Russellville-Shawneetown Trail

Route
This trail runs from Russellville, Kentucky to Shawneetown, Illinois. The trail from Russellville was a route followed by settlers from Kentucky and other parts of the upper south to Illinois and other parts of the upper plains.

Shawneetown, Illinois
Shawneetown was an important port on the Ohio. It served after the Revolution, as an important United States government administrative center for the Northwest Territory. Shawneetown and Washington, D.C., share the distinction of being the only towns chartered by the United States government. In early November 1803, Lewis and Clark are believed to have stopped at Old Shawneetown on their way to Fort Massac, just down the Ohio River. Old Shawneetown, a banking center, played a role in providing capital to build the western frontier.

Russellville, Kentucky
Between the arrival of first settlers around 1790 and the town's incorporation in 1798, Russellville was known variously as Cook's Station, Logan Court House, Rogues’ Harbour. Settlers decided on the name Russellville to honor war hero General William Russell. It is the county seat of Logan County, one of Kentucky's original counties.

Map of trail
trail number 99.

Links

 * Short history of Shawneetown
 * Wikipedia history of Russellville