Through Missouri, into the Flint Hills of Kansas. From 32 degrees on the Prairie this morning to 78 degrees! The miles seem to fly by. Our overnight stop is at the Flying J in Edmond, Oklahoma.
5:15 AM on the road with Gertrude (our Garmin) guiding us through Oklahoma City. Not so much road construction this time. A helicopter with a spotlight had been flying in circles overhead in the dark. Why??
Into Texas. Taking our exit to dealer. Washed unit. Easy, fast check-in.
On the road on the Saturn heading to Osage Beach, Missouri for a week-end of Gospel Music.
View from the windshield:
Green pastures.
Green fields of winter wheat.
White blossoms on the ornamental pear trees.
Sign: Jesus fought the battle for us at crucifixion.
Fragrance of new mown grass.
Daffodils blooming
Fruit & Veggie stands open.
Few sprinkles of rain to sunshine.
Stopped at a rest area on US-69 near Aotoka, Oklahoma for a "power nap" and discovered a roadside jewel:
Confederate Memorial Museum and Cemetery
The museum offers a unique look into the varied history of southeastern Oklahoma. From pre-historic bones, the Choctaw Trail of Tears and a stop on the Butterfield Stage Line, to homegrown talents Reba McEntire and the late Lane Frost. It is free. At certain times of the year they have reenactments. Check their website.
The quiet cemetery's ground was covered with wild flowers. Old gravestones were set under some trees on a rise between the Muddy Boggy River (formerly called the Middle Boggy River) and the Butterfield Trail. You could almost feel yourself walking along this trail in the early 1800's. The Choctaw followed this trail as they moved to Indian territory in the 1830's. By 1849 thousands of gold-seekers rushed over the trail to California.
The U.S. Government contracted with John Butterfield, in 1857, to carry the St. Louis/Memphis mail through Fort Smith to Los Angeles and San Francisco. The first Butterfield coach came through from Fort Smith, Arkansas in September 1858. Butterfield kept 100 horse-drawn Concord wagons and coaches on the trail at all times. Each carried five or six passengers, a driver, a conductor, and 500-600 lbs. of mail and baggage.
The sign advertising for the coach read as follows:
Take Butterfield's New Coach to California
2 trips per week!
St. Louis to San Francisco via Ft. Smith, boggy Creek I.T., and El Paso!
2,795 miles continuous day and night!
Fare: $200 in gold plus meals, at 75 cents ea.
Each passenger may carry 40 lb baggage---
2 trips per week!
St. Louis to San Francisco via Ft. Smith, boggy Creek I.T., and El Paso!
2,795 miles continuous day and night!
Fare: $200 in gold plus meals, at 75 cents ea.
Each passenger may carry 40 lb baggage---
It is recommended that each person bring:
One Sharp's rifle and a hundred cartridges; a Colts navy revolver and two pounds of balls;
a knife and sheath; a pair of thick boots and woolen pants; a half dozen pairs
of thick woolen socks; six undershirts; three woolen overshirts; a wide-awake hat;
a cheap sack coat; a soldier's overcoat; one pair of blankets in summer and two in winter;
a piece of India rubber cloth for blankets; a pair of gauntlets; a small bag of needles, pins;
a sponge, hair brush, comb, soap, etc., in an oil silk bag; two pairs of thick drawers,
and tree or four towels.
a knife and sheath; a pair of thick boots and woolen pants; a half dozen pairs
of thick woolen socks; six undershirts; three woolen overshirts; a wide-awake hat;
a cheap sack coat; a soldier's overcoat; one pair of blankets in summer and two in winter;
a piece of India rubber cloth for blankets; a pair of gauntlets; a small bag of needles, pins;
a sponge, hair brush, comb, soap, etc., in an oil silk bag; two pairs of thick drawers,
and tree or four towels.
This trail was vital to settling the west, but it's impact was short lived. Service was halted by the Civil War (1861-1865). Afterward, railroads transported mail more quickly and this trail was obsolete.
The grounds currently occupied by the museum were used as a Confederate outpost during the Civil War. Soldiers camped here to guard the Butterfield Stage Road and it is possible the Battle of the Middle Boggy on February 13, 1864 was fought here.
Interesting items in the Museum:
A 5# cloth flour sack with a design ready to embroidery stamped on the back. Gay Girl phosphated, bleached flour from the Arkansas City Flour Mills Co in Arkansas City, Kansas.
A pair of clamp-on roller skates.
A sign in the 1930's kitchen:
The l930's A time of use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
Inventor of Shopping Carts:
Sylvan Goldman, owner-operator of Standard Food Markets, one of the first chains of self-service supermarkets in Oklahoma City, noticed that shoppers would go to check-out counter as soon as their hand carried basket was full. This was not good for sales. He had assistants patrol the aisles and take the full baskets to a holding area while replacing it with an empty basket. One evening in 1937, while working late in his office, he noticed a pair of wooden folding chairs and an idea for the original shopping cart was born! By raising the seat of the folding chair and placing another seat underneath, each could hold a hand basket. Wheels could be adapted as a handle! When he tested his product the women likened the new invention to a baby carriage and had quite enough of pushing that! Men felt the carts made them look effeminate and refused to touch them. But the elderly welcomed the new invention! He hired models to push the carts and the customers realized how convenient they were. A success.
Definitely a "power nap" on steroids at this stop!
