Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-01-08
THE BACKBONE
RURAL PARK
Continued from page one).


sufficiently bold and rugged to readil!
difference them from all commonplace
scenery.
The faces Of the cliffs are half hid
den by trees, clustering foliage ant
creeping vines that turn to flame will
the first nipping frost Of autumn.
The ridge is crowned with trees
Tall tapering pines, some of the las
of their species, there contend fol
their existence with the more hardy
elms, oaks and naples. The southern
portion of the ridge is broad and com.
paratively level. This small plateau
is covered with many varieties OF
trees, so clustered and arranged that
it would be difficult for art to equal
their restful charm.
| The Maquoketa in the vicinity of the
Backbone" is a spring fed stream. It
flows over clean washed sand and
gravel and its depths afford good
trout and black bass fishing.
| But best of all are the pure waters
which flow from the several springs
at the Backbone" An elderly gentle
man in poor health, who resided near
independence was known to earnestly
contend. that many years had been
added to his life by his camping an
nually in the valley on the west side
OF the "Backbone,' and drinking the
water from one of the springs in that
vicinity.
There may have been some founda-
ton for the elderly gentleman's con-
tentlon, for that valley is an excep-
tional place. The following is an ex-
tract from page 1863, Vol s, Iowa
Geological Survey: I'm a sort of ter
race at the bottom of the valley on the
west side Of the Backbone in section
l6, weatherstained beds of the Bu-
chanan stage occur under beds of
sand and gravel of more recent origin,
the contrast between the older and the
newer portions of the terrace being
very striking. The valley here is older
than the Buchanan stage, older than
the Kansan."
1t is, however, quite probable that
the environment contributed more
largely than the water to this invalid's
improvement in health.
There are no marsh lands near the
Backbone" 1t is surrounded by
primeval forests where the thousand
voices Of nature soothe the senses and
help to restore overtaxed nerves. At
night he was lulled to sleep by the
whisperings of the pine trees, and in
the morning he doubtless forgot his
cares and infirmities while watching
the long high ridge curve it's dark
green back in the rising sun
Speaking of public parks in country
as well as city, Prof. Thomas H. Nc
Bride, at one time president of the !
Iowa State University made the follow
ing reference to the 'Backbone:"
The country people need the park |
Just as much as the town folk and if |
they ask for it they will get it. There
are plenty of bits of natural scenery
and all that is needed is intelligent !
care and devotion to public USE Take
for instance the Backbone in Della
ware county, a long narrow ridge of
limestone rock, ninety feet in height,
washed on three sides by the clear
waters Of the Maquoketa, surrounded
by wide forest of native oaks and its
crest crowned with a grove of native
pines, beneath whose shadows rise
perennial springs-what more can
YOU wish?
Chicago covets her bit of sand yon-
Ter; for the Backbone Chicago
would pay million dollars and would
make it cost two millions more all for
he pleasure Of her people; and yet the
'ood people of Delaware and Buchan-
IN counties have not yet found out a
way to preserve for themselves and
heir children this lovely natural
'ark."
Doubtless there are writer's who .
ould better describe this Delaware
ounty natural park than Samuel Cal
in, but doubtless no one ever did.
[ere is an extract from quite lengthy s
Illustrated article that was written by ,
i'm and published in the July 1896
lumber of The Midland Monthly: Ii
THE Backbone is a fragment of {
nique topography that, like the Drift {
ess Area, preserves the characteris- /
cs OF the pre-glacial surface of the &
tate. In fact, it is itself driftless
rea, though rather small. The
egions all around it are deeply COW {
red with glacial deposits, but no +
rift is found upon the ridge or in q
lie adjacent valleys. The integrity of T
lie limestone towers and other erosive b
rms that would easily be toppled ov-l e
are inconsistent with movements u
glacier ice. The old ice sheet, for v
)me reason, failed to spread it's t
lantle of detritus over this region,
nd it is to this failure that citizens a
the fertile Midland are indebted for L
lie preservation of the features on n
hich depends its strange power of
zciting in all intelligent visitors the "
snse of surprised delight. The n
eauty, the seclusion, the attractive "
ess OF the place, are certain to be ap- c.
reciated more and more as the years s.
, by, provided shortsighted, unaes- tt
letic avarice does not transform it's a
rest land into pastures, or does not tt
tempt to improve" it for the sake
converting it into a profitable sum
er resort. If it can only be let alone, r,
will remain source of purest pleas r,
re, to be particularly enjoyed by the a.
red worker, who has learned that S.