Post by Larry Koschkee on Sept 14, 2004 15:16:28 GMT -5
Secreted among the towering bluffs facing the Mississippi River Black Hawk Rock stands within one of Wisconsin's favorite state parks, Wyalusing.
In one of the previous threads on this board, a member, I believe Mr. Greg Carter talked about the name "Black Hawk" and its use could be found associated with just about everything imaginable. It appears that in the early years of the park, post 1917, a rock formation was designated "Black Hawk Rock." The name and location of the rock dimmed with time and was forgotten.
Along comes a young park naturalist, Mr. Paul Kosir, with a remarkable appreciation for the park. Paul begans researching the history of the park and publishes a book on the 75th anniversary of the park. Wyalusing - A Guide to the History and Trails of Wyalusing State Park, 1992. In addition, in the same year, Paul produced a fold up trail guide that proves to be a valuable visual aid to all park visitors. On the map he indicates the location of Black Hawk Rock and makes reference to it in one sentence of his book.
Although the Black Hawk War took place outside of park land, a rock formation in the park once stood as a monument to him. I interpret this to mean the rock is still standing but is no longer thought of.
In Kosir's new book, Wyalusing History - The Park, the People, the Land,2004, he attempts to resurrect the memorialization of the rock formation.
In the park there is a rock formation that serves as a memorial to Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk, the chief of a hounded band of the Sac. Almost no one who visits the park knows its location or even that it exists. The memorial's existence in the face of unintended ignorance mirrors the resistance of Black Hawk in the face of intended removal... The location of Black Hawk Rock is one park staff and visiors almost forget, but know we should not.
No park map in the past has ever shown the location of Black Hawk Rock. Early references to it described it as a column of rock that was split off from or seperate from Sentinel Ridge... A column eight to ten feet high near Passenger Pigeon Monument keeps vigilant watch over the Mississippi River...
Although hidden by vegetation nearly half the year and unnoticed the other half, the pillar of stone powerfully endures as a memorial to the fight of Black Hawk's people in 1832.
Shortly after obtaining a copy of Kosir's latest book, my family and I visited Wyalusing Park and sure enough, you can not see the rock because of all the vegetation. A park ranger assured us that we could probably get a glimpse of it when the leaves have fallen.
In one of the previous threads on this board, a member, I believe Mr. Greg Carter talked about the name "Black Hawk" and its use could be found associated with just about everything imaginable. It appears that in the early years of the park, post 1917, a rock formation was designated "Black Hawk Rock." The name and location of the rock dimmed with time and was forgotten.
Along comes a young park naturalist, Mr. Paul Kosir, with a remarkable appreciation for the park. Paul begans researching the history of the park and publishes a book on the 75th anniversary of the park. Wyalusing - A Guide to the History and Trails of Wyalusing State Park, 1992. In addition, in the same year, Paul produced a fold up trail guide that proves to be a valuable visual aid to all park visitors. On the map he indicates the location of Black Hawk Rock and makes reference to it in one sentence of his book.
Although the Black Hawk War took place outside of park land, a rock formation in the park once stood as a monument to him. I interpret this to mean the rock is still standing but is no longer thought of.
In Kosir's new book, Wyalusing History - The Park, the People, the Land,2004, he attempts to resurrect the memorialization of the rock formation.
In the park there is a rock formation that serves as a memorial to Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk, the chief of a hounded band of the Sac. Almost no one who visits the park knows its location or even that it exists. The memorial's existence in the face of unintended ignorance mirrors the resistance of Black Hawk in the face of intended removal... The location of Black Hawk Rock is one park staff and visiors almost forget, but know we should not.
No park map in the past has ever shown the location of Black Hawk Rock. Early references to it described it as a column of rock that was split off from or seperate from Sentinel Ridge... A column eight to ten feet high near Passenger Pigeon Monument keeps vigilant watch over the Mississippi River...
Although hidden by vegetation nearly half the year and unnoticed the other half, the pillar of stone powerfully endures as a memorial to the fight of Black Hawk's people in 1832.
Shortly after obtaining a copy of Kosir's latest book, my family and I visited Wyalusing Park and sure enough, you can not see the rock because of all the vegetation. A park ranger assured us that we could probably get a glimpse of it when the leaves have fallen.
