We have been in Forest City, Iowa for a week to have some work done on our Winnebago. Will be here for another few days. Gary bought a 7 day fishing license and has been having a great time fishing. I have been visiting with others whom are here to have repair work done. We have been running around and going to movies also.
1890 church
hanging in one of the log cabins
Great museum. Exhibits include classic wooden boats built to use on the Okoboji, swimsuits, rides from amusement parks used in the 40s, old fishing lures, ice harvesting tools, replica of Okoboji store, Sorensen boathouse, antique boat motors dating back to 1917, and the 1939 Chris Craft. There is a 10 minute video. Cost: free. Well worth the time to see this museum.
This museum is located near the Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park, Iowa. It opened May 2003. Cost is $1. Has exhibits of musicians who played in Iowa or were born in Iowa. Great little museum.
Wow!! what a museum. This museum is in an 1858 national historic landmark pioneer hotel that was headquarters for the pony express. The building served as the provost marshal's office for the Union during the Civil war. The museum shows the development of the American West and is listed as one of America’s top ten Western Museums in the True West Magazine. We spent 3 hours there and could have taken a lot more time. Cost: seniors $4
The Remington Nature Center is a great little nature center. Upon entering the first exhibit you see is a mammoth and it’s baby. Then you can see some mammoth teeth and bones. There are numerous Indian artifacts on display. On display are a few stuffed animals. Great nature center. Seniors $2
The famous overland mail service by horseback from St. Joseph, Mo to Sacramento, Ca., began on April 3, 1860. The service lasted only 19 months completing 300 runs each way over 600,000 miles and carried more than 33,000 pieces of mail.
National Military Heritage Museum is located in a building that was the city of St. Joseph’s first police station. This museum is still in the growing stages, not very well organized. Had our own tour guide, the gentleman who started the museum. I really enjoyed the many dioramas, many of which were entered in contests and took first place. Cost $3.
Fort Scott is located in SE Kansas. It was established in 1842 to enforce the promise given to the Indians that they would have a permanent frontier. The soldiers job was to keep peace between white settlers and Indians. They also helped to protect the settlers who traveled along the Oregon Trail. Soldiers from the fort fought in the Mexican-American War from 1846-48.
In 1854 Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which brought about popular sovereignty- the people would decide the issue of slavery in their territory. This act brought about the event known as “Bleeding Kansas” where violence and destruction prevailed.
During the Civil War the fort served as a major supply depot for Union armies in the West, a general hospital, and a place for the refugees- Indians, escaped slaves, and white farmers, many of whom joined the Union Army. One of the first Africa American regiments-the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry- was the first such unit to engage the Confederate Army.
After the Civil War ended, the railroad began to lay tracks across the territory. The railroad workers were faced with opposition from the squatters, so the military had to step in and protect the railroad workers – a rare time when U.S. troops took up arms against American citizens to protect the country’s business interest.
Be prepared to climb lots of stairs to see all the exhibits.
The tour is self-guided and helped along by using your cell phone to listen to information at 10 points of interest.
above, hospital and visitor center.
above, originally the infantry barracks, but was later sold and became the pro-slavery hotel. The anti-slavery hotel was just across the parade grounds.
above, stables that housed the Dragoon unit horses.
Bunk beds. 2 to a bed, so 4 soldiers slept here.
On our way home from Fort Scott, Gary and I stopped at the Mine Creek Battlefield, Civil War. It was late so the museum was not open but I snapped a few pictures of the battlefield.
I have passed the sign for the Precious Moments turn-off many times as I traveled from Ca. to Missouri. My folks went to the Precious Moments many years ago and mom would keep telling me that it was something that I need to see. Well, I finally got around to going and must say it was worth the trip.
Gary and I toured the chapel, grounds, and museum. We camped at Big Red Barn campgrounds, a Passport American campground for $15 per night. The tour did not take long so we were able to go the the Civil War Museum located in Carthage on the same day.
The Precious moments chapel shows off the art work of Samuel J. Butcher. The chapel is 9,000 square feet of inspired artwork, 84 Biblical hand painted murals and 30 verses and stories in Stained Glass. Cost of tours was zero.
Took lots of pictures so if you click on the Precious Moments link above you can see more than I have posted here.
above, Hallelujah wall, This wall is dedicated to those who have died.
g
Building took place from March 1894 to October 1895 with crews working in the stone quarries 6 days a week 24 hours a day.
Small museum dedicated to the Battle of Carthage. Great painting showing the battle as it took place in town. There is a diorama showing the battle which took place over 10 miles. We watched a short video about the civil war in the Ozarks.
The artifacts in the museum are from the battle. Lots of information to read about the battle.
Boy have stethoscopes come a long way.
home made canteen
double barreled shotgun and homemade bowie knife
This is the first time I have heard about the Battle of Carthage. This battle took place on July 5, 1861, 16 days before the Battle of Bull Run. This site is the location for one of the last skirmishes of this battle. Both the union and the confederate armies camped here, the union the night before the battle, the confederates the night following the battle.
The battle took place over 10 miles. The Union army consisted of 1,100 men who faced a Confederate Missouri State Guard of 4000 armed and 2000 unarmed men. The Confederates won, but the Union troops managed to escape with only minimum losses.
This is our third visit to this park. We enjoy this park because of the fishing. Gary gets to fish for crappie (my favorite), catfish, and bass. Not very many people here this time. Usually the park has close to 40 campers, but this year maybe 20 rigs are here. This is an AOR park so we only have to pay $9 per night.
space #301.
Gary’s fishing house. He fishes through a hole in the floor. On this day, the wind was really blowing and the fishing house was rolling with the wave. Gary almost got seasick.
