In the early decades of the American Midwest, French missionaries played a crucial role in establishing Catholicism among the native peoples of the region. In this groundbreaking study, Benchley and Walthall examine the archaeological evidence for a mission church established by Jesuit missionaries among the Cahokia Illini in present-day Illinois. A must-read for anyone interested in the cultural and religious history of the American Midwest. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.