Just curious, Where is this "bottom less" pit located? Is it on or near the river road? Thanks, Jim I think you are referring to Lover's Leap that is located on the Mississippi River. Sadly the Piasa Bird is no longer at the location you describe, but on a bluff slightly down river before you get into Alton. The original was taken down when the river road was built going from Alton to Grafton, Illinois. The Piasa Bird was then painted on a bluff, then taken off and a metal bird constructed. It came down and was down quite a few years. About five years ago, a new Piasa Bird was painted on another bluff by citizens of Alton. One of those deals where you could pay $10.00, go up and paint on the bird. Quite a success really. Many years ago, kids would sneak over the fence that ran along the railroad track and swim in this bottomless pit called "Blue Pool" Then the powers that be drained the "bottomless pit". Many Altonians were waiting to see where (if ever) they found the bottom. Well, they did, and it wasn't very far down. There were none of the mysterious items we had been told all our lives would be at the bottom, such as railroad cars and who knows what else. It is now a shallow dry hole on private land. The history of the Piasa Bird and Lover's Leap is quite a tale of folklore that the people of Alton have enjoyed telling and retelling for many years. Sharlene ----- Original Message ----- From: Donna & Bob <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 10:28 PM Subject: Re: [ILMADISO-L] Question about Piasa, IL > Vicky, > Piasa is part of Alton on the Mississippi, There is a large Indian rock > painting of a bird there over three bottomless (they have never been able to > get sounding of the bottoms anyway) sinkholes. It is known as none other > than the Piasa Bird. Hope that helps you some. > Robert > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 11:14 PM > Subject: [ILMADISO-L] Question about Piasa, IL > > > > Was wondering if anyone can tell me if there was a Piasa, IL in Madison > > county around the year of 1855-1856. Also would like to know if anyone > knows > > how I can get a copy of a township map for that time period? > > > > I am looking for the following location and haven't a clue as to where to > go > > to find it: > > SESW, SWSE and the SESE of Sec 19, Twp 6 and Range 10. Any help would > sure > > be appreciated. > > > > Thanking you in advance. > > Vicky Hunt > > > > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > > Search Madison County maillist archives; enter the word ilmadiso here: > > http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=ILMADISO > > Find the names of other maillists to search: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ > > > > > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > LDS Family Search Engine: > http://www.familysearch.org/ > Illinois State Archives Databases including pre 1900 IL marriages and Civil War soldiers: > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== Keep an eye on this census site because more census' are going up every day. http://www.us-census.org/usgwcens/ and this one: http://www.rootsweb.com/~census/states.htm

As you go toward Grafton from Alton, it was about a mile or two (I'm not good at distance) on the right-hand side. You could easily park your car or bike and walk over the railroad tracks, cross the fence and there it was. But, don't get caught. It was on Olin Corporation private property and they would chase you. The pool was actually nice swimming. You could climb up on the bluffs and dive in. Of course, at that time we all thought it was bottomless. You don't want to see it now; you would be disappointed. Sharlene I ----- Original Message ----- From: Czerniak, James, SSG, 217EIS, ISE <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 9:22 AM Subject: RE: [ILMADISO-L] Question about Piasa, IL > Just curious, Where is this "bottom less" pit located? Is it on or near the > river road? > > Thanks, > > Jim > > I think you are referring to Lover's Leap that is located on the Mississippi > River. Sadly the Piasa Bird is no longer at the location you describe, but > on a bluff slightly down river before you get into Alton. The original was > taken down when the river road was built going from Alton to Grafton, > Illinois. The Piasa Bird was then painted on a bluff, then taken off and a > metal bird constructed. It came down and was down quite a few years. About > five years ago, a new Piasa Bird was painted on another bluff by citizens of > Alton. One of those deals where you could pay $10.00, go up and paint on > the bird. Quite a success really. > > Many years ago, kids would sneak over the fence that ran along the railroad > track and swim in this bottomless pit called "Blue Pool" Then the powers > that be drained the "bottomless pit". Many Altonians were waiting to see > where (if ever) they found the bottom. Well, they did, and it wasn't very > far down. There were none of the mysterious items we had been told all our > lives would be at the bottom, such as railroad cars and who knows what else. > It is now a shallow dry hole on private land. > > The history of the Piasa Bird and Lover's Leap is quite a tale of folklore > that the people of Alton have enjoyed telling and retelling for many years. > > Sharlene > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Donna & Bob <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 10:28 PM > Subject: Re: [ILMADISO-L] Question about Piasa, IL > > > > Vicky, > > Piasa is part of Alton on the Mississippi, There is a large Indian rock > > painting of a bird there over three bottomless (they have never been able > to > > get sounding of the bottoms anyway) sinkholes. It is known as none other > > than the Piasa Bird. Hope that helps you some. > > Robert > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 11:14 PM > > Subject: [ILMADISO-L] Question about Piasa, IL > > > > > > > Was wondering if anyone can tell me if there was a Piasa, IL in Madison > > > county around the year of 1855-1856. Also would like to know if anyone > > knows > > > how I can get a copy of a township map for that time period? > > > > > > I am looking for the following location and haven't a clue as to where > to > > go > > > to find it: > > > SESW, SWSE and the SESE of Sec 19, Twp 6 and Range 10. Any help would > > sure > > > be appreciated. > > > > > > Thanking you in advance. > > > Vicky Hunt > > > > > > > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > > > Search Madison County maillist archives; enter the word ilmadiso here: > > > http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=ILMADISO > > > Find the names of other maillists to search: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > > LDS Family Search Engine: > > http://www.familysearch.org/ > > Illinois State Archives Databases including pre 1900 IL marriages and > Civil War soldiers: > > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html > > > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > Keep an eye on this census site because more census' are going up every day. > http://www.us-census.org/usgwcens/ > and this one: http://www.rootsweb.com/~census/states.htm > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > Passenger Lists on the internet search: > http://www.google.com/search?q=Passenger+Lists&btnG=Google+Search >