Exploring the Mississippi from the Twin Cities to the Quad Cities September-October 2007 Best Backwater Eco-Tours Restaurant Reviews Walk to a Magical Bluff www.big-river.com AT C LLIIA BELLE BBO CRU UU E S AAM UI JJ W EE SSE E A TT S OO TH A S N IN A Real Steam-Powered Paddlewheel! The Julia Belle Swain Steamboat, all decked out in red, white and blue bunting, provides a sentimental journey on a real steamboat cruising the Mighty Missis- sippi. The picturesque Julia Belle offers back-to-yesteryear public tours, private charters, and special theme cruises on the portion of the Mississippi that Mark Twain called the prettiest. Escape from the hurried world and go back to a more genteel time.The sound of the calliope and the whistle blowing brings back a voice of America’s past. The dining salon and mahogany bar provide meal and beverage service in the gracious manner of a bygone era. Come aboard for a local cruise with great food or just a short refreshing sight- seeing trip. Day trips depart from La Crosse, Wis. to Winona, Minn.; Wabasha, Minn.; Lansing, Iowa; or Prairie du Chien, Wis. Don’t wait to explore the many possibilities on the beautiful Mississippi! Reservations are required. Call 800-815-1005. For schedules online: www.juliabelle.com Day trips Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Cruises Weddings Company Outings Reunions, etc. Great River Steamboat Company, 227 Main Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 (608) 784-4882 Toll-free 1-800-815-1005 www.juliabelle.com September-October 2007 / BIG RIVER MAGAZINE 1 C OVERING THE U PPER M ISSISSIPPI SIN C E 1 9 9 3 September-October 2007 TM FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 22 Remembering Prairie du Chien’s 5 From the Riverbank Fourth Ward Thank you to two good friends. A man remembers his childhood on St. Feriole By Reggie McLeod Island, in a neighborhood that no longer exists. By Jeff Lessard 7 River News Bridge collapses, casinos move, pelicans nest. 24 Turkey Vultures Like eagles and hawks, these soaring birds ride 21 Know Your River thermals over the river bluffs. Barge and recreational boat traffic is down. By Pamela Eyden By Reggie McLeod 28 Backwater Tours 60 Big River Places: Maiden Rock Small eco-tours can get you out to places you Walk out for an extraordinary view, but watch for can’t see from overlooks or bigger boats. snakes, drop-offs and poison ivy. By Pamela Eyden and Trudy Balcom By Reggie McLeod Treasures Along the River — 34 Fountain City Houses If you look around, you’ll find several intrigu- City Page Ads ing historic houses that reflect river history. 45 By Kate Halverson Discover the delights of Upper Mississippi communities. Grilling Up Good Times at the 39 Advertiser Index Trempealeau Hotel 58 Where did I see that ad…? A favorite river restaurant has upscaled its menu. By Pamela Eyden 41 Bogus Creek Cafe You can dine alfresco on a tree-shaded patio in this Stockholm, Wis., restaurant. On the cover: Voyaging up Big Slough By Molly McGuire near Lansing, Iowa. (Eric Dykman) 42 Picnic in the Park in Guttenberg Pick up a lunch, kick back and head to Gutten- berg, Iowa’s, mile-long riverside park. By Becky Sisco Wild Rose Timberworks Wild Rose Timberworks Traditional timber construction Traditional timber construction for homes, barns, and shelters. for homes, barns, and shelters. Wild Rose Timberworks Wild Rose Timberworks Located in Decorah, Iowa Located in Decorah, Iowa (563) 382-8500 or (563) 382-6245 (563) 382-8500 or (563) 382-6245 www.wildrosetimberworks.com www.wildrosetimberworks.com Wild Rose Timberworks Wild Rose Timberworks • 40' - 50' Slip Rental Visit The NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER • Full Service Gas Dock • Marine/Gift Store Open Seven Days A Week • Mechanical Services 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Visit our new building and meet our eagles Harriet, Angel and Columbia Join us for our Grand Opening Celebration • Inside/Outside Winter September 29th Storage on Site • Protected Harbor bordered by Mississippi NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER Traditional& Sabula Lakes timber construction Traditional timber construction 50 Pembroke Street, Wabasha, MN 55981 • Rent our FLOATING COTTAGEfor homes, barns, and shelters. for homes, barns, and shelters. 