Marion County

Enjoyed a little more sightseeing today. On the way out of Quincy we did stop at the visitor center because it is housed in an Italianate masion on the river, the Villa Katherine. Unfortunately they don't open until 1:00 pm so we didn't get to go inside. We did walk around and enjoy the view which is on a bluff above the Mississippi, looking at the bridge into the city.
Took off following the Great River Road travel recommendations which really are a bunch of intermingled county highways that zig and zag following the river, so you have to pay attention to your Google maps directions. Got to Keokuk, a little town on the Iowa side (the city on the Illinois side is Hamilton, so many split across the river) and toured the George M. Verity steamboat. We had a very interesting tour all to ourselves and then had some lunch at a diner across the street.
Back on the road (County highways) with more zigs and zags. There is a note that if you follow the actually GRR highways it takes twice as long then taking the interstate from one end to the other. We enjoy the county highways because you see so much of the living style. That last day of driving in both Illinois and Iowa, it's been all about the corn. Acres of farms and ranchs, silos, cattle, creeks, quite a few houses on stilts as you get closer to the river. Very green, and where there is no corn growing you see a pretty dense wood. And everyone mows their very green yards! Even a small shack with some non operational cars parked outside is mowed; right around the cars as cleanly as possible.
We found a Core of Engineers csmpground with a site right on the river and while the shower and restrooms are typical os a state park (concrete block buildings) we have everything else we need for $10 a night!Read more