Should Be Bigger

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The last place I want to highlight on my little jaunt to St. Louis is Fort Defiance Park in Cairo, Illinois. I’m sure you’re going to think that I have no life if I tell you this was a bucket list destination. Hey, I love water, and this is where two great rivers meet! Cairo, Illinois is located in a rare spot: a meeting spot for three states and two rivers. The Ohio River ends here, running into the Misssissippi river. You cross the Ohio River on a bridge leading from Kentucky to Illinois. A quick turn left, and there’s another bridge, taking you into Missouri. In that small patch of land between the two bridges sits Fort Defiance Park. It should be bigger. It should be better. Heck, the scenery alone, seeing a river on your left and another river on your right, should make this place a destination, not to mention the historical significance of the position during the Civil War and the fact that the Lewis & Clark expedition made a stop there. Alas, it’s a dump. So’s the town. Lots of boarded-up buildings and abandoned businesses lines both sides of the street. In doing some research online about the park, it seems that it’s an area nobody wants. It used to be a state park, but the Illinois parks department didn’t want to spend money on the upkeep. They passed it off to the town of Cairo, which doesn’t appear to be in any financial condition to give it any TLC. That’s so sad. As you can see from the photo above, the scenery is just gorgeous, and the wooded area in the park should make it a place to visit and re-visit. I hope they can turn it around and make it the destination it deserves to be.