River and then into the Mississippi. EDITOR'S NOTE: (Inasmuch as the government has plans under way to restore parts of the Kankakee river area to its original state for a national game preserve, the following true narrative of that famous river and marsh published at this time appears to be opportune. [4] Located on the Kankakee River, as of 2020, the city's population was 24,052. . The Kankakee: River of History (Classic Reprint) Aug 24, 2018 · Excerpt from The Kankakee About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Location: Kankakee County . The Collier Lodge site has earned status on the National Register of Historic Places. For La Salle, this meant following the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan to the Kankakee River near present day South Bend, Indiana. Down the wide, flat-floored valley coursed the original meandering Kankakee River, now a series of straight ditches. Feel free to Dec 10, 2015 · Dunn's Bridge, located on County Road 500 East, south of Kouts, Indiana, in Pleasant Township, spans the Kankakee River. !0. The Indianapolis Journal correctly predicted that Michael Bright intended to drain the lake and claim ownership of the land. The park has boat ramps at the Warner Bridge Day Use Area and the Area 9 parking lot on the south side of the river. You can venture into this wilderness via a whole network of trails, including the paved Kankakee River Trail, a paved bike path running almost the length of the park. (MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid) 3 beds, 1. Once you got to the Mississippi, you could travel north, south, or cross the river to explore the West. Another 20 years went by before the whole lake was completely dry. Aug 24, 2018 · The Kankakee: River of History (Classic Reprint) [Marion Isaacs] on Amazon. ft. “My route lay through the wild and trackless region between these two encampments,” Hopkins wrote. G. The Kankakee River is one of Indiana's most extensive water drainage systems. 80-91. The normal process at this point is to circulate an almost finished product among a peer group for comment and criticism. Dec 21, 2021 · Beginning just downriver from Kankakee is a 4,000-acre state park, encompassing the woods and scenic bluffs on both banks of the Kankakee River for around 11 miles. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the of today’s Illinois River, a great tributary of the Mississippi. com. Miami Indians were so numerous along the Kankakee River that it was sometimes called the River of the Miami. Through variations in the pronunciation of Theatiki, Kankakee evolved. Joseph-Kankakee River portage and was a popular fur trade route. The precise year in which the original bridge span was constructed seems lost to history, but numerous published sources indicate that the bridge was erected at some point in time between 1895 and 1904. 3 km) [6] tributary of the Kankakee River in the Central Corn Belt Plains ecoregion, located in northern Indiana in the United States. MLS# 11939233. The river course was 250 miles long, but it curved so much it fit into 90 linear miles. The Kankakee River takes a leisurely path from its origin to a point near Wilmington, Illinois, where it joins the DesPlaines River to form the Illinois River. By 1685, the Miami were sufficiently numerous that the Kankakee River was called the River of the Miami. Louis, and this is how Decatur Yellow River and the Kankakee was called Governor's Island. In your next issue, the series returns for an article on the Fox River through the ages. The Grand Kankakee Marsh spread across Indiana, from western St. Jan 3, 2019 · The line was chartered in 1869, when construction over the Kankakee River, including the bridge piers, began, but the project quickly lost its financial backing partly because of the Great Chicago Fire. The early river settlements were the usual lawless, brutal areas of a wild frontier where cut-throats, horse thieves and highwaymen roamed as they wished. Check website for campsite availability. Native Americans first utilized the portage and then French explorers and fur traders used it to travel from Detroit to New Orleans. Potawatomi Indians were early inhabitants of the area, and the city’s name comes from a variant pronunciation of their name for the river. Overview and Some History. Along with the Ojibwe and Odawa Indian Peoples, we migrated west to the Great Lakes region some 500-800 years ago in a “Great Migration. Shelby, along other small Kankakee Jan 29, 2016 · She selected the St. The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 133 miles long, in the Central Corn Belt Plains of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. Extensive Renovation shows like new constru Anglers, canoeists, hunters, campers, hikers, bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts find the park's recreational opportunities unsurpassed. house located at 22869 W Kankakee River Dr, Wilmington, IL 60481 sold for $270,000 on Jan 5, 2024. The Kankakee River heads near South Bend, then flows westward into Illinois, where it joins with the Des Plaines River to form the Illinois. He married a Pottawatomie squaw who had been given 640 acres as a reservation along the Kankakee River. Barkhausen-Cache River Wetlands Center Page Content Learn more about the region’s history, resources and recreation opportunities at Kankakee River State Park with a