Fort Russell

Historical marker location:

Edwardsville, Illinois

( Marker can be reached from Springfield Road near Illinois Route 159.)

Marker installed: 1934

Illinois was part of the French colonial empire, and the city of Cahokia, located near present-day Collinsville, was one of the largest pre-Columbian cities in North America. At its peak, around 1250 CE, Cahokia had a population of around 20,000 people.