LaSalle County was first discovered by Native Americans and then the explorers Fr. Jacques Marquette, Louis Joliet, and Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. The Illinois and Fox Rivers sweep through, winding around lush forested areas. LaSalle County boasts many natural resources: there are open rich farmlands, and valuable rock formations in the region are now part of four state parks. The county's many towns collect a diverse history, from Native Americans, including Potawatomi, Fox, and Ottawa, to early explorers and Abraham Lincoln to one small town that quietly helped in World War II by building the landing ship tank. Rich deposits of coal and St. Peter sandstone attracted industry and the building of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. LaSalle County has grown and been shaped by the people and events that have made this country great. This varied history is shown through vintage photographs from private collections, museums, historical societies, and libraries.