stop at the site office/visitor center. The need of the fledgling railroad industry to connect major Midwestern cities, particularly Chicago and St. In 1822 Joseph Bailly and his family arrived at the dunes of southern Lake Michigan. Lorenzo Werich, age 73 years, who probably knew more about the history of the Kankakee River than any other person, died Sunday morning at his home in Logansport, Ind. Kankakee River State Park is an Illinois state park on 4,000 acres (1,619 ha) primarily in Kankakee and Will Counties, Illinois, United States. Jan 13, 2020 · The Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission advances Northwest Indiana’s safety, economic prosperity, and quality of its natural resources. Originally, 35 acres (14 ha) of land was donated by Ethel Sturges Dummer for the creation of the state park in 1938. Join the filmmakers as they explore the astonishing history of the environmental treasure often referred to as the “Everglades of the North. * according to old reports in 1884, the Kankakee River was a slow, sluggish stream with a fall of one foot to one-and-a-half feet to the mile while curving through the state of Indiana? * the Kankakee River flows southwest to Aroma Park, Illinois, where it turns northwest toward Wilmington, Illinois, then meets the Illinois River? basin of the Kankakee River has had a varied history of human activities. Apr 9, 2018 · French explorer LaSalle canoed down the Kankakee River in 1679 on his voyage of discovery to the Mississippi. Multiple Offers Received, Highest and Best Due Fr Aug 13, 2006 · The reason is because the some genius in Indiana decided to dredge the Kankakee River, and it increased the flow of water so much that it caused water and silt to build in in Illinois (where the river is still natural and not dredged) which effectively have formed a dam and caused water levels to ride. Jan 18, 2024 · Officials in Will County say that new steps are being taken to address an ice jam that is causing “historic flooding” along the Kankakee River this week. The museum allows one to explore and celebrate the French involvement in the history of the Kankakee River Valley—the first explorers and missionaries; the coureurs de bois and fur traders; and the pioneer settlers form France, French Canada, and Belgium. Powers also offers fall color walks, winter walks, cross-country ski hikes, spring wildf History . Apr 26, 2019 · An old map of Indiana shows the Grand Kankakee Marsh. The first recorded encounter, in around 1675, with Western The Kankakee River National Water Trail provides 133 miles of paddling on a historic, undammed river flowing through several county parks. Potawatomi Indians hunted along the Kankakee River in the 1760s, and by the 1770s the Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa nations - "The Three Fires" - dominated the area. The pure-flowing Kankakee River will connect you to something lovely and ancient inside yourself. Seasonal hunting programs include archery deer, waterfowl, and upland game hunting. Other names applied to the scenic river included "Te-ok-e-kee", an Indian word meaning wolf. Kankakee River Map - Stream - Grundy, Illinois, USA The French Heritage Museum was dedicated on July 28, 2012. Mar 23, 2015 · One camp was on the Des Plaines River and the other along the Kankakee River. It connected with the St. 1948 also marked the start of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra and the Kankakee County Museum in Governor Small Park. Nice going Indiana! Directly across the river is the unincorporated community of Thayer. Joseph River. Joseph Mission near present day Niles, Michigan, near the juncture of the St. Sometime around 1825 a French-Canadian fur trader, Francis Bourbonnais, arrived in Illinois. 300 acres of land on the Kankakee River in Indiana and by 1927-28 had built a house, garage and barn and dredged channels to create a Game Preserve returning the land to the old Kankakee river beds and marshes . This history's content and style are representative. The first inhabitants (at least in our recent, re­ corded history) were the Indians. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Kankakee River has played an important role in the history of the Kouts area. The “10-mile road” is an interesting trip. Source: The Kankakee-River of History by Marion Isaacs (1964), pp. 306751. Just six miles north of Kankakee in rural Bourbonnais, Illinois, 4,000-acre Kankakee River State Park sits astride 11 pristine miles of the cleanest-flowing stream in Illinois: the Kankakee River. In 1989, the Bourbonnais Township Park District took over title and ownership of the historic Perry Farm property. Joseph-Kankakee River portage, a walking trail between the St. We know that the Pottawatomi Indians lived there in the 17th century and found the rivers and marshes of the Kankakee (/ ˌ k æ ŋ k ə ˈ k iː / KANG-kə-KEE) [3] is a city in and the county seat of Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. Built: 1915. Here the trail divided for people going east, west or south through Indian territories and villages. The water trail boasts ample public access sites, thousands of acres of natural areas and preserves, remarkable wildlife, overnight camping for paddlers, many The Kankakee River (from the May 26, 1982, Lowell Tribune, page 12) So many interesting stories have been told about the Kankakee River through the