Everyone's seen the Red Covered Bridge but have you seen This?

I read about this in a book and didn't think too much about it but decided to go out for a look anyway. And sure enough once you got past the sign over the entrance (Which has been photographed about a bazillion times) there was this brass plaque which almost seemed out of place.

It's been defaced by some aspiring artist at one time, and there's a rather large bullet hole in it but still it conveys the message it was originally intended for. The plaque is easily read and so I won't repeat it here but I will say that it was placed in 1936 and has been proudly guarding the bridge for nearly Eighty years. With luck, it will still be there for future generations to read, enjoy and love.

It's a Unique treasure that we in Bureau county are incredibly lucky to have.

One Day on the Road...Part 3

For my last post concerning Geneseo...for now...Here are the last set of pictures from that park. The first is an old bronze plaque, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the colonists from New York to start a church in the "Wilderness" of Illinois that would eventually become a city.

The second plaque is much newer and tells how the former Geneseo township high school once sat on the land now occupied by this park having served the community from 1911 to 1998. A total of 87 Years! before being razed in 1999.

The last photo is not actually in the park but a couple of streets away. It went almost unnoticed by little Nick and I as it sits on a grassy divide in the middle of a busy two way street going thru a subdivision. It marks what is believed to be the site of the first pioneer cabin ever built in the area. Seems fitting somehow that it should now be surrounded by houses.

As Winter approaches I'll be posting only once per week as it will become harder for both myself and Nick to get out and about. I appreciate all the kind comments left here on my page and will continue to search out new and interesting places to visit 'Off the Beaten Path'

One day on the road....part 2

Continuing my post of that day in Geneseo, here are a couple more markers that little Nick and I found in that same park.  The first shows a weathered cannon keeping guard over the area. There were no markings, plaques, or inscriptions on the base so I'm afraid its story is unknown, though it seems just about ever small town has a cannon or two in its park,

The second is a tree. Not just Any tree of course, but a commemorative tree planted in honor of the Two hundredth anniversary of the birth of George Washington, the father of our country. It's nice to know that we can still take Pride in our country and the men who made its creation possible.

One day on the road........

Little Nick and I stopped one day in a quiet park in Geneseo and came across a number of markers and memorials all in that one park.  I'll post them a couple at a time for your reading enjoyment.

The first is a statue of a Doctor reading to a child in his lap. It's dedicated to the physicians and staff at Henry Hammond hospital, in particular Dr. Arthur Parsons who helped found the hospital and to his grandson Dr. James Parsons. Between them they served the city of Geneseo for 72 years and delivered over 2000 babies.

The second marker commemorates the families of faith who put their trust in God and traveled to Illinois from Bergen, LeRoy, & Geneseo New York between the years of 1836-37. They founded the town of Geneseo and also the original Congregational church. the accompanying statue shows a pioneer wife bringing lunch to an obviously busy husband and father.

You never know what you might find along the road....

There are times when little Nick and I are out and about that we come across something along the side of the road on our way to our original destination. Recently we were on our way down to Tiskilwa to take some photo's and just before town we saw this sitting at the entrance to one of the farms.

The "For Sale" sign in the window states it's a 1952 GMC barn find that could be adapted as a Flatbed,Stakebed, or whatever your imagination can conjure up. It looks to be in great shape, no major dents and hey! The sign says it Starts!