State to Re-Open Fort Defiance at Confluence

I had to do a double-take reading today's Fort Defiance headline in the Southern Illinoisan. I read Fort Massac in place of Fort Defiance, and thought the state of Illinois was finally going to rebuild the fort which is currently condemned. Instead, they're focusing on the site of the Civil War fort at Cairo.

Technically, the site of the fort is more still inside Cairo rather than the actual confluence of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers as the confluence has moved downstream in the last century and a half. As an example of the constant changing nature of the rivers the old boat ramp sits underneath six and eight feet of silt.

Joey Thurston, site superintendent at nearby Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, added Fort Defiance to his portfolio July 1 at the start of the state's new fiscal year. The incredibly impoverished, yet rich in history, city of Cairo had operated the site barely since the 1980s, not the 90s, as the article notes.

The site has some issues as Thurston outlines, but I've got to say it's been a long time since I've seen an IDNR employee sounding gun-ho at fixing issues and restoring a site to public use.

By the way, if you go visit the park, don't forget to take a ride in Cairo's subway. It's still there.

New Harmony Seeks to Save Bridge

According to TheSouthern.com, folks in New Harmony, Indiana, are seeking ways to save their bridge over the Wabash River that's been closed since May 2012.

...The Harmony Way Bridge Committee began meeting this summer to work on proposals for the 83-year-old New Harmony Bridge.

The span was operated for decades by a private commission as a toll bridge until inspections last year found extensive deterioration, prompting its closure in May 2012. Indiana officials have said replacement costs could be as much as $25 million.

Businesses in both Indiana and Illinois have been hurt by the bridge's closure, committee member Linda Henning of Crossville, Ill., told the Evansville Courier & Press.

The group is looking at having the city buy the bridge and issue bonds which would be covered by bridge tolls.

One thing that could help is if Illinois extended a spur from the Ohio River National Scenic Byway from New Haven (where the current byway crosses into Illinois, up through White County to the New Harmony bridge. Indiana already has a spur of the byway leading to the tourist town.

The move could generate some additional traffic as well as give the bridge some additional points when it comes to grants.

E'town River Restaurant Expands

The famed E'town River Restaurant in E'town (that's Elizabethtown for those who like to spell out long names) has doubled its capacity with a new floating addition.

News Three reporter Stephanie Tyrpak of WSIL-TV has the story from earlier this month. With the new addition owner Patrick Joyner can now offer another 44 seats and has had to add two additional employees.

The restaurant, which floats on the Ohio River is located just across the street from the River Rose Inn and just down the street from the historic Rose Hotel, both on the Ohio River Scenic Byway.

Ohio River Rising Back for an Encore

Rising river levels aren't threatening the lodging facilities in Hardin County, but the extended closing of the ferry at Cave-in-Rock is hurting local restaurants who rely on Kentucky customers unable to make it.

I did a book run to Hardin County on March 1, and rising waters were just getting to the stage that the ferry was planning to close in a couple of days. After three weeks or so the waters receded and the ferry reopened. Now another round of flooding closed it again Sunday.

By Tuesday before the storms hit, the water was already up to the alley behind the buildings along Main Street. Water Street which is the parking area along the river is under water.

Down at Elizabethtown, the water's not a problem for the Rose Hotel and the River Rose Inn across the street. It is a problem for the floating E'town River Restaurant. The eatery is supposed to be in the water, but not the parking lot and Front Street. It normally opens for the season in April.

Upstream at Shawneetown, the National Weather Service is reporting flood waters at 42.68 feet this morning at 1 a.m. not quite reaching the Moderate Flood Stage level of 43 feet. Major Flood Stage is 53 feet there. They only forecast out one week. The water is expected to continue rising with a projection of 47 feet next Thursday. That's still seven feet below the 1997 flood and well below the 1937 levels of 65.64 feet.

Downstream, at Golconda the National Weather Service is forecasting rising waters throughout the next seven days. Flood stage is 40 feet and the river was 44.57 feet this morning at 1 a.m. It's projected to be at 47.9 feet in a week. Moderate Flood Stage is at 50 feet.

The river is at 45.1 feet at Paducah, just two feet over the start of Moderate Flood Stage. Major stage doesn't start until the water is at 52 feet which was the winter crest back in 1867, not that anyone remembers that one. The record flood of 1937 was 60.60 feet at Paducah.

It's a bigger issue at Cairo. It's supposed to be 51.8 feet at Cairo by Monday morning, just a little over a foot away from what they describe as Major Flood Stage. That's five feet below the March 1997 high water mark and just under 8 feet below the 1937 flood.

