MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA



BARGES ON MISSISSIPPI

TRAINS ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

LITTLE BEAR MOUND

ROY LOOKING IMPRESSED AT THE EFFIGY MOUNDS

 Our penultimate state, Iowa, reached by crossing the mighty Mississippi. This river is one of the greatest rivers in the world. It travels more than 2,300 miles draining land from Maine to Montana and southward. Its drainage encompasses more than 2/3 of the continental US.


We visited Effigy Mounds National Monument, where along the river, some 200 prehistoric earthern mounds are preserved. Built over a span of 1,800 years, the oldest of these mounds date back more than 2,500 years.
 Some are round burial mounds, most are cone shaped and more than two dozen resemble birds and bears.
We woke this morning to a thunderstorm which finally stopped, allowing us to walk the Fire Point trail seeing many round burial mounds and the little bear mound. They are nothing special to see but I think as I walk along of those native Americans and I am sure I can hear their spirits whispering in the trees. Roy thinks I'm crazy!
Archeologists remain puzzled over these mysterious mounds, but I liked the idea they built the animal shapes to celebrate their oneness with Mother Earth.