The Piasa Bird attraction is currently a 48x22 painting on a limestone bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, about a mile north of Alton, Illinois. This painting, however, is merely the latest in a string of pictographs commemorating the local legend of the Piasa Bird. The current painting is based on sketches made in the 1800s and is situated slightly upstream from where the original image appeared.
The history of the site is that in 1673, Father Jacques Marquette, while making his trip down the Mississippi with Louis Joliet, wrote in his diary an image of a birdlike monster painted on cliffs. He described the original image as a monster that was as "large as a calf with horns like
a deer, red eyes, a beard like a tiger's, a face like a man, the body covered
with green, red and black scales and a tail so long it passed around the
body, over the head and between the legs.".jpg)
The creature was given its name by the Illini Indians of the area, and it roughly translates to "a bird that devours men." Why? Well, you can read the legend of the Piasa Bird better here.
This site is worth visiting for several reasons. For one, it provides a good viewing place of the beautiful Mississippi River. It has a limestone carving with more of the legend of the creature as well. You can touch the caves, site and enjoy the scenic bluffs, and imagine what life would have been like when the Piasa roamed the skies.
Additionally, there is no charge for the site, so you can enjoy it for a few minutes or all day long at your leisure without having to empty your pockets!
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