If you Google Marysville, Kansas you will find that it is listed as a city in Marshall County with about 3300 residents. While these statistics seem commonplace, they do little to tell the city’s story. To truly understand the dynamics of this historic town you have to experience it firsthand. Our short jaunt from Kansas […]
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Who was Samuel Langhorne Clemens? It has been noted that he was one of the greatest American humorists. Of course, there are many who upon hearing that name, are left with a puzzled gaze. When the name Mark Twain is mentioned, then they immediately picture the white suit and gray haired author. Still others, who
A Man Of Many Names – Who Was Mark Twain? Read More »
Our style of travel can certainly make a body weary. Since many of our trips are designed to gather as much research as possible, we can find ourselves worn out by the end of each day. Fortunately, there is always a place nearby to lay our heads. In Marysville, Kansas we had planned an action-packed
Feeling At Home In Marysville – Trailhead Suites Read More »
Smoke hung heavy around the Oliver Anderson home. Bullet holes pockmarked the brick walls of the house. This early battle of the Civil War had been sparked by the seizure of money by Federal troops. Now they found themselves outnumbered and in short supply of a most important resource. The battle was entering its third
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With a trail of dust in their wake, Pony Express riders sped across the prairie on their journey toward California. After leaving St. Joseph, they would find a fresh horse waiting for them about every ten miles. A quick stop allowed them to trade mounts and in a flash, they were back on the route.
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Imagine life 100 years after the United States had won its independence. The year is 1876 and things are changing rapidly in America. Alexander Graham Bell has just invented the telephone. Heinz Ketchup and Budweiser beer make their debut. Here in Kansas, Wyatt Earp is hired to work in Dodge City. The Pony Express had
Koester House Museum – Capturing A Moment In Time Read More »
One of our favorite parts of exploring new destinations is sampling the local cuisine options. When we roll into a new city, we like to keep our eyes open to dining choices that are loved by the locals. Marysville, Kansas has plenty of those, but with just over 24 hours to explore, we realized we
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Located in the heart of the state of Missouri, you will find the city of Boonville. While many pass by the exit along I-70, we went day-tripping in Boonville to learn more of the city’s historical significance. Transportation has seemed to have played a huge role in this Midwest destination, even before it was founded.
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Exploring new destinations is always an eye-opening experience. One of our first stops is usually the local history museum. This helps us learn the background stories that are found in every community. That is how we landed at the Marshall County Museum in Marysville, Kansas. Pulling up in front of the 1891 courthouse had our
Background Stories – Marshall County Museum Read More »
Have you ever seen a black squirrel? When we started planning our visit to Marysville, we discovered that this Kansas town has an unexpected mascot. It seems that sometime in the past, black squirrels were introduced to this environment. Now they have proliferated throughout the community and have achieved somewhat of celebrity status. While our
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When we think about travel at the turn of the 19th Century, everything seemed so black and white. Much of that is because color photography had not yet been invented. Of course, from visiting museums, we also realize that many of the automobiles of the day were produced in one color. Until our visit to
Mitchell Car Museum – Coloring The Past Read More »
How many times have you overlooked a small town, because you didn’t think it had much to see? If we are being honest, this happens too often, because we have been programmed to believe this. Creating our travel blog has opened our eyes and minds to the wonderful collection of artifacts found in villages and
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Boonville, Missouri rests along the Missouri River, just about 100 miles east of Kansas City. For thousands of years, Native Indians were the sole inhabitants of the region. It was not until the 1600s that the first European explorers would travel to the heart of the continent. A pair of Daniel Boone’s sons would uncover
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It is vital that we examine our history, to let us not forget the lessons that we wish not to repeat. During our visit to Arrow Rock, we had a chance to examine a more sinister side of Missouri history. Growing up in Kansas City, we were taught about the Border War between Kansas and
Let Us Not Forget – African-American Experience Museum Read More »
Who else looks forward to sampling the flavors of a new destination? For us, one of the best parts of travel is the new tastes we encounter. As foodies, each dish holds unique possibilities no matter how many versions we have savored. A day trip to Arrow Rock, Missouri offered a chance to enjoy a
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It has been said that history tends to repeat itself. During a visit to Arrow Rock, Missouri, we stumbled upon a small museum dedicated to the life of Dr. John Sappington. His name was unfamiliar to us, but as we explored the space, we soon realized the important role he played in history. This little
Stopping The Spread – Sappington Museum Read More »
Traveling the interstate between Kansas City and St. Louis takes you through Boone’s Lick Country. If you are like us, you were completely unaware of this. On a sunny Saturday, we decided to make a day trip to Arrow Rock, Missouri to learn more about this area with an unusual name. While this small village
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As I sit and write this article, we are currently under self-imposed isolation called “social distancing”. While the subject is near and dear to everyone at this stage, I have to wonder what readers will think when they return to this particular article in two or three years. How will our daily interactions change, once
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To think that we have lived within a short three-hour drive of Missouri’s capital, yet it has taken us so long to visit. When we realized this oversight, we reached out to Visit Jefferson City, to arrange a day of exploration. Wanting to get a better understanding of the history of the city, from past
