Entered my 4th state today and saw Cahokia mounds. What an incredible place which is so rich in history. To think that there was this productive civilization thousands of years ago that just vanished. The comparisons between this civilization and modern day is remarkable. This was more of a whole village over just the mounds. Various archeological digs took place on the site so there were many artifacts on display at the museum. My mind went back to the Incan and Mayan ruins of Central America.
Driving up the GRR on the Illinois side brought me to the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The river edges are home to various migratory birds and it was fun watching them in the marshes.
The most famous bird I saw was the legendary Piasa. While talking to the ranger at the locks, I learned that not only was the bird repainted over time, but the stone was actually moved to prevent further damage. This surprised me since it had historical significance.
Traveling further upriver brought me to the small river towns of Alton and Grafton which were both major stations on the Underground Railroad. Factories and refineries are still prevalent,but now tourism is a main portion of the area's economy.
It was easy to sit back and relax on the docks, watching water skiers and boaters enjoying the river. The limestone bluffs against a blue sky made for a beautiful setting.
What type of factories and refineries are there?
ReplyDelete-Jack
Up north there where rice and rice by-products as well as dairy products. I also saw flour factories, limestone quarries, granite quarries, and what looked like an oil refinery but I will need to check on that.
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