Excerpt from History of Iroquois County: Together With Historic Notes on the Northwest, Gleaned From Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, Private and Official Correspondence, and Other Authentic, Though, for the Most Part, Out-of-the-Way Sources

The county presents an admirable system of natural drainage by means Of its larger watercourses and their numerous tributaries.

The principal streams are the Iroquois river, Sugar, Mud, Fountain Spring, Prairie, Langham, Pike and Beaver creeks. The chief feeders to these, which have recognized names, are Rush, Coon and Pigeon branches; Miller's, or the west branch Of Spring creek; Shave Tail, or Jefferson; and the Ashkum and Gilman ditches. These streams are generally sluggish and turbid. The Iroquois river, from Sugar Island (just over the county line) to its mouth, is shallow and rocky. Along this whole distance Silurian limestone abounds; but above the island the tide is deep and slack, and navigable for flat boats nearly to the state line. Fish are tolerably abundant in the river and larger creeks, but less so than a few years ago. Artificial Obstructions interfere with their running. The most common kinds found are pike, catfish, bass, suckers, dogfish, red-horse, some buffalo and a few eel. The River, Sugar, Mud, Spring, Langham and Beaver creeks are skirted by considerable timber belts. Some of the others have woodlands near their mouths, and a few spontaneous groves in the vicinity Of watercourses are seen. Planted ones are becoming numerous and meet the eye in every direction. The choicest part of the natural timber has been cut and sent to market. In some places the land has been entirely cleared to improve it for pasture, as well as to feed the saw-mills. The most common varieties of timber are red, white and burr oak, black walnut, butternut, iron wood, wild cherry, swamp beech, ash, sugar maple, soft maple, hickory, elm and honey locust. Crab apple and plum bushes abound in certain localities.

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