Looking at the confluence itself, and the point of the other confluence park. The
associated image shows the Mississippi in red and the Missouri in blue - yes,
there really is a visible difference.
The Missouri flows.
The overlooks from both confluence parks in the same picture, and still
the division between the rivers is visible.
This confluence park is more than just the confluence overlook - we drove
around to see the other areas. Here, a dogwood. Get it? Ha!
More greenery.
The slough. There were quite a few waterbirds here just before I took
this picture.
Still more greenery. Kudzu is everywhere.
We stopped at the corn overlook.
I don't make this stuff up people.
Corn and soybeans everywhere! AARGH!!
When we left the confluence park the traffic cleared up and we could
cross the bridge over the river to Illinois and Cahokia Mounds. ca. 1000AD
this was a city of 20,000 people who built mounds, and then vanished. Its
the largest archaeological site north of Mexico - mounds even stretched into
St. Louis (which had been called the Mound City) but were destroyed when the
city was constructed.
Here's the visitor's center - its got a really nice front door.
Inside is a model of the mounds - the largest four-terraced one is Monk's Mound,
and the circle is Woodhenge.
Pottery.
Tools.
Carvings.
A dead guy.
Chunkey stones.
What Monk's Mound looked like when it was in use.
After an 18 minute movie with technical difficulties we went outside to
see the mounds. Here are two.
Monk's Mound. Its about 950x775 feet at its base, and just short of 100
feet high. Note that this one, as with all of the mounds, was built by
humans - these are not natural formations.
Stairs were placed on Monk's Mound in the same place the originals were,
and it can be climbed, though its around 150 steps. Good view from
the top though. Downtown St. Louis (the Arch and one of the stadiums
can be seen) is on the left, and another mound is on the right. Recall
that mounds stretch to St. Louis.
More mounds.
The visitor's center is a ways down. That small brown square at the
intersection is the Cahokia Mounds sign shown earlier.
Granite City, IL.
Jill literally pointing out an important rule. Yes, the sign is on top of
Monk's Mound which you can climb, but its the thought that counts.
Hay is down there.
Back down again, another mound, and a brown sign. Brown signs are our friends.
40 of the 48 posts of Woodhenge have been restored. Its pretty big - Jill for
scale.
The center pole, plus what I had believed to be the true center of the
circle.
Standing on the center mark, and looking at a solstice pole (marked with
one band) on the right of the equinox pole.
Standing at the post, and looking at the same solstice pole - note the sign
behind it - it looks different. Yes, location matters.
The equinox pole (marked with two bands).
The left solstice pole.
We then adjourned for the day.