Kalleh may have a lead on this one. What does the word Kaskaskia have to do with geography?

Don't look it up if you don't know.

Answer to follow.

Kalleh, unfortunately, has no lead.

I have some lead. I use it as a doorstop.

I have a book in my library, Kaskaskia Illinois-to-French Dictionary, edited by Carl Masthay. Any guess how to parse the title?

quote:

I have some lead. I use it as a doorstop.

I use it in my pencil.

I'm surprised Kalleh didn't know Kaskaskia was the first state capital of Illinois.

From Wikipeia: "Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2000 census the population was 9, making it the smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about 7,000, when it was a regional center and Illinois' first state capital, before the capital was moved to Vandalia in 1818."

the Mississippi flooded early in the 1800s, changing its channel and isolating Kaskaskia from Illinois. The only access to the island is from Missouri. Islanders get Illinois driver's licenses but mail is delivered via a Missouri zip code.

Well, in all fairness, I was raised in Wisconsin. Still, I should have known. Shu was raised in Illinois, and he is a Chicago history buff. He knew.