Rising Rivers, Gas Prices, Raise Concerns

Just got back from a book run through southeastern Illinois this afternoon. Here a few updates, thoughts, etc.

The Ohio River Scenic Byway visitors center in Equality will reopen next month.

First, the rivers are rising, but it's too early to tell if they're going to get damaging. I noticed the Saline was out of its banks below the Route 1 bridge. However, the ferry at Cave-in-Rock is expected to close Friday due to high water that will block access from the Kentucky side.

Hopefully we won't see a long period of high water. At this time of year a bigger percentage of the customers in the Cave-in-Rock restaurants come from Crittenden Co., Kentucky. Without a ferry, there's no close way to get to Illinois for a meal.

Yesterday, the water rose over Front Street in Rosiclare (which is annual occurrence in the winter) for the first time this season. The city closed the street today. Access is blocked to the E'town River Restaurant that floats along the river bank. Still, no cause to worry yet, the eatery wasn't planning to open until April anyway.

I also found out today that the Hardin County Independent decided to stop selling local interest books as of the first of the year. They had been carrying my books for the last few years. The late owner Noel Hurford was big on local history.

Not to worry, the gift shop at the historic Rose Hotel down the street has my books as well as others. (Check out the inn's website for a great video of the site). The River Rose Inn across the street also carries my books.

With all the trouble in the Arab world with residents finally getting upset with their undemocratic governments, oil prices are going up and so are gas prices. Wholesale prices for gas in Southern Illinois are now up to $3.01, I found at one service station on my way back. According to the owner, drivers can add another six bits (that's 75 cents in current currency) to see what the retail price will soon be.

I saw a lot of FOR SALE signs along Routes 1, 146, 145 and 34. This is a good time to buy. Just a reminder, I am a Realtor. While none of these are my listings, if you're looking for some property for a get-away retreat, hunting, or an investment, give me an e-mail at jon.musgrave@mchsi.com. I'm affiliated with Paul Wilson Realty in Marion, Illinois.

Federal Funding Announced for Scenic Byways

Southern Illinois will receive a good chunk of $2 million in federal funds announced yesterday for scenic byways in the state. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's office released the details Thursday.

According to Durbin's office the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded the following National Scenic Byways Discretionary Grants to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the Ohio River Scenic Byway.

• Pulaski County — $262,561 in funding for the design and construction of an overlook of the Ohio River including parking, a walkway, an overlook platform, landscaping, interpretive signs and directional signs.
  
  
• Cairo — $275,000 in funding for the re-creation and re-construction of Fort Defiance as it existed during the Civil War. Fort Defiance was used by General Grant to lead the great Western Campaign of the Civil War. This funding will be used as part of a $2.6 million park improvement program by the City of Cairo.
  
  
• Southeastern Illinois — $25,000 in funding for the implementation of the Corridor Management Plan which will enable the byway coordinator to coordinate and manage initiatives and projects while developing a marketing plan to promote the byway.

In addition to these projects funds were awarded to the Historic National Road byway which runs through Vandalia and three projects for the Meeting of the Great Rivers Byway in the St. Louis MetroEast area.

Improvements Set for Cairo

Monday's Southeast Missourian had a good story about some of the improvements taking place in Cairo.

CAIRO, Ill. -- This community once envisioned to become a great Midwestern metropolis has suffered from an economic depression for at least half a century. But flickers of life have appeared recently. Biodiesel and coal gasification are two of the industries considering locating in Cairo. There's talk of relocating the airport to make room for other industries.

Another sign of life can be found in attempts to preserve Cairo's history. In a few weeks, construction is scheduled to begin on a design that will rehabilitate and expand the vacant tollhouse next to the Ohio River bridge into a museum that will reflect Cairo's Civil War and transportation history. The $1 million project is being funded through a variety of sources but primarily the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Cairo's history offers tremendous potential for tourism development. It's good to see a new administration in the city working toward that goal.

New Visitor Center Operating in Equality

Carolyn Baltimore, one of the volunteers with Gallatin County Tourism and the Ohio River Scenic Byway Visitor Center in Equality dropped by the office yesterday.

I've driven by the new facility which is located in downtown Equality, but not while it was open. It was funded with a transportation enhancement grant matched with another grant.

It's open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays from April through mid November to catch the deer season.

The address of the facility is 101 W Lane Street (which is the tip end of Route 142), Equality IL 62934.

Gallatin County is working on a brochure now and has a new website at DiscoverSoutheasternIL.com.