This point marks the beginning of the ancient Native American trail to what is now Green Bay, Wisconsin. The path marched north from the Chicago River along what is now Rush Street to Chicago Avenue and then traveled northwest until reaching the present-day intersection at Clark Street and North Avenue. From there it went north to Green Bay. European settlers used the Green Bay Trail and other Native American routes to transport goods and mail between regional settlements.

Though Native American trails no longer exist, their presence can still be detected in Chicago. As more European settlers (and later, first generation Americans) arrived in Chicago, trails became packed dirt roads and some were incorporated into the city's street grid system and paved. Thus, some of Chicago's streets descend directly from ancient Native American trails. For example, Lincoln Avenue was the Little Fort Road, which led to Waukegan, and Ogden Avenue was an Indian portage route.

Though its exact location is unknown, it is likely that the Mission of the Guardian Angel was located at the Chicago terminus of the Green Bay Trail. The Mission of the Guardian Angel was established by Jesuits in 1696, but closed in 1699 when an agreement to leave the area to Seminarian missionaries pushed the Jesuits out of Chicago. The Jesuits returned to Chicago in the nineteenth century and established several institutions, including Loyola University Chicago, St. Ignatius College Preparatory, and Holy Family Parish.

Credits and Sources: