Piasa Bird at Piasa Park - Alton IL - Murals on Waymarking.com

In 1673 Jacques Marquette reported that he and fellow French explorer Louis Jolliet discovered a painting of what was probably two "water monsters" on the bluffs of the Mississippi River near present-day Alton. By 1700 those pictographic creatures were no longer visible. In 1836 the novelist John Russell described an image cut into the bluff on a legendary dragon-like creature with wings. According to Russell, the creature was called Piasa, "The bird that devours men." That version of the pictograph as well as myths about the Piasa have become prominent folklore.

According to the diary, the Piasa "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."


Source: (visit link)

City: Alton Location Name: Bluffs along Mississippi River Media: Rock Relevant Web Site: [Web Link] Artist: Not listed Date: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and description of your visit. One original photo of the mural must also be submitted. GPSr photo NOT required.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   11/12/2017 kJfishman visited it 09/03/2015 YoSam. visited it 06/23/2015 adgorn visited it

View all visits/logs