November 16, 2007
The scenery did not change dramatically as we crossed the state line into Illinois - we recognized the corn and soybeans from previous states. Here the corn looked more anemic, and a conversation at the gas station produced the opinion that there had not been much rain, and what had fallen had been timely for the "beans", but not the corn.
As you have undoubtedly guessed by now, national and state parks are my first choice for accommodations on this trip. The amenities may be lacking, but the quiet and the scenery more than make up for that. Our first night in Illinois was spent at Kickapoo State Park, largely because I smiled when I saw the name. Li'l Abner and Kickapoo Joy Juice was a part of my childhood, after all.
From there we went on to Arthur, a farming town with a considerable Amish community, and the home of The Great Pumpkin Patch. I had been referred by a friend, and was given the $5 tour: piles of gourds and pumpkins, acre after acre of "pick your own" pumpkins, a corn maze, a straw bale maze, petting animals, gifts, the works.
I had missed by several months the 14th Annual Horse Progress Days, where new equipment for horse-powered farming is exhibited, and was too early for the Broom Corn Festival. Drat, I will have to speak severely to my travel agent! As you can see, however, I am after experiences other than bright lights and four star restaurants. I did buy a jar of sorghum syrup, as a part of my culinary journey, and found it is great on pancakes.
Decatur is not far from Arthur, and we headed there next, to visit with a friend from years back. We caught up, toured the parks and zoo, patronized a huge and enticing used book sale, all the while with a curious aroma in the air. It turns out that Decatur is "Soy City", and that is what I was smelling. After a while I didn't even notice it.
The next leg of our journey took us on part of Old Route 66 to New Salem and Springfield, both places important in the life of Abraham Lincoln. New Salem is a village of reconstructed log cabins where Abe studied law, lost an election, and tried his hand at storekeeping. Then he and his family moved on to Springfield, and there we visited the fine Lincoln Library and Museum, and the church he attended. The Lincoln pew is on display in the narthex there, and the sanctuary is graced with beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows.
While in Springfield we also stopped at The Dana-Thomas House, the largest and most complete of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Prairie" Houses. It seems small and dark by today's standards, but beautiful all the same, and designed around the theme of sumac leaves.
The excitement built toward seeing the Mississippi River, and it was a mighty sight, indeed. We drove down a dusty road to see where it met with the Illinois River, saw levees, many birds, and a huge lock and dam built by The Army Corps of Engineers. In the interpretive Center I learned that some 240 million tons of cargo are shipped down the river yearly, including 60% of U.S. grain exported abroad.
In Alton, Illinois, there was a fearsome carved and painted figure high on a bluff, the Piasa Bird (pronounced Pie-ah-saw). The figure was originally painted by the Illini Indians, and reported in the diary of Pere Marquette in 1673: "---(it) was as large as a calf, with horns like a deer, red eyes, a beard like a tiger's, a face like a man, the body covered with green, red, and black scales, and a tail so long that it passed around the legs, ending like a fish's tail." The bird was a defeated enemy in the Illini's mythology, and supposedly whenever a member of the tribe passed by, he would shoot an arrow at the painting. Hopefully, you will be able to see the photo enclosed. A couple of years ago the painting was redone, and is brilliant and startling as you drive along the flowing river.
More about ancient peoples next week when we visit The Cahokia Mound. Shalom, Penny and Peach
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