years, we would like to retell some of them and comment on the influence of the river on the pioneer and the early settler. [6] The Potawatomi had a decentralized society, with several main divisions based on geographic locations: Milwaukee or Wisconsin area, Detroit or Huron River, the St. Oct 28, 2006 · As a compliment to a recent ISA newsletter article I wrote in the "Rivers of Time" series on the Kankakee River, I compiled some interesting photos and thought I'd share them here. We know that the Pottawatomi Indians lived there in the 17th century and found the rivers and marshes of the Kankakee River, navigable stream rising near South Bend, northern Indiana, U. . The Kankakee River lies in the Northern Moraine and Lake physiographic region of Indiana where the surficial geology consists of stratified sand and gravel. Demolished 1933. Canals were constructed to channelize and drain the wetlands, and large-scale projects attempted to straighten the meandering Kankakee River. 7 mi. 16. At one time, the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The population was 3,171 at the 2000 census, and 3,310 in 2010. Oct 28, 2020 · Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 28, 1935. Located on Illinois Route 53 and Historic U. Today, Kankakee River State Park stands as a testament to the rich history of the region, with its natural beauty and historical sites attracting visitors from near and far. Westbound train on the bridge. This “Everglades of the North” covered more than 500,000 acres of land at a depth of 3-4 feet. Old growth oak, maple, and elm trees line streets providing year-round pleasure. ” The Book of Genesis in the Old Testament also has a creation story for our People in which many of our members believe. This award-winning documentary reveals the diverse ecology and controversial saga of the Grand Kankakee Marsh – an area in the Midwest that, less than a century ago, resembled the swamplands of Florida’s Everglades. By 1685 the Miami were sufficiently numerous that the Kankakee River was called the River of the Miami. This walking trail between the St. Refuge approval, though, will likely require many letters to Indiana’s governor. Formerly known as the Everglades of the North-before the river was dredged and straightened in the early 1900s-the Kankakee was once a vital link between French Canada and the Mississippi River. Amtrak runs train service through the city via Kankakee station. They sit neatly on large lots divided by wide streets and boulevards. Joseph-Kankakee rivers portage. The Kankakee River (from the May 26, 1982, Lowell Tribune, page 12) So many interesting stories have been told about the Kankakee River through the years, we would like to retell some of them and comment on the influence of the river on the pioneer and the early settler. Indeed, once Bright purchased the entire shoreline of the lake, he declared that he owned, "the bed of said lake Momence is a city in Momence Township, Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. As a result of the marriage, the town of Bourbonnais was founded. state of Illinois, characterized by the many canyons within its 2,630 acres (1,064 ha). Actually, it was part of an old Potawatomi trail which was in use long before the first white people came. Its natural physical character was met with very different human responses. , 1911-Publication date 1960 Topics History. LORENZO WERICH STRICKEN AS HE WRITES LAST CHAPTERS OF KANKAKEE RIVER HISTORY. The many fine museums include the Kankakee County Museum, home of the Kankakee County Historical Society, founded in 1906, it is the oldest incorporated local historical society in Illinois. In 1929 when the stock market crashed William Cameron was a Director in two Sold: 3 beds, 1 bath, 1050 sq. This has been a business that both the Native American and white men engaged in. The Kankakee has been the subject of many stories and articles…. Feb 5, 2024 · The Great Black Swamp was a large wetland in a small part of northeast Indiana and a significant part of northwest Ohio, draining through the Maumee River into Lake Erie. These extracts are presented to given an overall view of the Kankakee River and its people of pioneer days. The passage of time is well documented in Kankakee County through its diverse architecture and rich history. On the west side of Starke County, the Yellow River now flows somewhat parallel to the Kankakee River and enters the Kankakee River at the town of English Lake. Lawrence River. Settlers John Ship and Joseph Stearns would briefly operate an unlicensed ferry across the Kankakee River at Potawatomi Ford, which was soon purchased by a Mr. View Bridge Information In Wayback Machine. The station serves the Illini and Saluki trains to Carbondale as well as the City of New Orleans. In late 1926 William Cameron acquired 1. Feb 21, 2019 · 1906: Kankakee River Reclamation Co. The Kankakee River (cont. Long acclaimed as one of the cleanest rivers in the Midwest. 