Denise Avery-simmons wrote: > > Hi Dave, > In answer to your question- I do not know much about the "Kickasola > Trail" only that I have a snap-shot of the trail sign and the number of > the trail,no. 81. It is near Unionville and Brookport IL. My family > is said to have "blazed" this trail as early pioneers to the area. But > altough I have the snap-shot, I have never been able to get confirmation > on this from the State of IL. We do have a JACOBS in our tree! My Uncle > Louis Kickasola married Jean Jacobs and > begat-Raymond,Lorraine,Joseph,louis, and John. our JEAN JACOBS WAS FROM > ANTWERP,BELGIUM. IF THIS MATCHES LET ME KNOW. > > T.U. > DENISE AVERY-SIMMONS. > > JOYFUL CREATING > DENISE AVERY-SIMMONS The descriptions and financial records concerning early trails may often be found in the county records. Deed descriptions and land abstracts identify the easements for the road. County records describe the labor provided by the land owners required to build and maintain the road. They also contain property tax records to show a property tax debtor reduced the property taxes they owed by performing maintenance on the county road. Searches through the Pope County land records and the indexes for any county roads and highways may provide some information and point to later state records as well. Although they may have been drafted too late, the U.S. Geological Survey has microfilm copies in black & white of their obsolete topographic maps. One of the earlier maps from the late 19th century and early 20th century may help. Dallas Patterson nye@fidalgo.net