Day 15 - Fort Morgan, IA to Hamilton, IL (31 Miles )

Fabulous day today! Took a tour of the replica of the fort on the banks of the River after which Fort Morgan was named. It was established as a trading post but also was the site of a lot of skirmishes with the Winnebago, who were recruited to fight on the side of the British during the War of 1812. The fort was abandoned and destroyed by the Americans in 1813 after only five years of use.

Even more interesting was my visit to the town of Nauvoo, IL, which is the town founded by Mormon prophet Joseph Smith after he was forced to leave Missouri in 1839. It grew to about 15,000 over the next five years and was one of the largest and most important cities Illinois. Mormon converts were pouring into the Nauvoo but serious friction was growing between Mormons and gentiles. In June 1844 Joseph Smith and his brother were killed by an angry mob in Carthage. Today Nauvoo has 1,100 inhabitants and Mormons from all over the country make pilgrimages to Nauvoo. I took the tour of the Joseph Smith homestead and saw his home and many buildings from the original Mormon settlement there from 1839 to 1844. The Mormon have built a gorgeous temple in Nauvoo at the site of the original temple.

I am camping next to a gentleman from Madison, WI, Ria, who is here searching for geodes. Apparently this area and a part of Kentucky are the only places in the U.S. where geodes are found. Geodes are formed over the course of 40-100 million years when water carrying minerals permeates the rock and forms beautiful crystal interiors that can only be seen when the rock is split open. The rocks look perfectly normal but when you shake them you can hear rattling or liquids. Splitting the rock to expose the beautiful interior is a real skill. Ria sells many of his geodes on eBay.

The local paper this morning had a front page picture of Asian carp leaping in The River. I discussed this with some locals who confirmed that Asian carp have been a major problem for fishermen in this area of The River for some time. They said it was not unusual to have Asian carp jump into your boat when the motor is running. All the things we have been hearing about the treat of Asian carp in Minnesota appear to be true!

On the subject of fishing, I understand that there are still some full time commercial fishermen who work on this part of The River. They sell to local restaurants and set nets. Apparently they catch a wide variety of fish, including sturgeon, perch, and catfish.

The ride down the Great River Road from Nauvoo to Hamilton was very scenic and enjoyable.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4