Galena–Chicago trail
The Galena–Chicago trail was a stagecoach route located in northern Illinois that ran from the mid-to-late 1830s until 1854.[1] As indicated by its name, the route linked Chicago, located in the northeast of the state, with Galena which was located in the northwest. The Chicago-Galena trail includes the "Stagecoach Trail" that runs between Galena and Lena, Illinois.
History
The line traced its beginnings to as early as 1835[2] as a series of smaller trails, all operated by distinct stagecoach owners. A single trail linking Chicago to Galena was formally established in 1839 by John Frink and Martin Walker,[1] who later established Frink, Walker & Company in 1840.[3] Frink & Walker expanded their pre-existing trail from Chicago to Galena, putting a competing Chicago-Freeport stagecoach line run by J.D. Winters out of business. Frink & Walker ran two daily coaches that carried mail, passengers and small parcels from Chicago to Galena.[2]
Stagecoach Stops
- Chicago, Illinois
- Genoa, Illinois (approximately the midpoint of the trail[4])
- Lena, Illinois
- Nora, Illinois
- Warren, Illinois
- Apple River, Illinois
- Scales Mound, Illinois
- Galena, Illinois
References
- 1 2 Selbert, Pamela. "Coach travel." Chicago Tribune, 5 December 1999. http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-9912050407-tr-dec05,0,461846.story
- 1 2 "Then and Now." Rockford Register Star, 23 May 2003.
- ↑ Matile, Roger. "John Frink and Martin Walker: Stagecoach kings of the old Northwest." Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Summer 2002. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3945/is_200207/ai_n9121377/
- ↑ Genoa Main Street, Inc. http://www.genoamainstreet.com/