651-565-4989 For more National Eagle Center information: ISLAND CITY HWildARBOR RoseSABULA ,Timberworks IOWA 563-687-2825 Wild Rose Timberworks www.nationaleaglecenter.org WWW.ISLANDCITYHARBORLocated in Decorah,.COM IowaM ILE 534.7 RBD Located in Decorah, Iowa (563) 382-8500 or (563) 382-6245 (563) 382-8500 or (563) 382-6245 www.wildrosetimberworks.com www.wildrosetimberworks.com 4 BIG RIVER MAGAZINE / September-October 2007 FROM THE RIVERBANK THANKING TWO GOOD FRIENDS OF BIG RIVER Reggie McLeod Editor/Publisher e always enjoy getting com- River office to help us out every week. ever I got together with Tom or Rick, I pliments on Big River Mag- And he promised to bring donuts! brought a few questions, and I always Wazine, but we seldom take Rick was diagnosed with pancre- left their company feeling a little the time to explain that many people atic cancer last fall. He was 62 when smarter and more confident about our whose names do not appear in the he died on June 16. work on Big River. I know I thanked magazine have gone out of their way We wrote about Tom Kelley in them for their help. I doubt that I to help those of us who do get the the “River People” feature in Janu- thanked them enough. F credit. Two people who have been ary 2006, where we told about some very generous by sharing their ideas of his work in the Twin Cities to pro- and encouragement with me over the tect the river and ensure that people years have died since the last maga- could enjoy it. What we didn’t say is Big River™ zine went to press. that Tom is the second cousin of an Back when Big River was just a old friend of mine, and that he gave Big River Magazine (ISSN 1070-8340) is pub- lished six times a year by Open River Press with newsletter Rick Colvin wrote me a my friend and me the last of many assistance from Riverwise, Inc., 70 1/2 E. Fourth note saying that he enjoyed the pub- boats he owned, The Turtle, a clunky St., PO Box 204, Winona, MN 55987; (507) lication, and he offered to help in any old houseboat that you could attach 454-5949; fax: (507) 454-2133; email: [email protected]; way he could. He also mentioned that wheels to and tow, not that we ever website: www.big-river.com he was executive director of Mayo tried it. Part of the deal was that Reggie McLeod .........editor/publisher Medical Ventures, the spinoff of Tom could come down to Winona Molly McGuire ........managing editor Mayo Clinic that publishes the Mayo and use it whenever he wanted, but Pamela Eyden ..........news/photo editor Health Newsletter as well as other poor health prevented him from ever periodicals and books. doing that. Contributing editors It didn’t take me long to see the Before he gave us the boat, he took Marc Hequet .........Twin Cities opportunity there, and since I took us out on the river in St. Paul a couple Becky Sisco ............Dubuque, Iowa Rick up on his generous offer, I have of times and showed us around. He Maureen J. Cooney ..office/sales received a lot of good advice and and his companion, Kathy Stack, gave Kathy Delano ...........sales/design encouragement. I also learned about me a lot of insight into recent river Jenni McCool ...........bookkeeping/subscriptions some of Rick’s connections with the history and St. Paul politics. Tom Patricia McGuire .....bills & renewals assistant river: that after law school he became talked wistfully about some of his Subscriptions are $27 for one year, $49 for two an FBI agent based in New Orleans, favorite spots on the river — some of years or $4.95 per single issue. Send subscrip- tions, single-copy orders and change-of-address and the first guy he tried to arrest which are down here in my neighbor- requests to Big River, PO Box 204, Winona, MN jumped into the Mississippi to escape. hood — probably wondering whether 55987. He told me that when he and his he would ever visit them again. He Second-class postage paid at Winona, MN. wife, Irene, spent weekends in Waba- and Kathy often went out of their way POSTMASTER: send change-of-address sha, Minn., she would wake up from to make us feel that Big River was requests to Big River, PO Box 204, Winona, MN a sound sleep when a tow passed by, doing something important. 55987. so she could spot it and log it in her Tom, who was 81, died on July 19. Big River Magazine, Volume 15, Number 5, copyright September 2007. Reproduction in Little Tow-Watcher’s Guide. He told me I have never been very good at whole or in part without written permission of that after he retired at the beginning asking for advice, though I think I the publisher is prohibited. of this year, he would come to the Big have slowly gotten better at it. When- Contacts (800) 303-8201. For information about stories, columns and River News, contact Reggie McLeod, Pamela Eyden or Molly McGuire ([email protected]). For information about placing an ad in Big River or for information about selling Big River Magazine contact Kathy Delano or Maureen J. Cooney ([email protected]). We must receive ads by Sept.