154 PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 



tile mound is northeast-southwest, in which direction its extreme length is 

 about one-third of a mile. Its width is narrow compared with its length: 

 in places along its summit it is only. a few yards wide. The material of 

 the mound is chiefly sand and gravel, and on its surface lie boulders of 

 various sizes, including rocks of many kinds, among them being granites, 

 Sioux quartzites, and limestones. From its summit there may be seen in 

 all directions a beautiful landscape, dotted here and there with prosperous 

 homes. 



Ocheyedan mound has historic interest and has long been recognized 

 as a conspicuous landmark in northwestern Iowa. Nicollet, who explored 

 this region as early as 1838-1839, refers to this mound and states that the 

 name "Ocheyedan" means "the spot where they cry," which alluded to the 

 customs of the Indians to repair to elevated situations to weep over their 

 dead relatives. Dr. Thomas H. Macbride, president emeritus of the Uni- 

 versity of Iowa, in a report on the geology of Osceola county, published by 

 the Iowa Geological Survey, describes the hills of the region and refers to 

 Ocheyedan mound as follows : "The most remarkable of all these hills, a 

 beautiful object in itself, and by far the most elegant illustration of its 

 type, is the long time famous Ocheyedan mound." 



The mound is a kame, which signifies that it is of glacial origin. Kames 

 are hills and ridges of stratified drift deposited in connection with 

 glaciers at the mouths of ice tunnels or ice channels and in re-entrant 

 angles of the edge of the ice. They are associated in many places with 

 unstratified drift deposited at the terminus of a glacier, or at its edge, 

 while it was retreating. Ocheyedan mound was formed during the reces- 

 sion of the Wisconsin ice sheet, which invaded our state many thousands 

 of years ago. 



The 'esthetic value of such beautiful and interesting geological 

 phenomena as Ocheyedan mound should be fully appreciated by the citi- 

 zens of the state, and every effort should be made to prevent their destruc- 

 tion. Alreaidy Ocheyedan mound has been somewhat marred by the re- 

 moval at its summit of sand and gravel which was used for commercial 

 purposes. To be sure, the mound is valuable for the many tons of ma- 

 terial thait might be taken from it to be used for road-making or other 

 purposes, but of far greater value is it to the state as a beauty spot, a 

 landmark, which should be conserved for future generations just as 

 zealously as we are wont to conserve our material resources.- Iowa 

 Academy of Science, Vol. XXIV, pp. 101-2. 



DES MOINES BLUFFS IN MAHASKA COUNTY. 

 By L. H. Pammei, Botanist. 



The sandstone bluffs of the coal measure type are well known to the 

 people of this vicinity. This region was formerly much used for picnic 

 purposes. It is on the Cedar creek which empties into the Des Moines 

 a few miles below the large mass. of sandstone rocks near the mouth of 

 the Cedar creek which is just above the old town of Rochester. Some of 



