FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - The River-to-River Trail Society and the Saline County Tourism Board invite all interested members of the public to the unveiling and dedication of a monument to John O'Dell and the River-to-River Trail on Saturday, August 13 at 10:30am – rain or shine. A brief ceremony will be held on the grounds of the Herod Springs Baptist Church, on Route 34 in Herod, Pope County, Illinois.
The River-to-River trail was only a dream, which had been an aspiration for decades until the 1990s, when John O'Dell set out on foot to blaze a trail from the Ohio River to the Mississippi River. Mr. O'Dell enlisted the aid of the USDA Forest Service, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and many private citizens who generously contributed their time to help make the dream a reality. Today the trail stretches 159 miles from Elizabethtown and Battery Rock on the Ohio River to Grand Tower on the Mississippi.
As one of the premier hiking and horseback trails in the Midwest the River-to-River Trail is a priceless resource for outdoor recreation and tourism in Southern Illinois. The Society and the Board wish to thank the pastor and congregation of Herod Springs Baptist Church for generously hosting this monument to one of Southern Illinois's great benefactors, who passed away last year.
Questions can be directed to Society President Bill Gilmour at (270) 331-1553.
Content provided by Gillum Ferguson.
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