Whenever we move to somewhere new, I like to "ground" myself by looking into the history of wherever it is I find myself. This is a perfect example of my curiosity delving into the past of Columbus. Iuka Park is
named after an Indian that lived here once upon a time, Chief Iuka, which is
short for Ish-ta-ki-yu-ka-tubbe.
He was a chief in the Chickasaw Indians’ nation.
In 1832,
the Treaty of Pontotoc Creek was signed. Among other things, the treaty called
for the Chickasaw nation to cede land east of the Mississippi and obtain new
land in the west. A Chickasaw named Chief Ish-ta-ki-yu-ka-tubbe endorsed and
helped ratify the treaty, but it is not for his diplomatic skills that he is
remembered today. Instead, it is his name or, rather, a contraction of it:
Chief Iuka. Other than supporting the treaty and having a recognizable nickname,
Chief Iuka is known for suffering a terrible illness. So severe was his
sickness that he was literally carried to a spot in what is now northeastern
Mississippi to drink from supposedly curative springs. The spring waters proved
pure and powerful; Chief Iuka recovered and even settled there—east of the
Mississippi—for the rest of his life. The area quickly became known as the town
of Iuka, one of an eventual five in neighboring states. So, if you ever ask,
what’s in a name? A lot, apparently!
Iuka (4 acres) is one of city's oldest
parks and was
platted to the city as a "park" in 1892. Iuka Park runs right
near where we live off of 4th St. and I love to walk there. The park
is full of towering trees, has a small picnic area, and is popular with all owners
of dogs. It even has doggie waste bags! It also has crotchet art on the trees, and was part of a recent art project.
Because of the park, Chief Iuka's name is what prompted me to find out who he was and why he was so well remembered. Now
I know, and so do you!
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| Meandering... |
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| One of the two bridges that over pass Iuka Ravine. The water is all underground now, running through culverts. |
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| Some of the art work along the way... |
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| More art... |
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| And more, all crocheted... |
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| The main path through the "park" part of the ravine. |
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| A memorial bench, with artwork, too, right above Bonaparte our intrepid explorer... |
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| Checkers board crocheted right onto the table... |
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| More "tree" art... |
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| Why there is art all over the place! |
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| Now we know where we are... |
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| More art along the way, farther down toward OSU campus. |
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| Crossing over one of the beautiful bridges... |
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| The view from the bridge onto Iuka... |
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| Yes Bonaparte, it's a long way down! A set of stairs leading down to the ravine. |
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| If you look close enough you can see this says "HUGS." Love it. |
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| And now fall is here.... |
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| And the changing of the trees has begun. |
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"Fall has always been my
favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if
nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale."
- Lauren Destefano |
Information on Iuka Park found at:
Ravinia: An advocate for Community Resources, published by
the Friends of Ravines Fall 2009/Winter 2010 edition.
And: https://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/parks/Iuka-Park/
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