Princeton to Galesburg IL

That road leads to Tiskilwa where the landscape is again rolling prairie, and Alonzo commented that, “the grain looks well, corn poor.” From there I followed Alonzo west toward Galesburg rather than continuing south to Peoria.  While they traveled in a direct southwest diagonal through the villages of Osceola, where they had there noon meal, and La Fayette, I had to follow the section line roads. 

About one mile west of La Fayette in Stark County they camped at Fraker’s Grove, “a rainy night, thunders and lightning.” They stayed over two days as the rain continued the next morning, and used the time to doctor the horses and prepare food. “The heaviest timbers I have seen yet, some small game. Our table groans with provisions.” Today Fraker’s Grove is only an historic marker and little timber.

Fraker's Grove Monument

After passing through Victoria, also described as “timbered,” the road meets Hwy 34 again and leads southwest into Galesburg. In 1849,  “ . . . a fine little place. Some fine buildings, literary institution, 400 students. We had must (new wine) and milk and boiled eggs for supper. All is right, music from the band.” 

The literary institution was Knox College and I have been told by the Knox College Archives that the Old Academy would have been the building seen by Alonzo. It was on the corner of Main St. and Cherry St., where the First Bank Building now stands. The oldest building on the campus today is Old Main built in the 1850s. Plaques of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, celebrating their 5^th debate that was held in Old Main, are at a side entrance to Old Main. I stayed on Cherry St. at the Seacord Bed & Breakfast not far from Knox College.

Re-use of old Galesburg City Hall rather than urban renewal

Interior of Old Main

Old Main at Knox College

Seacord House B&B in Galesburg, IL