Four years ago in June, we visited the Driftless Area, where the modern borders of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa meet. I called the trip the Tri-State Summer Solstice Weekend ’14.
Driftless because for whatever reason, glaciers didn’t cover the area during the most recent ice ages. Besides its interesting geography — hills in Illinois, what a concept — the Driftless Area has some charming towns.
Such as Dubuque, as seen from the hill rising over the town, looking down toward the Mississippi.
Down in the streets.
It’s always good to find a handsome small-town streetscape. On this trip, there was Galena, Illinois.
The even more obscure Bellevue, Iowa.
In Bellevue I stopped to look at Lock and Dam No. 12 on the Mississippi River, and took a short look at the town, too.