By the mid-1990s, the site averaged two visitors a day. Tourism would get a boost when Oquawka would host a yearly fest to honor Norma Jean, with an elephant walk, white elephant sale and a bake sale featuring elephant ears. Meloan, Norma Jean’s biggest supporter, died in 2004. Norma Jean has gone from a headline to a footnote. Hardly anyone ever stops by the grave anymore. A few years ago, unknown vandals destroyed the original elephant atop the memorial. The village got a replacement, but locals otherwise no longer pay much notice to the grave. 1993 Flood During the month of July, The Flood of 1993 turned Oquawka into an island. There was no getting in, and no getting out. Oquawka, which sits above the Mississippi, for the most part stayed dry. The roads didn’t. Due to flash flooding of all the creeks, the town was cut off from the outside world for at least a day and a half. 2008 Flood On the early morning of June 14, the town of Oquawka, Illinois was evacuated, due to a levee breach along the swollen Iowa River. The city council believed this would affect the flood waters in the already flooding Mississippi River. The same day two levees broke near the town of Keithsburg, Illinois, flooding the entire town. Notable People Charles Lincoln Edwards, zoologist Todd Hamilton, PGA pro golfer, 2004 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Charles M. Harris, U.S. Representative, Illinois 4th district (1863-1865) James McKinney, U.S. Representative, Illinois 14th District (1905-1913) Joyce Ricketts, AAGPBL pro baseball player (1953-1954) Attractions Delabar State Park References External links Official Website Village of Oquawka (official Facebook page) Delabar State Park (IL DNR website) Villages in Henderson County, Illinois Illinois populated places on the Mississippi River County seats in Illinois