Celebrate The 350th Anniversary of the Jolliet/Marquette Expedition With One Man Play

Marking the 350th anniversary of the Jolliet/Marquette Expedition, which brought the first non-Native explorers through what would later be dubbed the Starved Rock Country region, stage actor Jim Healy will mount a special one-man play recounting the life and times of Louis Jolliet.

Hosted by the LaSalle County Historical Society at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 26, at the Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center, Healy’s play will weave together a first-person account of Jolliet’s incredible, globe-trotting life – and touch upon the many effects his voyage had on the region we inhabit today.

“I have lived most of my life in Joliet, Illinois,” Healy said. “For 30 years, we lived in the Marquette Gardens subdivision. Now, we live just off Hennepin (another French Canadian explorer) Avenue, close to the Louis Joliet mall. On every trip to the library, I passed the locally famous statue of Louis Jolliet (misspelled as “Louis Joliet” and with a rifle a little too modern for the 17th century). And yet, I knew so little about him, and what I thought I knew was often wrong.

“Rediscovering the man has been a fascinating journey, and I am delighted to bring him to you,” Healy said. “My effort has been to make Louis Jolliet neither an apologist for the European colonization of North and South America, nor a 21st century revisionist who has the benefit of hindsight. Rather, I want to present him as who he was: a thoughtful man of his times, both daring and planful.”

The play will unfold in the lodge’s Starved Rock Room, located just off the picturesque Great Room. You can purchase your event tickets online at www.eventbrite.com/e/louis-jolliet-a-solid-path-through-water-tickets-514182071417 or at the door. Tickets cost $10 for LCHS members, $15 for nonmembers.

Following the play, two trolley tours will be offered, giving you the chance to see several of the local area attractions dealing with the Jolliet/Marquette Expedition firsthand, including the site where Marquette and Jolliet first made contact with the inhabitants of the Grand Village of the Kaskaskia. The trolley tours entail an additional $10 fee, and will depart at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Be sure to arrive early and pay a visit to the LaSalle County Historical Society campus, just a short drive from the entrance to Starved Rock State Park. The popular museum destination consists of six buildings, countless interpretive displays and some amazing relics from the history of the Starved Rock Country region. On-site, you’ll also find the canal warehouse (used for artisan markets throughout the year), a one-room schoolhouse, a working blacksmith shop and an original barn dating back to 1875.

Following the show, consider extending your road trip with an overnight stay at the Starved Rock Lodge. It’s one of Illinois’ foremost lodging destinations for those looking to enjoy hiking, outdoor adventure, history and architectural landmarks, making a stay there an unforgettable getaway. Within the lodge, you’ll find historic ambience in the main dining room, where the atmosphere is friendly and casual. Relax and unwind in the indoor pool, hot tub and sauna or stop by The Back Door Lounge to fuel up before a hike or cool off with a locally brewed craft beer. Choose a hotel room in the lodge or one of the log cabins in the woods. Either way, you’ll wake up refreshed from the natural beauty of the surroundings.

For more information, and to reserve your space for “Louis Jolliet: A Solid Path Through Water,” visit lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org and follow the LaSalle Country Historical Society on Facebook.

https://www.starvedrockcountry.com/2023/03/24/celebrate-the-350th-anniversary-of-the-jollietmarquette-expedition-with-one-man-play/