Lusk's Ferry Road - Williamson County

Williamson County

The Lusk's Ferry Road entered Williamson County, in T8S, R1E, about four miles (6 km) east of the northwest corner of the County, heading southeast, straight toward modern Herrin. The road followed modern Illinois Route 148, but was about a mile south. This area was heavily strip mined, raising the possibility that Route 148 once followed the old road, but was moved a mile north to avoid the mines.

The road turned south, running straight though modern downtown Herrin, T8S, R2E, along the route of modern Route 148. South of Herrin, the road entered T9S, R2E. The Lusk's Ferry Road is clearly marked as such where it entered this Township. The road then enters a maze of "Traces", none of which are clearly marked as the Lusk Ferry Road.

About five miles (8 km) south of Herrin there was once a town called "Bainbridge". All that is now left is the Bainbridge cemetery, about five miles (8 km) southwest of Marion. This was located in what is now the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Some sources describe this as an important early cross roads in this area, near the base of the Shawnee Hills. Beyond Bainbridge, the Lusk's Ferry Road is not marked on the old maps through the rest of Williamson County.

There were two routes over the hills to the south, neither of which is clearly marked on the original survey maps. The western route crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Buffalo Gap", near Goreville. The eastern crossed the Shawnee Hills at "Mocassin Gap". While the Buffalo Gap route had the lower summit, the Mocassin Gap was the more direct route.

There is a line of disconnected diagonal road segments leading from Marion to Creal Springs, a small village in southeastern Williamson County. A modern road runs south out of Creal Springs toward Lake of Egypt. This is the most likely route for the Lusk's Ferry Road.

• TopoQuest Herrin to Bainbridge
• TopoQuest Creal Springs to Wagon Creek