  Grand Tower Illinois is just about the loneliest place along the entire length of the Mississippi. Surrounded on three sides by the Shawnee National Forest and backed up against the river, Grand Tower is the only town on the Illinois side of the Mississippi in the 110 miles from Chester to Cairo. Across the river there is only Cape Girardeau and the little town of Commerce. As if to emphasize the remoteness of the town, it is precisely 30 miles south of the bridge at Chester and 30 miles north of the bridge at Cape.
The Ozark Mountains extend through north-central Arkansas and sweep up in an arch through south-east Missouri heading straight for the river. It's as if the mountains were straining to reach the river with a running jump. Just west of Cape they peak and then fall across the river right at Grand Tower. Stumbling after the jump they form the hills, bluffs and coulees of the Shawnee National Forest. Grand Tower is centrally located in an area of geological and geographical significance. Fifteen miles south of Grand Tower is Bald Knob, at 1025 feet it's the second highest point in southern Illinois. Right across the river the bluffs at Trail of Tears State Park drop nearly 600 feet straight into the river. Forty miles south of Grand Tower is Commerce Missouri, the northern most point of the massive ancient Mississippi delta.
When most people think of Illinois and get past Chicago and the lake, they conjure up images of land so flat you could drive a three foot stake in one county, another stake in the adjacent county and then tie a string between them that wouldn't touch the ground. Not so in southern Illinois. The Shawnee forest, untouched by ice age glaciation, contains high bluffs, ravines and exposed rock outcroppings. Rock climbing opportunities abound and rugged hiking trails treat the visitor to one of the most diverse natural areas in the country with a uniquely wide range of plant species. It's a very beautiful part of the state and of the U.S.
Today Grand Tower's claim to fame can be found in its name and rising up out of the river. It goes by various names; Tower Rock, Grand Tower, Devils Tower. In 2,348 miles the Mississippi river has one big water fall and a handful of smaller cascades, lots of islands of various shapes and sizes and one big rock. Closer to the Missouri side of the river, Tower Rock is the smallest state park in the country and arguably the Mississippi's most prominent landmark. Tower Rock's unusual appearance derives in part from its uniqueness. This wasn't always the case. The river at Grand Tower was once blocked by rapids and other large rocks that broke through the water's surface. Tower Rock was the largest in a chain of rocks that extended across the river. In the mid 19th century the river channel was cleared and the rapids and other rocks were dynamited. Tower Rock would have been removed as well if not for the intervention of President Grant. In the photo above Tower Rock is shown with the river level extremely low. In rare cases the river is so low you can walk across on dry land.
 The rock has a colorful history, much of which is rather tragic as the water surrounding the rock is treacherous. The river current at Grand Tower is very strong and, as the water rushes by, huge whirlpools form. The native americans believed the rock was inhabited by evil, and before the channel was cleared their belief took on real substance. Pirates used to hide in the rocks to prey upon river boats that were slowed by the rapids. In 1839 John Davis and Penelope Pike were married atop Tower Rock. When the wedding party tried to depart, their boat was caught in a whirlpool -- only one of the party surrvied -- the newlyweds were drowned.
The town used to be an iron smelting center. The river boats brought commerce and prosperity and Grand Tower's population grew into the thousands. Then as the steamboats gave way to safer rail transportaion, the town began to decline. Today, Ameren operates a small coal-burning power plant just north of town that provides some employment. Otherwise the town has a post office, library, bank branch office, general store and the ubiquitous "quickie-mart" and gas station on the road into town.
The river at Grand Tower is mean and treacherous. This stretch of the river between St. Louis and Cairo (Ohio confluence) is the steepest free-flowing section of the navigable river. Imagine a giant model of the river in your backyard. It starts at an elevation of twenty feet above sea level (your yard is sea level) and flows down through a series of locks and dams. The dams slow the river's current and back it up into a sequence of lakes. Then just before the river makes it down to a few feet above sea level it drops through a fast moving chute. Grand Tower is just past halfway in that chute. The river is wide and can look deceptively placid, but the current is gushing rapidly forward. If you stand on shore across from Tower Rock you can watch whirlpools open up behind the rock big enough to suck down floating trees or overturn a small boat. So went John and Penelope on their wedding day.
One of the reasons the town exists here is because it is located just below a slight bend in the river where another rock similar to Tower Rock juts out into the water. On the Illinois side, just inside the bend, the river creates a back current and builds up a huge sand bar. Grand Tower has a beach! And a very nice park to go with it. On a warm summer day you can wade in the water and even swim as long as you don't stray too far from shore. This natural beach of course provides an ideal landing for boats and so a natural location for a town.
 The aerial photo shown here was emailed to me without credit information. If you recognize it and know who owns it please let me know so that I can ask permission to use it or take it down if necessary. It shows Tower Rock at the bend in the river along with Grand Tower's beach and river front park. Great photo! Look at that tow in the river making it's turn. It takes a real pro at the controls to keep those barges from wrapping around that rock!
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