Re: Solving the Issues of Granite City Schools Archived Message
Posted by fireofgaia on August 14, 2011, 4:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Solving the Issues of Granite City Schools"
It is an Indian word that means smokey. Nameoki Township is located in Township 3, North Range 9 West, and is of a regular square shape, having 36 sections or 22,600 across of land, is bounded on the north by Chouteau, east by Collinsville, south by St. Clair and west by Venice. It lies almost wholly in the great American Bottom, hence is low and level. The soil is of a sandy loam and of a great fertility and with proper cultivation and drainage is the garden spot of Madison County. Horseshoe Lake, which is of about 2000 acres, was known to geographers as Maria's Mensoul. Long Lake crosses the county diagonally entering on section 12 and leaving out on section 3 being nearly 5 (five) miles in length. Cahokia Creek crosses the southern part of the township. The word Nameoki is of Indian origin and signifies "smokey." It was first given as a name to a station between St. Louis and Indianapolis rail road by A. A. Talmadge, who was a conductor, the name was latter given to the township. There are evidences that long before the white man came that the Indians were making history for Nameoki Township, because in the southern parts on sections 34 and 35 are several mounds from which have been taken by the State Archaeologists many interesting Indian bones and relics. Of the mounds the most interesting is the one known as Monk's Mound, so named after the monks of La Trappe who are said to have inhabited this mound about 1807. It is said that to these monks the first credit of the discovery of coal in Nameoki Township is due. This discovery was caused only by the blacksmiths complaining for the want of proper fuel for their fires, and on being Informed that the earth at the root of a large tree which had been struck by lighting (sic) was still burning, they went to the spot and on digging a little below the surface discovered a vein of coal. In 1816 the monks reconvened their property to "Jarrot the donor," they then returned to France. The first sturdy pioneers to blaze the way of civilization across the sandy prairies of this township were Hanniberry and Wiggins in 1801 who settled on what is the present section 16 near the 6 mile house now in section 15.
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