Whose view? From where? — February 2011

This month, we received four correct guesses. Which is surprisingly few as we've profiled a very similar photo of this spot before, but we digress. Without further ado, here are the four correct guesses, along with a fuller explanation from local historian and river enthusiast Steve Lee, who wrote much of the text for FMR's Mississippi River Field Guide. On to the guesses!

I believe this month's photo shows the side channel downstream of Lions Levee in St. Paul Park. The east bank is formed by a limestone bluff, making this reach particularly scenic. There is typically not much motorboat traffic in the channel, making it a great place for a paddle as the photo attests.
— Brian Nerbonne

This is down approaching Grey Cloud Island and it is so beautiful. I was paddling alongside this motley crew on the staff paddle that day and it was so glorious to enjoy the river from a canoe/kayak myself after having just completed organizing my first Mississippi River Challenge in 2005 and watched hundreds of others enjoy her so much.
— Kay Yanisch

Could this be Robinson Rocks, named for Jane Muckle Robinson the light keeper? From the FMR Field Guide:
‘Robinson Rocks and Robinsons Light and Daymark (presumed to be named for Jane Muckle Robinson). Jane Muckle Robinson was a federal light keeper, responsible for lighting the channel navigation lights between Dayton's Bluff and the Saint Paul Stockyards (4 lights), from 1885 to 1921. She once estimated that she rowed 50,000 miles in her twice-daily trip down the river — in the afternoon to light the kerosene lamps, then upriver back home; and then down the river in the morning to extinguish the lamps and back home again (Glewwe, Lois. p. 39). If a light went out, riverboat pilots would blow whistles in a one long and three short pattern to wake the keeper, who would row out and relight the flame. If a light was found to be dark, the keeper would be docked a day's pay. Charlie Maguire, the "singing park ranger" of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, has composed a song tribute to Jane Muckle Robinson that includes:

"This is what the pilots say-
Before a snag-log catches our poor boats,
Before a sand-bar lifts us too high to float,
Before the river grabs us by the throat,
Light the river Jane."

— Steve Lee

These cliffs are at Upper Grey Cloud Island, a beautiful spot. While canoeing past this you would think you were far north in the Boundary Waters instead of right here in the city.
— Eric Otterness

About Whose view? From where?

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.