Galena River (Illinois): Difference between revisions

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{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

The '''Galena River''', also known as the '''Fever River''', is a [[river]] which flows through the [[Midwestern United States]].

{{Infobox river

| name = Galena River

| image = Galena Il Galena River1.JPG

| name_other = ''Rivière aux Fèves''

| image_caption = The Galena River flowing through downtown [[Galena, Illinois]] in April 2008. Note the city [[floodgate]]s in center connecting to the river [[levee]] system on the right

| image_size = <!-- Unnecessary. Size is automatic. -->

| map = <!-- no "file" or "image" prefix -->

| map_caption =

| source1_location = [[Lafayette County, Wisconsin|Lafayette County]] northwest of [[Belmont, Wisconsin]]

| source1_coordinates= {{coord|42.7547222|-90.3844444|region:US-IL|format=dms|name=Galena River origin}}

| mouth_location = [[Confluence]] with the Mississippi southwest of [[Galena, Illinois]]

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|42.3741667|-90.4461111|region:US-IL|format=dms|name=Galena River mouth|display=inline,title}}

| progression = Galena River → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico

| source1_elevation = {{convert|1153|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|591|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| length_mi = 52

| custom_label = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] ID

| custom_data = {{GNIS 4|426934}}

}}

{{GeoGroup}}

The '''Galena River''', also known as the '''Fevre''' or '''Fever River''',<ref>{{gnis|426934|Galena River}}</ref> is a {{convert|52.4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed May 13, 2011</ref> [[river]] which flows through the [[Midwestern United States]].

== Geography ==

The river rises in [[GrantLafayette County, Wisconsin]], southnorthwest of [[Benton, Wisconsin|Benton]] and southwest of [[Shullsburg, Wisconsin|Shullsburg]]Belmont. It enters [[Illinois]] in [[Jo Daviess County, Illinois|Jo Daviess County]] to flow through the city of [[Galena, Illinois|Galena]] before it joins the [[Upper Mississippi River|upper]] [[Mississippi River]] a few miles south and west. The river is part of the [[Driftless Area]] of Illinois and Wisconsin. This region was ice-free during the [[Wisconsin glaciation]] and underwent hundreds of thousands of years of glacial-free erosion. The river also occupies a substantial canyon.

== History ==

The indigenous name for the river was "Maucaubee" which if translated means "fever" or "fever that blisters", the indigenous term for small pox.

The river was originally known as "Rivière aux Fèves" and "Bean River" due to the large amounts of wild beans that grew along its banks.<ref name=WisconsinHistoricalCollections>Wis. Historical Collections XV: 343</ref> Following [[English language]] [[code-switching]] of the [[French language|French]] river name "Rivière aux Fèves", the river name was corrupted and was eventually referred to as "Fever River".<ref name=WisconsinHistoricalCollections />

The indigenous gave it this name because in the early days of this country, some of the warriors existing on the present site of Galena and the banks of a small creek a little south of town, went to the assistance of their eastern brothers. On their return, they brought with them a disease that they named "Maucaubee", the fever that blistered. Hundreds of natives died, and the Indians named both the river and the stream Small Pox River.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The smaller creek is still named Small Pox Creek while European settlers changed the river's name to "Fever River", and the frontier hamlet was known as the "Fever River Settlement" or LaPointe until 1826 or 1827 when it was given the name "Galena".{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The name "Bean River" came about from the fact that the early French traders and adventurers, who undoubtedly were in the area long before the 1820s, changed the Indian name to "Riviere au Feve", which means "river of the bean". As early as 1822, the "City" of Galena was mentioned in newspapers while Chicago was referred to simply as "a village in Pike County containing 12 or 15 houses and about 60 or 70 inhabitants". Galena was more important commercially than Chicago at this time; it served as a trading point and provided work at its nearby lead mines.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The river is officially named the "Fever River" in Wisconsin since May 14, 1992 due to the enactment of Act 284.<ref>{{Cite act|date=29 April 1992|legislature=Wisconsin State Legislature|title=1991 Wisconsin Act 284|url=https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1991/related/acts/284}}</ref>

=== Winnebago War ===

The [[Winnebago War]] of 1827, also known as the "FeverFevre River War", is associated with this river.

== See also ==

Line 17 ⟶ 47:

=== Notes ===

{{reflist}}

=== External links ===

*[http://www.quincynet.com/daytrips/galena/ "Galena"]

*[http://www.prairierivers.org/ Prairie Rivers Network]

*[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=155&search_term=Fever+River Fever River] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120532/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=155&search_term=Fever+River |date=2007-09-29 }}

*[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/vol1/html_files/INDEX_F.html "ACTS OF FIFTY–SEVENTH CONGRESS June 27, 1902. 32 Stat., 399"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723233005/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/Vol1/HTML_files/INDEX_F.html |date=July 23, 2008 }}

{{authority control}}

{{Illinois-geo-stub}}

{{Wisconsin-geo-stub}}

[[Category:Rivers of Illinois]]

[[Category:Rivers of Wisconsin]]

[[Category:Tributaries of the Mississippi River]]

[[Category:Rivers of Jo Daviess County, Illinois]]

[[Category:Driftless Area]]

[[Category:Rivers of Grant County, Wisconsin]]