May 15, 2014 Missouri, Illinois

Thursday, May 15

Sunshine and blue sky!!  Hurrah!  Still only 44 degrees which even the locals say is pretty chilly.  We are headed back into Illinois today and as we approach St. Louis we get on a 10 lane highway!  Quite a change from our windy, hilly 2-laners! 

We are back across the Mississippi at a little after 8:00 and arrive at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site a little early.  Took a few bird pictures while enjoying the sunshine.  There were lots of purple martins  and this original angry bird – I think it is a wren.  

angry bird

purple martin, largest of the swallow family

Cahokia Mounds was the largest prehistoric Indian community in America north of Mexico, built from 1000-1200 AD.   The earthen mounds  are of varied sizes and functions with the Monk’s Mound in the center.  This was a terraced mound that covers more than 14 acres and they estimate 22 million cubic feet of earth were hand-carried to build it. 

Most of the mounds had buildings atop, but they were built of wood so there are not many remains.  They also had a wooden “Woodhenge” with poles that acted as a calendar and a wall of logs around the entire city.

 replica village in extensive interpretive center

Cahokia was larger than London in 1250AD and there was not a larger city in the US  until Philadelphia in 1800.  The residents here were very organized, with a chief, clan leaders and clans.  They raised crops but were also extensive traders, using the Mississippi , Missouri and other waterways.  They had game and salt to the east, fish and fertile land along the Mississippi, minerals and rocks in the Ozarks to the south.  Why they gradually disappeared no one knows.

Next stop was the National Great Rivers Museum, which had a nice display and film about great rivers of the world and a Great Rivers Research Center where much scientific study on rivers, flooding, etc. is done.  Data about the Mississippi was impressive.  We have seen many barges being moved in both directions.  They lash them together with steel cables and one huge tug can move up to 15 or more at a time.  One such "tow" will carry as much as 1050 truck trailers. This saves on both fuel and emissions. They say mainly chemicals and petroleum products move up the river and 60% of the nations crops move down the river.

There was also a dam and lock here, the Melvin Price site, one of 29 on the upper Mississippi which drops 400’ from Minneapolis to here. It doesn’t control flooding but controls water levels for traveling ships and barges.

We stopped by the site of the 7^th and final of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in Alton.

Douglas won the senate seat but Lincoln received major exposure and, two years later, won the Presidential election.

The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site was our next stop.  The rain has returned.

This is where Lewis and Clark’s initial fort  (Camp River Dubois) was built and where they prepared for their 2+year adventure.   There were many letters and lists from President Thomas Jefferson,, Lewis and Clark and others.  The Louisiana Purchase became official in St. Louis, and the explorers set off with a crew of 45. There was a mock-up of the keel boat they used and lots of information about the preparations, supplies, crew, and the actual trip.  Nicely done.

 replica keel boat, could be moved by sail, by rowing or by poles.

 Replica of living quarters at Camp River Dubois.

 Replica of the fort, which consisted of only 6 or so buildings.

We continued up Rt 100 along the river, passing many large bluffs or cliffs.  Nice views, even in the rain.  We then turned eastward for a little detour towards Springfield and some Lincoln-related sites.  Spent the night at a Walmart in Carlinville, about 45 minutes south of Springfield. Rain on and off.