A Walkabout: Australian term referring to a practice whereby young men retrace the path of ancestors, following a route they might have taken , and imitating (in a fashion), their heroic deeds. 
I have begun to plan a walkabout for myself for the Fall of 2008.
1839, Iowa is part of the Western frontier. Congress has just appropriated $20,000 to construct a military road , from the mining town of Dubuque (On the Mississippi River) to Iowa City, site of the new capital. A 100 mile stretch from Dubuque to Iowa City is surveyed, and Lyman Dillon is hired to mark the route by plowing a 100 mile furrow. You need to stop for just a moment and appreciate what his job is…. drive 5 head of oxen attached to a sod busting plow , 100 mile through virgin prairie and Western frontier.
I recently read an account of Marcus L. Hansen and John E Briggs who retraced this route 84 years after the fact (1923) : http://iagenweb.org/history/palimpsest/feb1921.htm
(If you enjoy local history you’ll want to read this article)
Here I sit, 84 years removed from their “walkabout” (2007) and something inside of me begins to stir. One of the goals of our local school system is to produce “life long learners“. What better way to appreciate the history of Eastern Iowa than to research the towns and people who once populated our area and then retrace the 100 mile route of Dillons Furrow/ Old Military road? Step back in time to an era of circuit riding preachers, stage coaches, river boat captains, horse thieves, Indians on the move, wagon trains headed West to California, Salt Lake City, and beyond.
My tentative plans at this point to make this walk about more enjoyable include:
1. Acquire a copy of the original Military Road map 2. Make a list of the settlements along the route (both those still in existance and those long gone) 3. Contact the Office of the State Archaeologist. 4. Read up on any significant people or structures from 1839 to 1899. 5. Take good notes and photos to document my project, from beginning to end.
The older I get, the more I recognize the value of a balanced life. There is more to life than $. This walkabout combines local history, exercise, adventure, intrigue, the opportunity to meet new people, and a wealth of research to work on over the Winter months as I would prepare for September 2008. I’m anticipating making the trip in 4 days. If you are at all interested, I am opening this trip up to whomever else would like to join me….just jot me a note on the comment section of my blog and we can talk more. And as always, Thanks for reading!
