Wandering Wednesday rolled around again and found us headed to Alton, Illinois. We were aware of a few local gems, but were surprised to find so many.
Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park
Before we crossed the river we drove out to Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones Confluence Point. It was listed on our State Park map so we were happy to add one more park to our “visited” list.
We followed the corn and soybean fields for about three miles. The park sign had been removed, but smaller signs indicated we had arrived. We passed a deserted parking area and knew we had to be close. Following the gravel road a bit further we were finally successful in our search.
The park was the point of confluence of the Missouri and the Mississippi Rivers. The temps were rather warm and the humidity was dripping, but it was fun to watch the point where the rivers actually came together. The area hadn’t been cleared of debris from the last flood, but we enjoyed our short hike anyway.
This area was beautiful and peaceful which would made for a great picnic spot to enjoy the afternoon and watch the rivers come together as they flowed south toward the sea.
A towboat sat waiting in the river for some unknown reason. We watched the water flow downstream to unknown shores.
The ground had cracks about six to eight inches deep all down the shoreline. It looked as though there was no water for miles, but the river was just inches away.
On the way back to civilization we passed a ponding of water with ducks, geese, Blue Heron and Great Egrets. They were such beautiful birds resting or trying to catch their lunch.
Lunch at Bluff City Grill
We ate lunch at Bluff City Grill in Alton. We ordered sandwiches which were pretty tasty. I had the Three LIttle Pigs, which consisted of pulled pork, ham and bacon. Dan ordered the lunch special which was the meatloaf sandwish. It had mashed potatoes on top which tasted a bit weird.
The service was as slow as molasses. We spent about an hour and forty-five minutes of our wandering day there. Had we known we would have chosen a different restaurant.
Robert Wadlow Statue
We visited the bronze statue and chair of Robert Wadlow. Wow, he was a big man! The Alton Giant was born in 1918 and by the age of 13 he began having problems with his pituitary gland.
His shoe size was 37 AA. I put my foot next to his which was twice my length. He contracted an infection in his foot from a blister that formed while walking in a 4th of July parade. The infection took his life at age 22. It took twelve men to carry his casket. His life was cut short, but his fame has lived on for many years. He stood 8′ 11″ tall and weighed 439 pounds at his death.
I held Mr. Wadlow’s bronzed hand and felt like a child holding my dads hand once again. His custom-made chair was also huge. It took eleven yards of fabric to cover the original chair for him. Dan tried to sit on it, but the sun blazing down made it a hot-seat.
Civil War Prison
Alton was rich in history. We visited the Civil War prison which was originally built in 1833 and closed after a few years. Once the Civil War began, the government needed a place to house Confederate Prisoners of War in the Alton area. When the war ended the prison was demolished. The remains we visited where only a small portion of the prison that still stood. Many area homes throughout the town were built with the ruins and many of those homes were still standing today.
A former prisoner visited the prison where he spent many years of his life behind bars until the war ended. This gentleman was allowed to choose a stone from the prison wall for his grave stone.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate Statue
Lincoln-Douglas debate statue were nearby, so we stopped for a short visit. It consisted of two bronze statues. One statue of Abraham Lincoln and one of Stephen Douglas. This statue depicted the 7th debate which was held on the exact spot of the statues.
It was fascinating to read the stories on the plaques near the statues as I learned about the history that was right at our own doorsteps.
Alton Steamboat Mural
Alton Steamboat Mural was appropriately painted on the side of one of the larger buildings in the area. It depicted life near the river during the 1800’s. The artist did a fantastic job.
Piasa Bird
The Piasa Bird was painted on the rock bluff just across from the Mississippi River on the river road. The bird’s name was Indian and meant “The bird that devours men.” There was an entire legend that went along with this bird, which was a fun and interesting read. The area with the bird painting and the large caves in the hillside made quite a neat setting. We would have loved to explore the manmade caves, but were forbidden to enter.
Lovejoy Monument
The Lovejoy Monument, located in the Alton National Cemetery, was placed there in memory of Mr. Lovejoy who died because he stood up for his first amendment rights – freedom of speech.
He wrote newspaper editorials against slavery and was shot because of his vocal stance. Three printing presses were thrown into the Mississippi River by protesters. Mr. Lovejoy just ordered a new press and kept writing.
Fact and fiction, there is a lot of interesting history in Alton.
Pere Marquette State Park
Finally, we drove up the river road to Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, a beautiful park of 8,000 acres with many cabins and buildings. Inside the main building was a beautiful restaurant. The woodwork and stone complimented each other.
Having only been in Alton during the winter months watching for eagles, seeing everything so green and lush was quite a treat. It was beautiful up there.
Wandering Wednesday was quite successful today. Wonder where we will wander next week?