Day Seven

National Great Rivers Museum 3

国立大河川博物館 3

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The first thing we learn at the start of our panel tour is what its name stands for. And this photo wonderfully shows that: Three great rivers of the US meet in this Greater Alton Area. The Mississippi River roughly splits the US Continent into two main parts: The East and The West. And its two enormous tributeries flow in it here in Alton. The Illinois River first meets with it in the north of Alton, near the scenic river town of Grafton. Then several miles downstream the Missouri River flows into the Mississippi. So Alton sits in the very unique place where three big rivers confluence in a very short distance. There is no other place in the US that has this miraculous feature!

The star on the map shows the exact location of Alton. Single-click on the photo for its enlargement.

This illustration shows the cross sectional view of a river in general. Bluffs are not necessarily an indispensible part of a river channel, but all the three rivers exhibited here have big bluffs at many locations. Actually, a lot of port towns on the three rivers are built on bluffs because flood waters in spring have long swallowed the river towns built at low height. Alton was not an exception. The town now rests on a bluff.

Many big US rivers have not only the main channels but also side channels. Like we already saw in the Hannibal section, there are small islands (which more precisely are sandbars) between the main and side channels. Remember Jackson's Island where Huck and Jim lived for a while.

The floodplains of a big river are rich resources of river lives. Everytime a flood comes, these areas are enundated by muddy waters from upstream, and that's big trouble for humans. But, after the waters recede, these areas become a haven for tons of plants and animals because rich nutritions are newly supplied together with fresh muds brought by floods. A lot of wild flowers and plants newly flourish there, and insects, birds, and fur animals come to get food. Historically, one of the reasons that European traders went far into inland of America is to aim to get furs of river animals like beavers from the indigenous people who were usually called Indians. In this sense, floodplains were not simply trouble to European immigrants but were something that gave big benefits to them. So in a sense, flood plains were one big promotor for the West Expansion by the white people.

This 3D model of a bluff shows how important it is as the habitat for wild animals and plants alike. For egg-hatching animals, typically for birds, the role of a bluff is crucial. If they keep their eggs on the grounds, a lot of carnivorous animals will come to get them. This is the case even for eagles. Yes, eagles are one of the strongest birds in the Wild. Still, their eggs are vulnerable to other carnivorous animals like snakes and hawks. A bluff gives a safe haven even to eggs and hatchlings of the animals that crown the food chain.

This board shows five bird watching hotspots near the confluence points of the three great rivers. The bird in the top photo is the world famous American Bald Eagle. This bird is probably the most famous of all the birds in the U.S. simply because it's long been the national bird of America. It's used on the Great Seal of the US Governmment. It appears in a lot of government facilities and documents. Almost every year it flies high above the basefall field in the opening game of St. Louis Cardinals. This bird can be watched in the Pere Marquette State Park in Alton, Illinois.

Looking sideway to the right, you see the photo of the Pileated Woodpecker. This was originated in North America, and is a very large bird whose size is close to a crow. Its flaming-red crest is very impressive. One hotspot of this bird is in The Native Institute in Alton, Illinois.

Looking down a little bit to the right, you can find the photo of the Common Tern. This bird is characterized by its orange bill and the black head that starts under the eyes. This black color may recede other than in the mating season. Common Terns can be watched in The Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Illinois.

At the bottom of the board is seen the photo of the Eastern Bluebird at the moment of feeding hatchlings. The photo is too obscure to clearly tell the detail of its plumage, but the male is all blue except for the orange chest. This bird makes the nest in a tree hollow and it is the male that goes catch worms and feed the hatchlings. This small bird can be watched in the Creve Coeur Park in St. Louis, Missouri.

Looking up to the middle left, you will see the photo of the American White Pelican. This bird is one of the largest birds in America. When you look up at them in the sky, you may even feel awe in the majestic view of its soaring gracefully with its huge wings pleasantly spread out. One hotspot of the bird is in The Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge in Alton, Illinois.

This board explains about "River Bounty," which means great benefits from the Mississippi River. This Ol' Man River has given rich and healthy habitats to wild animals and plants alike. For us humans, it's been one important source of drinking water without which we can't sustain our lives even a week!

Day Seven continues to the next page.

七日目は次のページに続きます。