Cantonment Wilkinson Site

Cantonment Wilkinson is located on the banks of the Ohio River in present-day Pulaski County, Illinois. Cantonment Wilkinson served as a short-term U.S. Army camp established on New Year's day 1801. It was occupied for 18 months from 1801-1802 by over 1,000 soldiers and their dependents. At its peak, Cantonment Wilkinson was one of the largest military bases in the country housing over 1,500 soldiers before it was abandoned in 1802. After the U.S. Army abandoned the site, the vacant buildings were occupied by Cherokee Indians and Euro-American squatters. Cantonment Wilkinson was excavated by SIUC archaeologists in 2003-2005 where they recovered a large artifact assemblage associated with the U.S. frontier army. Artifacts recovered ranged from military uniform buttons, ceramics, glassware, and more. The assemblage provided insightful information on the U.S. Army during the transitional period between the American Revolution and War of 1812. A historical marker is located 3 miles north of the site in Grand Chain, Illinois.