history
-
As we drove across Nebraska, we followed the Platte and North Platte rivers. It became very obvious just how vital the river systems were in this region. The towns, rivers, railroads, roads, and farms were all clustered along the river, and I was surprised at the amount of woodland. I recognised some of the cottonwood
-
As we drove south towards Hastings, we came across a sign ‘Welcome to Doniphan: Preserving “The Good Life.”‘ This was a rather strangely phrased sign. I could see a sign saying “where you can live the good life” or “where you can find the good life.” However, preserving the good life suggests that it is
-
As we neared Kansas City, we decided to detour and visit the restored nineteenth-century Fort Osage. Perched on bluffs overlooking the Missouri River in Jackson County, Missouri, Fort Osage is a reconstruction of the original fort providing a representation of what the site would have looked like in the early 1800s. It is striking how
-
While having breakfast in Kansas City, everyone was watching the news. The film of the riots in Los Angeles and the National Guard’s use of tear gas was causing some consternation. I was chatting to a couple of people about the news, as we are heading West, but fortunately, not to Los Angeles. What strikes
-
Driving through St Louis we had to stop and visit the Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch was initially called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. It was established in 1935 by Executive Order 7253, according to the National Park Service. The park’s name was officially changed to Gateway Arch National Park in 2018 by Congress to
-
We visited Cahokia. The site, located about 8 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis, stands as one of the most remarkable pre-Columbian archaeological sites in North America. It was once the epicenter of a powerful Native American civilization, and around the time of the Norman Conquest, it had a population larger than that of London
-
On our way to St. Louis we stopped off at Vincennes. The town is one of the oldest in the Ohio Valley, founded in 1732 by French military officer François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes. It was established as a French trading post along the Wabash River, it served as a strategic location for trade and
-
We spent this morning in Louisville shopping for some Kentucky Bourbon. While I confess that I do prefer Scottish Whisky, and that is really my favourite tipple, it is good to taste some local specialities, and Kentucky bourbon can make a nice change. This history of bourbon is also quite interesting. It’s not clear why
-
We drove from Cass across West Virginia, stopping at the New River Gorge National Park. When I lived in the USA 40 years ago there was no national park here has helped to promote the beauty of this region. Designated as a National Park and Preserve in 2020, and covering over 70,000 acres, the park
-
We drove on down into West Virginia and stopped at the Cass Scenic Railroad. We took the ride to Bald Knob, the third-highest point in West Virginia, which offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. It was a four-and-a-half-hour round trip climbing over 2,300 feet, twisting through dense forests. Where there was
Early American Musings 