I suspect those of you following the blog have figured out that the postings are behind my actual journey. I'm posting for Monday, June 15th, on Saturday, June 20 from Nebraska. It isn't possible to post an entire day's travels plus download photos, and I suspect any readers would rather have brief, more frequent postings. At least I hope so. Also hope you'll be forgiving as I figure out the blog protocol. I'm having a hard time thinking backwards as things have to be posted in reverse of how they happen. Can't tell you how many times I've had to delete because I got the cart before the horse.
On Monday, June 15th, headed out of Galesburg toward Monmouth following Alonzo's trail to Oquawka on the Mississippi River where a ferry was located. The winding road to Monmouth wound through beautiful rolling hills. The road to Oquawka, however, descended steeply to lower ground and then to bottomland, or as the residents referred to it, "the bottoms." Amazing how far inland the Mississippi has made its bed over the centuries.
Old-timers in Oquawka near the Mississippi River
Mississippi River at Oquawka, IL
Finished up in Oquawka and stopped at the county library in Biggsville for some help from two friendly librarians. Again descended from the rolling hills to the flood plain of the Mississippi to cross the bridge to Burlington, Iowa.
By 1849 some ferries on the river were large steamboats that could carry large quantities of cargo. Alonzo didn't describe the voyage except that it was six miles down the river to Burlington. At that point they, "Overhauled our load and weighed our baggage. Each man is allowed 75 pounds, mine weighs 65. We put on more provisions and I had a fine bathe in the Mississippi River."
Burlington is built on a bluff overlooking the river and the buildings crawl up the side of the hill. A beautiful new library was my first goal. Found some good information on Mississippi riverboats and ferries in their vertical files with excellent help from the librarian--just like home! Enjoyed an excellent lunch in the little library cafe before heading west and looking for the Agency Road.
Bridge across the Mississippi from the Burlington Library
Street in Burlington
After the Black Hawk War, the Sac and Fox Indians were moved west because of the 1837 treaty. There were about 2300 Indians set up in six villages just east of Ottumwa in what is now called Agency. The Agency Road led out of Burlington to Lowell on the Skunk River where Alonzo's party crossed on a ferry. Their lock chains broke so they camped there for the night as they repaired their equipment. By 1849 the Skunk River had already been dammed for water power.
Hillsboro, formerly Washington, was on a route that can no longer be followed today. Pieces of the Agency Road exist in places, but it took some doing to get to Agency on the back roads and still trying to follow the trail as closely as possible. I took my overnight in a Super 8 in Ottumwa instead of camping on the Skunk River. No surprise to those who know me.
Hillsboro Public Library
Ottumwa, another city climbing a hill with a river below, the Des Moines; a high hill on the north side and flat land on the south. Also a city, like Galesburg, that appears to have escaped urban renewal as it has some nice early public buildings. The older streets are heavily shaded with overhanging trees and it reminded me of the way Grand Rapids looked before it lost all its elms. Next time I'll follow the trail to Oskaloosa, which I almost didn't take--what a loss that would have been. Tune in for the next episode.
Ottumwa, IA
No comments:
Post a Comment