How Starved Rock Got Its Name Is Horrifying, Should We Change It?

I was reading the other day about a piece in a Chicago newspaper that said something to the effect of Illinois' DNR (Department of Natural Resources) being open to the idea of changing the name of Starved Rock State Park because some group decided the current name is somewhat problematic or offensive in some way.

That idea was met with some serious opposition, as you might expect. There's also talk of a group of concerned citizens putting together a petition against changing the name.

With all that in mind, have you ever wondered how Starved Rock got its name? It sure didn't come from someone looking at a rock that was too skinny.

For The Uninitiated, Let's Start Out With "What Is Starved Rock?"

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) describes Starved Rock State Park as a wilderness area on the Illinois River known for its steep sandstone canyons formed by glacial meltwater. One of Starved Rock's many highlights is a 125 foot high sandstone butte.

According to everything that I've researched, Starved Rock has been home to humans since at least 8000 BC. The area was "discovered" by French explorers in 1673, and the French even built a fort they called Fort St. Louis atop the butte in 1682, only to abandon it in the early 1700s before moving to what is now Peoria.

Let's Get To The Gruesome Details That Brought About The Name "Starved Rock"

I've never really given a thought to why it's called Starved Rock. Up until yesterday when I came across the real story, I would have guessed that it's because the rock is somewhat skinny looking.

Like many of my guesses, that would be wildly wrong.

MuseumLinkIllinois says that Starved Rock received its name for an event that allegedly took place there about 1770. "According to Native American tradition, some Peoria Indians who came under attack by a war party of Potawatomi Indians suffered starvation when trapped on the rock without food or water."

Wait...It Gets Worse. A Lot Worse.

Several other published accounts say that Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe was murdered by an Illinois tribe member during a trip to what is now southern Illinois. Pontiac's tribe, along with another allied tribe, the Potawatomi, took their revenge by attacking the Illinois tribe. The Illinois sought refuge at the top of Starved Rock, where those who weren't killed by the Ottawa and Potawatomi starved to death while under siege.

IDNR:

A few days later, traveling traders en route to Canada stopped to see why flocks of buzzards were circling the rock. On approaching the top, the traders were sickened by the numbers of decaying bodies. The stench was so offensive that the traders left and took with them the legend of the dead.