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Article: Before road signs were used, trail trees marked the way.(Neighbor)(Lake County Discovery Museum)
- Article from:
- Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
- Article date:
- March 28, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Paddock Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Diana Dretske
Before the large green and white road signs of today how did people find their way?
Early settlers to this region no doubt used landmarks such as rivers and farmsteads. "Take a left at the Jones' Farm," for example. But prior to the farmsteads of the 1840s, American Indians found their way using markers known as trail trees.
Trail trees were used along American Indian foot trails to direct travelers to neighboring villages, and hunting and ceremonial grounds.
The trees were forced to grow in unnatural ways by bending the main shoot of a sapling and securing it to the ground with a rope or rock, forcing it to grow ...