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Stillman Creek (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
Stillman Creek, also known during different eras as Mud Creek, Old Man's Creek, Sycamore Creek, and Stillman's Run, is part of the Rock River watershed, and located in Ogle County, Illinois
, United States. The stream was named for Isaiah Stillman
, who also lent his name to the village of Stillman Valley, Illinois
, which lies along the creek.
until it reaches the Rock River
at its mouth. The creek is 18 miles (29 km) long.
; as of 2000 there were 48 acres (194,249.3 m²) of pre-settlement prairie remaining within the Rock River
basin. The land surrounding the Rock River and its tributaries is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species. Found throughout the Rock River country 122 species of native birds, 33 species of reptiles, 78 species of mammals, 33 species of native mussel
and 10 species of native crustacean
s. Of the 950 plant taxa found in the river country, 27 are fern
s species. In total, 56 species of Illinois endangered or threatened species make their habitat within Rock River country.
during the Black Hawk War
. The battle and the creek became humorously known as "Stillman's Run" after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield in defeat, believing they were being chased by thousands of Chief Black Hawk's warriors. The use of the word "run" was a double entendre
describing both the creek and Stillman's "tactics" during the battle. It has been known by other names as well, those include, Mud Creek, Old Man's Creek, and Sycamore Creek. The stream's current name, Stillman Creek, descended from Isaiah Stillman
, who also lent his name to the village of Stillman Valley
(via the creek), along the creek, in Ogle County. A 1999 water quality assessment by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency rated Stillman's Creek as "good," along with about 78% of the rest of the water ways found in the Rock River watershed. In modern times, the village of Stillman Valley has been authorized to discharge treated wastewater into the creek. During the 2007 Midwest flooding
the creek poured over its banks.
Ogle County, Illinois
Ogle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,497, which is an increase of 4.8% from 51,032 in 2000. Its county seat is Oregon, and its largest city is Rochelle...
, United States. The stream was named for Isaiah Stillman
Isaiah Stillman
Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman led Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk’s Sauk Indian Band...
, who also lent his name to the village of Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern...
, which lies along the creek.
Course
Stillman Creek originates near Kings, Illinois and continues its course through Ogle CountyOgle County, Illinois
Ogle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,497, which is an increase of 4.8% from 51,032 in 2000. Its county seat is Oregon, and its largest city is Rochelle...
until it reaches the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
at its mouth. The creek is 18 miles (29 km) long.
Natural history
Before the Rock River country was settled, which includes the area surrounding Stillman Creek, 35% of the land was covered with prairiePrairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
; as of 2000 there were 48 acres (194,249.3 m²) of pre-settlement prairie remaining within the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
basin. The land surrounding the Rock River and its tributaries is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species. Found throughout the Rock River country 122 species of native birds, 33 species of reptiles, 78 species of mammals, 33 species of native mussel
Mussel
The common name mussel is used for members of several families of clams or bivalvia mollusca, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which are often more or less rounded or oval.The...
and 10 species of native crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s. Of the 950 plant taxa found in the river country, 27 are fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s species. In total, 56 species of Illinois endangered or threatened species make their habitat within Rock River country.
History
The creek was the site of the 1832 Battle of Stillman's RunBattle of Stillman's Run
The Battle of Stillman's Run, also known as the Battle of Sycamore Creek or the Battle of Old Man's Creek, occurred on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for Major Isaiah Stillman and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors. According to...
during the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
. The battle and the creek became humorously known as "Stillman's Run" after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield in defeat, believing they were being chased by thousands of Chief Black Hawk's warriors. The use of the word "run" was a double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
describing both the creek and Stillman's "tactics" during the battle. It has been known by other names as well, those include, Mud Creek, Old Man's Creek, and Sycamore Creek. The stream's current name, Stillman Creek, descended from Isaiah Stillman
Isaiah Stillman
Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman led Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk’s Sauk Indian Band...
, who also lent his name to the village of Stillman Valley
Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern...
(via the creek), along the creek, in Ogle County. A 1999 water quality assessment by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency rated Stillman's Creek as "good," along with about 78% of the rest of the water ways found in the Rock River watershed. In modern times, the village of Stillman Valley has been authorized to discharge treated wastewater into the creek. During the 2007 Midwest flooding
2007 Midwest flooding
The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007. While Hurricane Dean was affecting the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico, and Tropical Storm Erin was affecting Oklahoma and Texas, a persistent storm system...
the creek poured over its banks.