3-mile-long (100. It continues in a northwesterly direction to meet the Des Plaines River and to form the Illinois River. house located at 402 E Kankakee River Dr, Wilmington, IL 60481 sold for $191,000 on Jul 12, 2024. Kickapoo and Mascouten also were in the region from 1679 until the 1760s. The Potawatomis at Chicago established close political, economic, and kinship ties with the French. basin of the Kankakee River has had a varied history of human activities. Nov 12, 2024 · In 1689, Jesuits established the St. Every day, the Kankakee’s flow gradually returns to a more natural path, as the river carves away the unnatural banks. Joined by kinsmen from southwestern Michigan during the first three decades of the eighteenth century, Potawatomis from the Chicago region occupied the Fox and Kankakee River valleys, gradually expanding as far south as Lake Peoria. Milk's share of the drained land was 12,000 acres that he used for his huge cattle operation. S. K&S - Kankakee River Mar 17, 2025 · In the 1670s the Miami began migrating from the Fox River area in Wisconsin southeastward toward the St. Rock Creek also is a good angling spot. The river is listed on the Federal Clean Streams Register and is the focus of the park's popularity. However, no study has yet assessed a continuous ecological history within the Marsh. The "Weas" refused to move to the Kankakee village "en masse," and those few "Weas" who had gone there abandoned the location "on finding that the rest of the nation would not come". Stacey Powers, Kankakee River State Park site interpreter, covers the history and geology of the park during interpretive tours, and information also is available at the visitor center near the main entrance. The Kankakee River Basin is an area of high ecological and historic significance and the subject of the PBS Documentary - Everglades of the North - the Story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh. The Grand Kankakee Marsh in Indiana and Illinois, situated on the map along the Kankakee River just South of Lake Michigan, was once one of the largest wetlands in the United KOUTS | For many years, the members of the Kankakee Valley Historical Society have been looking underground to find traces of the past to learn more about the history of the Kankakee River. The chiefs listed below are grouped by Aug 31, 2002 · Schurr, who came to Northwest Indiana at the behest of the Kankakee Valley Historical Society, discovered the artifact -- a piece of white limestone-like stone fashioned into the tell-tale shape of an ancient Indian knife along the bank of an old portion of the Kankakee River, which meanders through southern Porter County. Rising in the east within a few miles of the St. in 1917 the dredging of the Kankakee river began, the final blow to a great natural game preserve. Shelby is 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Lowell, 6 miles (10 km) east of Schneider and 10 miles (16 km) west of DeMotte. Mar 5, 2020 · Figure 2. Description: The Kankakee River runs from its origin near South Bend Indiana to the confluence with the Des Plaines River near Channahon. For 11 miles, the 4000 acre park envelopes both sides of the naturally channeled Kankakee River. Earlier in its history it provided a major portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, but in more modern times the channel has slowly altered and at present it runs through farming and croplands. Mar 22, 2025 · Kankakee, city, seat (1853) of Kankakee county, northeastern Illinois, U. Legend has it that this road received its name from the British Dragoons which used it in their travels between the two posts. Route 66 along the east bank of the Kankakee River, it is approximately 60 miles (97 km) south-west from downtown Chicago. In 1893 Milk hired a crew to destroy the stone shelf on the Kankakee River at Momence. Prior research has detailed Northern Indiana’s history of deglaciation, and vegetation and climate change that affected the Upper Midwest more broadly. ”<br/><br/> Map of the Des Plaines River drainage basin. The Potawatomi called this river the Theatiki. This was the route used for centuries, first by Native Americans, then the French explorers and traders to travel from Detroit to New Orleans. WOW. 6 square miles (74,479 km 2). A Native American trail crossed the Kankakee River at Baum's Bridge that early pioneers referred to as Potawatomi Ford. Every settlement within the boundaries of the Kankakee Valley has its own proud version of the exciting events that make up its history. Flowing for a total of 59 miles in Illinois , the Kankakee River contains 3 dams and twelve larger tributary streams, including the Iroquois River. Joseph, a hub of the Great Lakes fur trade from 1691-1781. It is filled with custom built homes, many over 100 years old. Located just southeast of the village of Utica, in Deer Park Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, along the south bank of the Illinois River, the park hosts over two million visitors annually, the most for any Illinois state park. Piankashaws may have been located on the Wabash River as early as 1708, and were The Potawatomi Indians lived in the area now known as the Kankakee River, which was once thought to be the upper Illinois River. Unlike when I was a boy, kids along the Kankakee River will be taught in school about the rich history of the Grand Kankakee Marsh — what was lost and what can be restored. Looks like the "island" included 600 acres or so. Dec 10, 2023 · A very important figure in Kankakee River history was the fur trapper. You may be wondering what the connection of Joseph Bailly is to the history of the Kankakee River. Before it was artificially straightened, the Kankakee River meandered for three hundred miles through a valley only eighty-five miles long1 (Faulkner, 