THEN & NOW

The great “blow out,” as it is known, is situated on section 22, a little west of the center of this town. This excavation is the work of whirlwinds, un­doubtedly an indefinite series of them, and covers an area of over seven acres. Its depth is about sixty feet, the sand being blown away to the water line. No authentic data can be fixed when the sand was blown from this vast basin, everything relating to it being merely conjecture. When first discovered by the early settlers in this part of the State, a large red cedar tree was growing near the center of the basin, but was cut down by some vandal in 1850. The stump was standing until recently, and many of the inhabitants of the town have pieces taken from it. The species of cedar to which this tree belonged is not indig­enous to this section, and it is supposed that it was brought by the Indians from some other part and planted there. Near where it stood is a fine spring of water. This “blow out” is one of the curiosities of the town. (History of Tampico Township, Bent Wilson 1877)

At one time, it was the "city dump." Here are what others remember:

The dump-as it was called was sold to the village by my grandfather, Levi Lutyens.
Take Jersey road west one and 1/2 mile from route 172.
Connie Doty owns the land and lives there as well.
It was originally a campgrounds for traveling gypsys and indians according to grandpa who was born on that farm in 1869. It also had great morrell (sp?) mushrooms when I was a little girl.
Rita Peltier 2004

I grew up in Tampico(1947 or 48 thru 1964)and the only dump
I recall was 1 mi. south and 2 mi. west of town. I seem to
remember the road going west went right up into it; you end-
ed up on a sand hill and just through your debris off the
side into any of several gullies. Milo Smith 2004

 

Row 1: "Before" photo of the Blow Out, 2-5: 2007 Photos of Blow Out

RELATED LINKS: Message Board regarding Blow Out