Driving Around Small Town Savanna, Illinois in 4k Video

Filmed on Sunday, November 19 2023, I drive around Savanna, IL to see what's going on.

Originally, the area was part of the vast hunting grounds utilized by Native American tribes, including the Sauk. The signing of the Treaty of St. Louis in 1804, along with subsequent treaties, opened the land for settlement. This led to the establishment of towns like Savanna, which utilized the Mississippi River for efficient transport, aiding in the growth of commerce.

Savanna's early settlers faced challenges, notably during the Black Hawk War in 1832. The town has undergone significant transformations over the years. Its downtown area, which experienced a decline following the closure of the army depot in the mid-1990s, has since seen a revival. Efforts have been made to attract more shops to the main street, aiming to transform Savanna into a weekend destination similar to nearby Galena.

In 1917, the U.S. Army acquired land near Savanna to establish the Savanna Army Depot, initially intended as a test range for the Rock Island Arsenal. Over time, it served as a munitions maintenance and storage facility, including for chemical and nuclear weapons, especially during World War II through the Vietnam War.

The depot was manned by a significant number of civilian employees and guarded by the 516th Military Police Company, equipped with advanced weaponry and surveillance systems. However, in 1995, it was identified for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure Act, officially closing in 2000.

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