The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-25
gts 8tes graass.
ottawa, Ill.,. Saturday. August 20, 1877.
our Scenery.


surrounding as Ottawa The immediate vi
cinity of the city is remarkable for its beauty
"a fact readily noticed by strangers who arc
frequently heard to speak in glowing terms OF
the city's beauty, and its lovely drives. But
the real beauty of the valley in which the city
is situated is beyond the reach of the casual
visitor of the city from the fact that the most
remarkable spots are out Of the city and acces'
sible only after drive of considerable length
such as Starved Rock" Deer Park,
"Clark's Fall" "Bailey's Fall" the Vermil'
lion Valley, &c. To a majority OF our town
people these places are more or less iamlllar
but for the benefit of most OF our readers to
whom they are tcyrB incognttg we reproduce
from the Peru HerQd an interesting article on
one of these picturesque localities, as follows
The Big Vermillion at this season of the
wear attracts hundreds of pleasure-seckcrs, eV
crv week, both from its own vicinity and from
a distance around it. One Of the most popu
lar resorts on the river is Deer Park located
about six miles southeast of Peru on the east
side of the stream TO casual observer
walking upon the west bank Ofthe NcrmilliOn,
Deer Park would never he noticed, excepting
at the probable entrance to one of the many
ravines which cleave the steep bluffs Of the
river bank Deer Park is nothing more than
II deep gorge worn out by the action OF the wa
ter, and coming to an abrupt termination with
in quarter of Il mile, where the gorge broad
ems into chamber of Ovcrlanglng ana per
pendcular rocks hundred feet high at the
iose of which numerous caverns afford shelter
from the rains anu Qllrr convenient retreat
for the gallant Romeos. >,
Who gave it the name of Deer Park? 1t Is
attributed TO the Indians, but it seems impos-
sible for the Indians to have given it name
when there is so much at variance with its sur
roundinps, If an old irontersman had dis.
covered the place he would have instantly
named it Devils Gulch, or Heblin Creek A
New Yorker would have smoohed it down Il
trihe with Smiths or Jones's Glen. but Deer
Park, never He would have named the huge
rocks at the entrance, The Scntincls; the high,
overhanging craig at the farther end would
have been The Lovers Leap; the caves homes
of some Troglodyte, and the locality interwo-
ven with mysterious legends, and GUIDE on
hand to show you the exact spot In other
words, some one would have improved the
place and at this season be rcaping the ducats.
Years ago a wild torrent of water must have
lcaped the rocks and gradually cut out the
gorge, forming the extensive tributary to the
Vermillion. Even at the present dry season
of the year picnic parties have to seek the fall
en- rocks and sand banks on the sides for dry
retreat Deer Park can be seen in hall an h0ul
bv rolling up your pants and filling your shoes
with slush along tie only footpath-the creek
bottom The grandeur Of the park lies in its
natural wildness and the splendid chance Tor
lovers retreat no matter how many stern
"parients" are upon the ground. There Is ono
curiosity which is well worth seeking out
Inst south of the entrance to the Park mar
row ravine comes into the river, the mouth 0
which is hidden by fallen rocks. lttakes som'
climbing over the debris for few rods, wher
the creek broadcns and wall of sandstone
stretches the entire width of the channel per
baps ten feet in height This wall is an up
lifted ridge of the st. Peters sandstone and OF
it's sharp summit several jets Of pure artesiar
water spring up from the depths as cold ant
sparkling as any advocate OF the Murphy
movement could desire
Geologicaly, the uplift of the strata forms
one of the wonders of the place. This noun
tain of the St. Peters extends clear across the
county If we lay straightcdgc upon tho
map it will bring in direct range its several
exposures: al Homer; on the Little Nermi
lion at the Hog Back; the tunnel on {. ~ X
l.. Deer Park and at the Big Bend of The
Vermilion. Informs a jumping-otl place from
the Coal Measures to the Lower Silurlan
Starting from the mouth of the river, opposite
La Sale, the coal measures present i'm unbro
ken parallel until within mile OF Deer Park
where the bluffs show an exposure OF lowel
vein of coal resting on the Trenton limestone
At Deer Park the St Peters forms the sides Il
the gorge, while the Trenton caps the entrance
dipping beneath the river, leaving the Goa
Measures in possession on the opposite side
While we have the best exposure Of the uplf
of the ST. Peters at the tunnel and at Dee
Park, the best exposure of the rise in the Goa
Measures is on the north side of the Big Bend
where the dip is handsomely exposed, and on
lower vein Of coal rises to form the bed of th
river In our article on the Big Bend of tn
Vcrmilion, II few weeks back, we carclcsSl,
used the word " l'Otsdam' for " TRENTON al
though there is not much doubt but that tn
Potsdam rocks join in the general jubilee, AM
are standing ON end with the others, but "
believe are not exposed.
THE CANYONS OF THE ILLINOIS VALLEY.
The following from the pen of Mr.. VII
Nash, of this city describes some UNUSUAL
picturesque ravines on the south side OF til
Illinois river, about six miles west of the city
which have been examined but by very few
owing doubtless TO the fact that they are II
most inaccessible, ana entirely so, III Woul
seem, to those who have never visited then
Indeed we presume that nine out Of ten of on
people, even those familiar with about Il
the other quiet hooks" in the valley, nev'
heard Of them before Mr.. Nash made h
first visit to them and enlightened his fiicnt
concerning these uncXplorcd realms of bcaut
Among the many and beautiful spots 10 1
found in the valley of the Illinois, none N
more charming and interesting than the dee
ravinc- and canons, which occur at man
points along the bluffs. particularly botWcc
The cities Of Ottawa and La Sale.
Deer Park, Clark's Falls, and several oth'
places Of less size and beauty, are among I'll
best known. and most frequentcd, and are Vi
tied by hundred, Of picniccrs and tours
every year.
fal these natural formations occurring
sriei4ffs- hgu.fvgr ft.a ,rr.uNfsf and mn