Past To Present In Jefferson City Read More »
Tours are a good way to get some background information at new destinations. While we will usually rely on our exploration, this doesn’t mean we are against guided excursions. Some places are limited to this type of visit, and we happily join in the group fun. This was the case when we stopped at the
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Visiting a new destination brings so many fun surprises. All of the sightseeing can work up quite an appetite. Fortunately, almost every downtown has an assortment of locally-owned eateries to choose from. Jefferson City is no exception, and we were filled with anticipation to take a peek behind the curtain at The Grand Cafe. When
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Whenever we visit a state capital, we try to include a stop at the state museum, as well. While each city and town will usually show a local perspective, these state-sponsored destinations have an overarching view. The unusual thing about the Missouri State Museum is that it resides inside of the capitol building. Since we
Sizing Up Some History – Missouri State Museum Read More »
Exploring Jefferson City would never be complete without sampling a couple of downtown restaurants. While they have a variety of cuisines to select from, sampling the BBQ scene is often a priority for us. Fortunately, we found an option sitting within easy walking distance from the capital building. After a day of exploring, we were
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On August 10, 1821 Missouri officially became a state. At that time the capital was in St. Charles, but plans for a new state capital were in the works. From what we could ascertain, Jefferson City was the only place specifically created to serve as the capital of a state. After the Missouri state legislature
Storied History At Jefferson Landing Read More »
To gain a true history of Dubuque, you have to go all the way back to the 1700s. The first European settler arrived in the region in 1785. Julien Dubuque had received permission from Spain to mine the lead-rich deposits in and around the bluffs of the Mississippi River. The ownership of the territory would
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There were certain attractions that were “must-sees” during our visit to Dubuque, Iowa. Being Iowa’s first city, it is no surprise that there is a river nearby. Of course, this isn’t just any river. Visiting the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium promised to be an adventure on a grand scale. After all, it’s the
Nature’s Highways – National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium Read More »
When we are developing an itinerary for a new destination, picking our dining locations is especially important. I got my blogging start by hosting a local restaurant site for five years. When we expanded to our travel blog, it was important that we maintained our roots. Fortunately, locating interesting restaurants is usually easy. When I
Family Tradition At Vinny Vanucchi’s Little Italy Read More »
Too many travelers find Kansas to be just another “fly-over” state. To us, that term also refers to those that just cruise along I-70 on their way to some other place. What many of them do not realize is that by getting off of the interstate, they have an opportunity to enjoy a truly cultural
Calling Kansas Explorers – Check Out Little Sweden USA Read More »
History has a way of sneaking up on you. When we visited Dubuque, we knew we were experiencing Iowa’s first city. The moment that Julien Dubuque first arrived on the western shore of the Mississippi River, was the start of something special. It would be almost 50 years before the city would be officially chartered,
In The Shadow Of Giants At Hotel Julien Read More »
For many of us married folk, dinner and a show is the makings of a great date night. Even when we are on a blogging excursion, we try to make sure our activities are good options for other couples or families. When we planned out our Lindsborg visit, they surprised us with the addition of
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Iowa is known for many things, but underground caves are one that didn’t make it on our list. You can imagine our surprise when we learned that Dubuque is home to Crystal Lake Cave. Located near the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, this underground attraction offered us a chance to satisfy some spelunking urges. Visiting
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To this day, we are still amazed at how many fun stories we find in each new destination. A good example of this is Ol Stuga, in Lindsborg, Kansas. From the outside, it looks like just another bar and grill type place. Even the name, which is Swedish for Ale House, suggests that it is
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Downtown Dubuque, Iowa is filled with an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. This walk-able destination is perfect for pedestrian visits. On a day filled with exploring, we found ourselves doing a once-around the downtown space. It started as an adventure to check out some local murals, that are found on the sides of many
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One of the best things about visiting a new destination is the chance to immerse yourself in the history of the community. Lindsborg, Kansas has an interesting history tied to the Swedish immigrants who arrived here in the spring of 1869. Even today, around thirty percent of the local population can tie their lineage back
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When traveling to a new destination, it is easy to get wrapped up into rushing through sites. Too often, we are trying to pack as much as possible into our time. The idea of missing out on even one attraction leads to a hurried pace. To help prevent us from falling into this mode, I
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Let’s see a show of hands for all of our candy lovers out there. You can bet that Crystal and I each have our hands raised. Not every destination we visit gives us a chance to sample some new confectionery. Of course, I am always scoping out the landscape to see if one is available
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Perhaps you have seen the little red horses and wondered where they come from. Many years ago, we traveled to Lindsborg, Kansas with our children. During this visit, we stopped at Hemslöjd to check out these fun looking figures. Fast forward to the present, and we once again found ourselves in this quaint Swedish city.
