THE ORIGINAL VOICE OF VALMEYER

Volume 14 – Number 29                                                                                                         July 17, 2006

To look in and not out, to look forward and not back, to look up and not down.

IF THE ROOSTER DIES . . . . . . . BUY AN ALARM CLOCK!

 

VALMEYER SCHOOL REGISTRATION – for both new and returning students in Grades K-8.  Tuesday, July 18th and Wednesday, July 19th from Noon to 6:00 p.m. in the Unit office.

 

With the passing of Independence Day, the start of School can’t be far off . . . ATTENTION – BOYS ENTERING GRADES 5 – 8 . . . The first practice for Wildcat Baseball will be Tuesday, August 1 at the Valmeyer High School Baseball field from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  You will need to bring your glove and wear appropriate athletic clothing.  You must have a current physical to play or practice.  See Charlotte in the Unit office to obtain a physical form.  If you wish to play but will be out of town, don’t yet have a physical, or for some other reason cannot make the first practice, contact Coach Knobloch at 935-2100, extension 307 or Coach Heavner at 935-2100, extension 102.

 

VALMEYER PUBLIC LIBRARY - - - - - THE SUMMER SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:

            Mondays and Thursdays – 3:00 to 8:30 p.m.                       Tuesdays – 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  THE PIRATE IS NOW IN PLACE TO GREET EVERYONE AS THEY ARRIVE AT THE LIBRARY.  He is in marvelous full costume with ruffles, hook and eye patch.  There is one problem.  He doesn’t have a name, so a contest is being held to give him a name. The story hours will begin at 2:00 p.m. and take place on July 11.  The closing program on July 18, will feature the Elsenpeter Water Show.  PREPARE TO GET WET!!!!!  . . . . . . . . . . . The Valmeyer Public Library District Board of Trustees is having a Book Cover Contest.  Participants are to take their favorite book, or just one that catches their fancy and design a cover for it.  Entry fee is $5.00 and the entrant must provide a copy of the book.  For more information, check at the Library for a registration form.  It’s time to get creative!!! . . . . . . . . . The Library web page is up and running again, so you can keep current with what is going on at the Library.  Go to www.valmeyerk12.org and click on LIBRARY.

 

The VALMEYER SENIOR CITIZENS will hold their regular monthly meeting on July 26 at 1:00 p.m. at the Emergency Services Building.

 

Homes have started popping up in Bluff Meadows – Valmeyer’s newest addition to the northeast. 

 

Next meeting of the Valmeyer Village Board of Trustees – Tuesday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services Building.

 

VALMEYER SCHOOL CALENDAR . . . . .

            Tuesday, July 18 and Wednesday, July 19 – Registration for all students in Grades K-8 for the 2-006-2007 School Year – from Noon to 6:00 p.m.

            Wednesday, August 16 – First day of school for the 2006-2007 School Year.

 

FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY . . .

            Most of the early development in the area of Valmeyer was clustered around two features.  The first of these was labeled on early maps as “The Pond”.  It was later named “Eagle Lake” and eventually became known as “Moredock Lake” – named after John Casper Moredock who built his home on the banks of the lake.  This pond or lake is actually a meander scar of the Mississippi River, indicating what once was the main channel of the mighty waterway.  The Mississippi River, at certain stages in its development, tended to wander across the American bottoms in a series of loops and curves called meanders.  Meandering and repeated flooding give rise to many interesting features.  Most of these features are difficult to see at ground level, but detailed mapping and aerial photographs show them especially well.  Abandoned meanders generally leave evidence of existence in the form of meander scars.  At times of high water, the river may cut off the meander leaving a meander core.  It water is left in the cut off meander, it is called an oxbow lake.  Moredock Lake is a crescent-shaped lake, several miles in length, formed in this manner.

            The other feature which made this area so appealing was the deposit of salt located in the towering river bluffs.  Indian tribes had settled around this area to utilize these natural salt deposits, and the European settlers to the area found the large cache of salt to be essential for their way of life as well.  One of the early saltworks appears to have been located immediately north of the location of Valmeyer.  The second saltworks appears to have been located along the bluff base near the present day St. John Cemetery.  The saltworks farthest to the north was located at what was known at that time as “Salt Lake Point”.  Salt deposits in this area were a result of the salty water of the ocean covering this region millions of years earlier.  Rocks from this location would be boiled in large containers of water.  When the water evaporated, it left salt deposits.  One of the earliest owners of the saltworks was General John Edgar, who started manufacturing salt for trade in 1902.  Edgar’s operation was one of the first of its kind in the west and was apparently a lucrative one.  The location of this saltworks later became known as “Salt Lick Point”.  This spot is 832 feet above sea level, and as such is one of the highest points in the area.  Over the years, at least twelve “salt wells” were sunk in this area.  Considerable quantities of salt were manufactured during this time, and the commodity brought a good price.

 

Visit the School’s webpage at www.valmeyerk12.org . . . find the Original Voice of Valmeyer on line by visiting the Community Links section of this site.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!