Class A Street Rods Natives 2010-- Part 4-- Why the Name?-- Chief Black Hawk

WHY THE NAME?

I'm calling this the Class A Street Rods Nativs because we'll be going to see the Class A Midwest League Clinton Lumber Kings on Thursday, "Class A." Then Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we'll be seeing pre-1949 street rods in and around Galena, Illinois. Later Sunday, we'll drive to Oregon, Illinois for their Oregon Trail Days festival at Lowden State Park along the Rock River where they will be celebrating Indian heritage.


THE CHIEF

When we were at Lowden Stae Park north of Oregon, we took a drive through it. They were setting up a lot on Indian teepees near the entrance for Oregon Trail Days (even though the real Oregon Trail was nowhere close to here, but the name Oregon). Drove a short twisting drive out to the Rock River and the huge statue of what people call Chief Black Hawk, although famous sculptor Lorado Taft made it to honor Native Americans.

I had just seen it for the first time a few weeks ago when we took the cruise aboard the Spirit of Oregon steamboat and had that great lunch buffet. I've lived this long in Illinois and never seen it. Go figure that out.

It is as impressive up on the bluff as it is from the river. It is 99 years old and definitely showing its age when you get up close to it. Taft made it out of concrete and up close you can see lots of cracks resulting from all those Illinois winters.

One of the reasons for the Oregon Trail Days is to raise money for restoration.

One Impressive Indian. --RoadDog