Dala Horse History at Hemslojd Read More »
Dubuque, Iowa sits along a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Let me clarify that by saying, part of the city sits on a bluff. The oldest portions of the city lie along the flood plain that rests beside the river. Carved out by the changing river patterns, this is home for many of the original
Riding The World’s Shortest Railway in Dubuque Read More »
We enjoy finding businesses that have re-purposed buildings but still retained a tie with the past. In Lindsborg, Kansas, we had an opportunity to enjoy a breakfast stop at Blacksmith Coffee. This homey city, referred to as “Little Sweden”, was founded in 1869. In the early days, it was the task of blacksmiths to keep
Forging The Future At Blacksmith Coffee Read More »
During the late 1800s, Dubuque, Iowa was transitioning from a lead mining leader into an industrial center. The growth of mill-working businesses helped push the city to be one of the 100 largest urban areas in America, between 1860 and 1880. This period saw enormous expansion, as well as a bustling downtown. These days, many
Delicious Start in Dubuque, Iowa Read More »
In every city we visit, we are able to uncover some amazing eats. Springfield, Illinois kicked it up a level by adding the historic aspect to many of our stops. Being the heart of the “Land of Lincoln”, as well as a Route 66 destination, made this city extra special. Our downtown stay gave us
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Having an opportunity to add a new state to our blog is such a delight. 2019 brought more firsts for us, and our escape to Kenosha was our first Wisconsin city. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, this Upper Midwest city has so much to offer vacationers. When I was choosing our initial Wisconsin
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It’s always a thrill for us when we get to visit the capital city of a state. Even though they all have a dome, each is unique in its own way. Our trip to Springfield, Illinois gave us a chance to find history galore, in this twin domed Midwest city. So many historical paths cross
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The shores of Lake Michigan make the perfect destination for some summer time exploring. Our 2019 travels included a visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin. This Upper Midwest city offers visitors a simple to navigate downtown that we found quite easy to walk. Museum lovers, like us, will find plenty of sites to explore, and a bonus
Traveling Through Time At Kenosha’s History Museums Read More »
A visit to Springfield, Illinois is an opportunity to dive into the long history of this Midwestern region. With only three days to soak in as much as possible, we found ourselves bustling between stops. As we approached the end of our visit, we found ourselves facing our final day of exploration. With daylight burning,
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What do you get when you revitalize a 100-year old building into a boutique lodging option? For us, it was a chance to stay in the upscale Stella Hotel & Ballroom, just a few blocks from the shores of Lake Michigan. This patch of land held the oldest malting plant in the state, before its
The Stella Hotel & Ballroom – Embracing The Past Read More »
When you travel to Springfield, Illinois, you will find yourself transported to the Land of Lincoln. While he may not have been born in Illinois, much of his formative years were spent in this Midwest state. I have to tell you that I have been fascinated with the life of the 16th President since my
Immersing In History at The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Read More »
Finding the local favorites can lead to some good meals and delightful experiences. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, we dropped by The Coffee Pot to sample one of their hearty breakfasts. This unique diner has more to it than meets the eye. A neon sign had caught our attention, which means it was serving its purpose. We
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While we are not experts in architectural design, that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate beautiful designs. Springfield’s Dana-Thomas House gave us a chance to see one of the homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Unlike many of the homes Wright built from scratch, this home was a redesign. That small detail will come in play
Springfield’s Dana-Thomas House – A Treasure Saved Read More »
It feels like there is never enough time to do all the things we enjoy. For years, we have made quick trips to Lawrence, Kansas for a variety of reasons. Our daughter worked at the university for four years, which provided us with lots of exploring in this college city. These days, we make the
The Burger Stand at The Casbah – Delicious Lawrence Eats Read More »
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