The Super 8 at McCallister, Oklahoma for the night. We found the Angel Diner beside the Happy Days Motel. (That looked like a fun place to stay, too!) The Diner had pink , black and red & white cadillacs parked in front. The parking lanes in the lot were painted pink. The food was all freshly prepared as ordered. The pizza's looked delicious. They were baked on a wooden paddle and served on a paper placemat at your table with a choice of red sauce (tomato based) or cream sauce (based on ranch dressing). Pink walls, black & white tile floor. Juke box playing 50's & 60's music. Pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe along with other movie stars and antiques decorated the walls. The items on the menu were reasonably priced and specially named--Andy's Meat Loaf (very good), Barney's Beans & Cornbread, etc.
A drive in heavy rain to the Super 8 in Osage Beach, Missouri.
The Great Lake of the Ozarks Gospel Sing
Dr. Todd Forman, pastor, hosts this event each spring at The Mainstreet Music Hall at The Landing on Main Street in Osage Beach, Missouri. Check their website for details.
The motel is walking distance from the Music Hall. Choice of some good restaurants in the area including a great seafood buffet at Shoneys. An outlet mall for shopping and walking. A state park for some hiking. Fun visiting with the people sitting around you. Most of all--Great Music!!
We listened to Gold City, Perry's, Ball Brothers, Dove Brothers, Higher Power Quartet, Martins, Booth Brothers, The Lesters. Each concert is like being in a Worship Service. Each has it's own style.
Some of our favorite songs:
Martins: "Nothing Can Seperate Us From the Love of the Father" and "Nothing Takes God by Surprise"
Perry's: "Potter Knows the Clay" and "I Rest My case at the Cross"
Gold City: "Midnight Call"
Ball Brothers: "I Wouldn't Miss Heaven for the World" and "Sometimes He Calms the Storm, Other Times He Calms His Child"
We did have to deal with some rainy days this year! And a fire alarm that went off at 2 AM! A water leak into an exit sign caused a short.
Back north in sunshine humming some new tunes.
Thank-you for "traveling via the web" with us!
Prairie Schooners
The grounds currently occupied by the museum were used as a Confederate outpost during the Civil War. Soldiers camped here to guard the Butterfield Stage Road and it is possible the Battle of the Middle Boggy on February 13, 1864 was fought here.
Interesting items in the Museum:
A 5# cloth flour sack with a design ready to embroidery stamped on the back. Gay Girl phosphated, bleached flour from the Arkansas City Flour Mills Co in Arkansas City, Kansas.
A pair of clamp-on roller skates.
A sign in the 1930's kitchen:
The l930's A time of use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
Inventor of Shopping Carts:
Sylvan Goldman, owner-operator of Standard Food Markets, one of the first chains of self-service supermarkets in Oklahoma City, noticed that shoppers would go to check-out counter as soon as their hand carried basket was full. This was not good for sales. He had assistants patrol the aisles and take the full baskets to a holding area while replacing it with an empty basket. One evening in 1937, while working late in his office, he noticed a pair of wooden folding chairs and an idea for the original shopping cart was born! By raising the seat of the folding chair and placing another seat underneath, each could hold a hand basket. Wheels could be adapted as a handle! When he tested his product the women likened the new invention to a baby carriage and had quite enough of pushing that! Men felt the carts made them look effeminate and refused to touch them. But the elderly welcomed the new invention! He hired models to push the carts and the customers realized how convenient they were. A success.
Definitely a "power nap" on steroids at this stop!
The Super 8 at McCallister, Oklahoma for the night. We found the Angel Diner beside the Happy Days Motel. (That looked like a fun place to stay, too!) The Diner had pink , black and red & white cadillacs parked in front. The parking lanes in the lot were painted pink. The food was all freshly prepared as ordered. The pizza's looked delicious. They were baked on a wooden paddle and served on a paper placemat at your table with a choice of red sauce (tomato based) or cream sauce (based on ranch dressing). Pink walls, black & white tile floor. Juke box playing 50's & 60's music. Pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe along with other movie stars and antiques decorated the walls. The items on the menu were reasonably priced and specially named--Andy's Meat Loaf (very good), Barney's Beans & Cornbread, etc.
A drive in heavy rain to the Super 8 in Osage Beach, Missouri.
The Great Lake of the Ozarks Gospel Sing
Dr. Todd Forman, pastor, hosts this event each spring at The Mainstreet Music Hall at The Landing on Main Street in Osage Beach, Missouri. Check their website for details.
The motel is walking distance from the Music Hall. Choice of some good restaurants in the area including a great seafood buffet at Shoneys. An outlet mall for shopping and walking. A state park for some hiking. Fun visiting with the people sitting around you. Most of all--Great Music!!
We listened to Gold City, Perry's, Ball Brothers, Dove Brothers, Higher Power Quartet, Martins, Booth Brothers, The Lesters. Each concert is like being in a Worship Service. Each has it's own style.
Some of our favorite songs:
Martins: "Nothing Can Seperate Us From the Love of the Father" and "Nothing Takes God by Surprise"
Perry's: "Potter Knows the Clay" and "I Rest My case at the Cross"
Gold City: "Midnight Call"
Ball Brothers: "I Wouldn't Miss Heaven for the World" and "Sometimes He Calms the Storm, Other Times He Calms His Child"
We did have to deal with some rainy days this year! And a fire alarm that went off at 2 AM! A water leak into an exit sign caused a short.
Back north in sunshine humming some new tunes.
Thank-you for "traveling via the web" with us!
Prairie Schooners
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