1970: 26). From earliest times up until today fur trapping of the Kankakee Marsh has been an active pursuit. Sherwood, probably Jerry Sherwood, and renamed Sherwood's Ferry. The Kankakee River, a tributary of the Illinois River runs roughly 133 miles through northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana in the United States. While visiting the area in 1679, the French explorer Cavalier de LaSalle befriended and traded with the Native Americans. [5] Fishing the Kankakee River is great for landing smallmouth bass, channel catfish, walleye and Northern pike. Interesting Early History of the Kankakee River Area as it was sixty five year ago. 5 baths, 1400 sq. 113 as well as I-55 and I-57. The Kankakee River first entered history in September of 1673 when the French In 1948 the Kankakee River State Park opened to the public. 1953 marked the County's Centennial Celebration. , and flowing south and west approximately 135 miles (217 km) to be joined by the Iroquois River near Kankakee, Ill. The images explore the St. Via the Kankakee and Illinois rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 427 square miles (1,110 km 2). Joseph River and the Kankakee River/Grand Kankakee Marsh, was one of the shortest overland segments of an ancient water route between the Great Lakes region and the Gulf of Mexico and was one of the reasons why a city grew near this bend of the St. The original treatment facility The Kankakee River Basin drains 2,989 square miles (7,740 km 2) in northwest Indiana, 2,169 square miles (5,620 km 2) in northeast Illinois, and about seven square miles (18 km 2) in southwest Lower Michigan. At the end of this History you will find links to those Nations referred to in the History of the Potawatomi. The drainage process began in 1854, when a ditch running from Beaver Lake to the Kankakee River was dug. Who knows? Some of them might find their callings early and become entomologists, geologists, or biologists. The Kankakee River Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Facility is located on 89 acres of land adjacent to the Kankakee River. A rare National Water Trail river, the Kankakee is easily accessible from Illinois Rt. If you have a favorite IL r Read this short history of the French and French Canadian presence in Kankakee and Iroquois counties by BGHS member Dr. The Yellow River is a 62. Kankakee County is served by the Greater Kankakee Airport. Starved Rock State Park is a state park in the U. This four-to five-mile-walking trail was the only overland segment of an ancient water route between the Great Lakes region and the Gulf of Mexico. ) (from the August 25, 1982, Lowell Tribune, page 10) This is a story of "places" along the Kankakee, "River of History;" places where ancient animals were discovered; where the mound builders buried their dead; where the Indians lived and hunted; where early French traders and explorers trod; where pioneers moved into the wilderness; and places for the early settler another land grant brought the park to its current 3,932 acres. Joseph River Valley. 10. Historically, much of the Kankakee River in Indiana and Illinois meandered through an area called the Grand Marsh. Overview: Lost Deck truss bridge over Kankakee River on Kankakee & Seneca Railroad History: Built 1915. Demand and price has fluctuated, but the industry has always existed. Location map of the Grand Kankakee Marsh. Located in the U. Apr 19, 2012 · The Kankakee : river of history by Isaacs, Marion C. Significantly altered from its original channel, it flows through a primarily rural farming region of reclaimed cropland, south of Lake Michigan. The cutoff was the western boundaries of Starke and Laporte counties In 1909, C. Post rebuild train. It lies on the Kankakee River, about 60 miles (100 km) south of Chicago. For years Bailly had been trading with the natives in the St. Joseph River, tributary Kankakee River were realized by the fall of 1721. The museum is open on Jul 20, 2020 · Restoring wetlands and the Kankakee River’s natural course in Indiana would help to fix this problem. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. The Des Plaines River (/ d ɪ s ˈ p l eɪ n z / diss-PLAYNZ) is a river that flows southward for 133 miles (214 km) [2] through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois [3] in the United States Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. Some years later, the word "Ky-an-ke-ke" evolved and eventually became Kankakee. James Paul. Using the Internet, this can be more inclusive. It encompasses approximately 3,000 square miles of river basin which includes at least thirteen northwestern Indiana Counties. MLS# 12048269. The city of Kankakee has local public transit service provided by the River Valley Metro Mass Transit District. Draining the marsh to convert it into farmland became a prevailing notion, driven by the desire for economic development and land use conversion. Located less than one mile from downtown Kankakee, along the lazy and picturesque Kankakee River, is the Riverview Historic District. This marsh was home to an amazing diversity of plants, birds, fish and animals that The Kankakee country represents essentially an intermorainal marsh reclaimed valley extending from South Bend, Indiana, southwestward to Momence, Illinois. ebweit djdj yqjd sky omtbqy ros fsqyg nrogq saepyr sbmhu ynetwd umr wjxqj ohrqi hqyoi