A Boat, a Rock, the Devil and an Anniversary.

[Ysarex]

Did some traveling yesterday. Here's a photo of Rusty Zeller pushing up some empties past Tower Rock.

Tower Rock (right behind the boat) is the smallest State Park (conservation area) in the country. There is a picnic table on top but the rock is only accessible by boat (very dangerous and very stupid) or during the occasional years when the Mississippi is extremely low and you can walk across from the MO side (still stupid). (Don't know who put the picnic table up there.)

Tower Rock also goes by various non-official names that contain reference to the Devil due to it's roll in the local area's history. Here's GPS coordinates: 37.631706, -89.514702

The river at that point is moving very fast reaching current speeds of nearly 9 miles per hour during high water. Right behind the rock is a huge treacherous whirlpool and scour hole.

Today is April 9th and the anniversary of John Davis and Penelope Pike's wedding (1839). They decided to get married on top of the rock and unfortunately spent their short honeymoon in that whirlpool. Local legend suggests they're still there at the bottom of the scour hole as their ghosts visit the rock occasionally. The entire wedding party went down with the boat, save one fortunate soul, when the boat was caught in the whirlpool.

Speaking of the Devil, Tower Rock is also the site of the now vanished town of Wittenberg from whence Martin Stephan was banished into exile in Illinois. Now that's a story!

Joe

 

[NancyMoranG]

Is there a little Irish in you or is that a true story :}
We Irish have been known to tell a tale or 2..
Thanks for the story.

 

[Ysarex]

Is there a little Irish in you or is that a true story :}
We Irish have been known to tell a tale or 2..
Thanks for the story.

1/4 Irish on my father's side but I'm more inclined to identify with my gypsy mother.

Very true story however and easy enough to corroborate. The entire wedding party of 10 went down in the whirlpool while attempting to return from the rock. Here's a reference: Southern Illinoisan from Carbondale Illinois Page 8 As for ghosts, I'm only reporting the local lore.

The river and it's history is a hobby of mine.

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

Is there a little Irish in you or is that a true story :}
We Irish have been known to tell a tale or 2..
Thanks for the story.

It would make for a good maudlin Irish ballad ghosts and all.

Joe

 

[DarkShadow]

Sad story but a good one none the less. I love story's like this and the legend behind it. So I am twisted what can I say.Got some Irish in me to. The shot pieces it all together,I like it.

 

[Ysarex]

Sad story but a good one none the less. I love story's like this and the legend behind it. So I am twisted what can I say.Got some Irish in me to. The shot pieces it all together,I like it.

Thanks. I was driving home and stopped to rest at the park across the river. Saw the tow coming round the bend and decided to get a photo. When I got home I realized I'd taken the photo the day before the wedding anniversary.

An addendum to the story that I do not believe: On the day of the wedding, April 9th, a baby girl was born into the Davis family -- niece then to to the groom John. On her 20th birthday (1859) she attended a commemorative celebration on top of the rock during which the entire wedding party was seen to rise out of the whirlpool. The minister then handed a piece of parchment to the young woman and the wedding party disappeared back into the river. The parchment contained a prediction of the pending Civil War. I'm not buying that one

Joe