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Prior to the 1930s, Goose Island
was farmland. In the 1890s, when my grandfather was a child,
his family moved from the city to one of the half-dozen or
so farms on the island. When dams
were about to be built along the Mississippi to control the depth of
the main channel,
the government bought out all the farmers on Goose Island and made them leave.
It was predicted that the new dams would change the water level enough to cause
this part of the river valley to flood and submerge the island.
It didn't happen! The farmers left their farms,
the farm buildings were destroyed, the dams were built....... and Goose
Island remained! Now it is a county park....
where the deer (but no
antelope) play. |
The doe and her fawn were
nearby.
Dogs bring their owners here
to play, too.
A black Labrador retriever (under the big splash close to shore) was eager
to prove... over and over and OVER...that she could get that thrown
tree branch and return it, thus earning the "retriever" part of her name!
People of all ages play here --
camping, fishing, canoeing, biking,
or simply enjoying the relaxing sights and sounds of nature on the island.
 
Web
design, backgrounds and graphics ©2004 by "KayPoe"
Photos ©2004 by "KayPoe"
Music ©1999
Masaaki Matsubara. Used with permission.
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