Cave in Rock Illinois

One of the first stops we aregoing to make in our journey Down the River is at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois.

While there were LOTS of places where river pirates plied there trade against the pioneers, tradesman, and explorers going down the Ohio, none gained the lasting notoriety of Cave-in-Rock. The operation of Cave-in-Rock's days as a pirate haven were probably best shown in the Classic Jimmy Stewart movie, How the West was Won.  Though, if I remember right, in the movie they took artistic liberties and placed the the cave and pirates further upriver in Ohio. Some of my research suggests that Cave-in-Rock was the actual location used for shooting those scenes of the movie but, I have yet to confirm that as fact. I also seem to recall a Disney Movie about Mike Fink and the Keel-boats that dealt with the pirates at Cave-in-Rock.

I have always wanted to see the Cave-in-Rock since I first learned about it while doing genealogy research. I have a FORD line that just appears in southern Indiana in the 1840's from Kentucky as if by magic and we can find no trace of them. In discussing my frustrations on tracing this line, an old friend mentioned Cave-in-Rock and told me the story of the River Pirates; The Devil's Ferryman. On the Kentucky side of the river, it seems one of the most notorious bands of River Pirates was headed by a Ford Family who ran a ferry across the river. For some reason, I had always connected the two but I'm not sure why..... I also have kind'a dismissed this since, this activity took place west of central Indiana and I just don't see pirates and outlaws moving deeper into the settled areas.. Of course, it would provide an opportunity to avoid as many run ins with victims that might have escaped and moved on west.  Anyway, that is how I originally became acquainted with Cave-in-Rock.
 

It looks like this might be a good place for our first nights stop in Illinois as there appears to be a large campground in the state park. With two young kids, stories of pirates and thieves should be a sure hit!. Maybe we can get a copy of the movies so they can see where they are.

I have found many links to the location that tell the history quite well.