Crossing Over...

Sunday after enjoying the apple orchard festivities on the Wisconsin side we crossed over the Mississippi to visit the small Iowa towns of Marquette (formerly north McGregor) and McGregor as we headed towards Pike's Peak State Park. 

Marquette was one of the 3 Spanish land grants in Iowa, the Giard Tract, and the largest railroad terminus employing

some 400 workers with the distinction of being the first all rail route from Chicago up the river to the Twin Cities.

In 1860 the town boasted about having the largest pontoon bridge on the Mississippi. In 1960 due to extravagant repair costs, it was dismantled and taken up river to La Crosse and the passenger train service also ended after 93 years. In 1932 the only suspension bridge crossing the Mississippi was built connecting Wisconsin to Iowa. It was taken down in '75 after a new bridge was constructed the previous year.

McGregor, once a bustling port, namesake was Alexander MacGregor who owned a ferry boat operation until steamboats no longer were the main transportation. 

Our day's excitement there now in a town half the size of 1837 was a small craft fair in their downtown square and a walk down Main Street with I'd say about half of the storefronts sadly empty.  

one of the caves in the area

Main Street McGregor

McGregor has a lot of character - architecturally interesting storefronts like the corner gift shop, Paper Moon, and  

2 lovely coffee shops McGregor Cafe with a great decorated patio space and seating & the Marquette Bar and Cafe, Latino's Mexican restaurant,   local bars, gift shops, a tired theatre and 100 yr old antique store. 

 

After driving through town one heads up the Great River Road's steep slopes until
reaching  Pike's Peak State Park with stunning views of the Mississippi and Wisconsin  Rivers.
One wheel chair accessible path gives handicapped and elderly an opportunity to visit a couple of the vista areas.                                                                                   

The paved path then becomes wooden stairways down to a couple waterfalls, and a gravelled path circles back towards Pike's Peak Pavillion, Information/ Gift Shop and parking area. The paths are well maintained...   

Bridal Falls

Usually the waterfalls are more than a trickle as the now dry deep gulleys reveal. 

It's a lovely time of the year to enjoy fall and these short river road trips are certainly well worth the time before we hunker down for winter here in the End of the Rainbow Valley...