December 20, 2010

December 20, 2010

While I was out today, I took the opportunity to stop at the Chicago Portage, one of only two National Historic Sites in Illinois. It also has the distinction of probably being unheard of even by longtime Chicagoans, me included. Too bad, since it is the “Plymouth Rock” of Chicago, the reason the “second city” is here. In colonial times when water was the highway, one of the best ways to get from east to west was across the Great Lakes, up the Chicago River, picking up your canoe, and walking across to the Des Plaines Rivers which flows into the Mississippi. This made Chicago a vital transportation link and prompted the early US to build Fort Dearborn in 1803. Most of Chicago’s early history has been paved over. This is the only spot that has been untouched.

Chicago Portage today sits in a small county forest preserve in the middle of an industrial area. The centerpiece is an artistic iron sculpture depicting Father Marquette and Louis Joliet carrying their canoe across the portage. Bundled up for the weather I took a brisk stroll on a circular trail following in the French explorer' steps. The path was properly accented with several nice interpretative signs, one describing the area’s glacier origins. I was amused to learn that the word Chicago is derived from the many wild onions and leeks that grew at the sometimes marshy portage.

December 16, 2010

December 16, 2010

From the southeastern tip of Iowa we crossed an icy Mississippi River and drove a dozen miles along a beautiful stretch of the Great River Road. We soon arrived in Nauvoo, IL, a town infamous in Mormon history. After being run out of towns in New York, Ohio, and Missouri, Joseph Smith led his faithful to this area in 1840. They flourished and Nauvoo quickly became Illinois’ second largest city. In 1844, a local dissident newspaper publishes news of his polygamy. In anger, Smith has the printing press destroyed and he ends up under arrest in the nearby Carthage jail. A mob attacks and kills him there.

Our first stop was the Historic Nauvoo Visitor Center run by the LDS. The Mormons have returned to the area restoring Nauvoo as it looked in 1844. They even rebuilt their temple. Most of the historic buildings don’t open in the winter until 11 am and we are way early. In most places we would have to wait. Not here. The receptionist quickly rounded up two delightful mission volunteers who drove with us to several buildings, unlocked them and gave us a private tour. It is hard not to be impressed with the Mormons. They are wonderful people.


Afterwards we took a drive around to the temple, and a few more of the many restored buildings. When we got to Joseph Smith’s home we noticed a second Visitor Center and a small subtitle with the words “Community of Christ”. We soon learned that this section is owned by a Mormon splinter group, started by Joseph’s son. I am sure the presence of a Mormon competitor in Nauvoo causes lots of heartache.

There is a lot to do in Nauvoo but most activities would be more enjoyable in summer. So we have lunch at a bakery in town and head on towards Chicago. We make a brief stop at Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg but his birthplace is closed for the season. Touring the Midwest in winter can be frustrating. We drive the remaining three hours to Itasca to visit Aimee’s mother.

December 15, 2010

December 15, 2010

Yesterday afternoon we drove east through Kansas before darting north of the border into Nebraska for the evening. Our first stop this morning was nearby Homestead National Monument. This park commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862, a uniquely American law. In most of the world, especially Europe, land was scarce and the source of wealth. In the US, acreage was a dime a dozen, or in the case of this law, 160 for free. Giving land away to poor Americans was promoted early in our history, but blocked by Southern politicians who feared the spread of slave-free states. After the Rebels seceded, Lincoln was able to get the Act passed.

The monument sits on the site of Daniel Freemen’s farm, the first Homesteader. Legend has it he persuaded the land office to open right after midnight so he could file his claim and make it back to his army unit. Despite the allure of free land, most people were unprepared for the hardship of farming on the frontier. Only 40% of homesteaders lasted the five years necessary to gain the land title. Unbeknownst to me, the Homestead Act lasted well into my lifetime. The last Homestead was filed in 1976 in Alaska. Nobody mentioned I had other options when I graduated high school.

December 14, 2010

December 14, 2010

Despite swearing last year’s holiday migration was our last, we packed up the car and left 80F weather and headed to the land of cold. The first day was non-stop driving. We barely made it to the Texas border. I forget that Arizona is only one state removed from the west coast.

The next day we drove quickly across the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma into Kansas. Driving north we took a short break to visit Monument Rocks National Landmark. Also known as the “chalk pyramids” these limestone monoliths seem odd sitting in the middle of the Kansas prairie. They are the seabed remnants of an ancient ocean that covered Kansas in the age of dinosaurs.

Early in the afternoon we arrived at Nicodemus National Historic Site. Nicodemus is the only town west of the Mississippi founded by and for blacks. When Reconstruction ended in the South, blacks began an exodus North to escape the reach of the Ku Klux Klan. One group of Kentucky blacks was persuaded to come to this northwestern corner of Kansas in 1877 and build their own community. The town eventually grew to a population of 700. It then died the slow death typical of many Midwest villages bypassed by the railroad. The population today is just two dozen, all elderly. The town holds an annual Homecoming that attracts descendents of the early settlers. We spent an hour looking at the exhibits, watching a short film and seeing what’s left of the town. I was disappointed to see it mostly consists of a Housing Authority. Seems sad and ironic that we honor this courageous group of “independence” seekers whose offspring are back living in subsidized housing.

Continuing our journey east we make a brief stop at a marker noting north-central Kansas as the geographic center of the lower 48 states. Two days of driving out of Arizona and we are only midway across the US. I am glad our parents don’t live on the East coast!

December 7, 2010

December 7, 2010

Being a homeowner again in many ways is like returning to work; this time as an unpaid day laborer. Much of my time has been spent working outdoors. Tending to our citrus trees is one of our new Arizona experiences. I didn't have a need to understand the lifecycle of the lemon in Chicago. Besides the lemon, we have a lime tree, and three varieties of orange. I have spent many a day running new irrigation lines, checking drip rates, and fertilizing the soil. We watched the trees flower and small green balls emerge. Aimee often commented on the beautiful butterflies fluttering around them. Only later when I investigated all the eaten leaves and discovered what I thought were bird droppings did I realize that these butterflies were laying eggs on the trees. The eggs hatched into ravenous “orange dog” caterpillars. Aimee and I spent many hours combing thru the leaves looking for these pests.

We had a cold spell last week that culminated in a hard freeze warning and the overnight temperature plunging to 24F. Not wanting to have my work go for naught, I took advantage of the Xmas season and bought a bunch of old-fashioned light strands, the inefficient ones that give off lots of heat. I turned all my citrus into glowingXmas trees.
While the trees were saved, the early cold snap must have signaled the citrus to ripen. All the oranges are quickly turning color. Even the tree with still tiny fruit. Oh well small oranges are better than no oranges. I picked one to test and it is sweet and juicy. I might not have a green thumb but apparently I have an orange one.