Cahokia Mounds. This is the place to see one of the largest settlements of the Mississippian culture. The site is dotted with earthen mounds and buried artifacts that provide evidence of a population numbering perhaps as many as 20,000 individuals who called this river-land home 800 to 1000 years ago. It amazes me how archeologists piece together a picture of these ancient cultures. I wonder what the Mississippians would think of the product of all the educated conjecture on how they lived, why here, what the structures mean, and why they left this area. Are we any where near correct?

Just down stream of the Melvin Price Dam is what is claimed to be the only bridge in the US with a bend in it.   In search of solid rock foundations, the bridge turns about 20^O shortly past the midway point toward Missouri. Here since 1929, it carried Historic Route 66 for 30+ years and is now retired to pedestrian traffic only. It provides a great view of Chain of Rocks that runs the full width of the Mississippi and two early (1890s) stone towers that rise above the water like miniature castles.

We strolled through Washington University campus . The approach to the admin buildings off Skinker and the quad they enclose are pretty much unchanged. The modernistic Olin library looks as much out of place among the red marble classic architecture as it always has. The chapel, some engineering halls, and the fine arts buildings look familiar but much else has changed. It is a sprawling campus now and much needed maps are posted all over the place. I think I liked it better a bit smaller.

Forest Park still makes for a fine neighbor for campus. It is a wonderful place just to walk and relax in the shade. The park includes the zoo. It was a great place when in college too…it is free. We checked it out…loved the dirty polar bear and elephants. Check out the giraffe after the greener snack nearly out of reach!

One more carousel, this time with zoo critters of course. Check out the warthog!

No, it’s not a doggie spa. It is a Diner along Historic Route 66 where the corn dog (at least the Midwest version) was born. The dog is a bit smoky and the corn batter envelops it with just the right amount of sweet. Onion rings and fries were diner-delicious too. The place is full of memorabilia, even a blowup Sinclair dinosaur.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site: it is a great stop. The home is nicely restored and our tour guide (interestingly a ranger in uniform not a volunteer in period dress) did a great job transporting us into Lincoln’s time. Other homes in the neighborhood have also been restored to that era. Docents roam about providing commentary and answering questions.

Lincoln’s Tomb: It is an impressive monument in a lovely setting. As we have found in many monuments of that era, there is symbolism everywhere: bronze statues of the military units Lincoln commanded, not in perfect posture poses but in more harried battle weary poses. An eagle grasping the broken chain of slavery, the monument base encircled by a chain of shields representing the united United States, a scroll of the Emancipation Proclamation held tightly in his grasp.

The 114^th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry Reinstated

Mustered into service in 1862 and discharged in 1865. The original enlistees fought bravely during the civil war. The reinstated members serve as a living history symbol to keep the memories of those original service men alive.

Today we watched them carry out a Civil War Flag Retreat at Lincoln’s Tomb. In vintage uniforms, with musket fire, directed through drum and bugle command and accompanied by mortar fire the 114^th retired the flag at the tomb. Not as polished as the guys at the Arlington twilight tattoo but these guys are surely devoted to keeping memories alive.

Ladies in full period dress moved among the soldiers and the crowd. They are members of the Soldiers Aide society who served to support their soldiers while at home. There must be a great seamstress around here some where! What fantastic dresses.

The old court house: “The desk where Representative Lincoln sat”, oh yeah, there were other guys here too. In this same chamber Lincoln laid in state as thousands passed by. If the majestic columns could talk!

Lincoln’s New Salem state Historical Site: Lincoln grew from a rough hewn farmer to a well spoken lawyer in this town. It is pretty cool that there is an attempt to capture how that maturation was accomplished. Who helped? Who hindered? What was he like as a neighbor? An employee? A proprietor? Archeological finds and handed down verbal accounts provided some guidance but the folks who have reconstructed New Salem have admittedly filled in a lot of gaps with best guesses and folk lore.   It is worth a walk through. They spin a great story.

The corn belt. Acres of ripe, tasseled corn blanket the rolling county-side in gold. Lush green patches of soybeans intermingle to create a vivid patchwork. Quiet little towns with bright white clapboard houses are scattered along the way. Dull grey grain elevators, shiny galvanized grain bins, water towers of many shapes and sizes, and church steeples jut skyward randomly along the horizon. I suppose it would get boring after a while but it was wonderfully peaceful for a few hours today.

It is marvelous that the human psyche continues to have room for something as frivolous as a carousel. People still want them. Artisans still create them. Check out the one in Richland Park, Mansfield OH. It was built by The Carousels Works right there in town.

We stopped in Logansport IN just to break up the drive…surprise, there is a carousel here too. It is over 100 years old and has its own great story of rescue and restoration.

Once a canal

A section of the canal is now a wonderful marsh thanks to some industrious beavers. A morning walk led us to herons, wood ducks, snapping turtles and lots of woodland birds. We never saw the architects of this fine wetland but enjoyed watching the many other critters that take advantage of their work.

Back in the air conditioning by 1:30 as the afternoon built into another hot sticky day, 90F and very muggy. Hope it rains soon to usher in some cooler drier weather!

There’s more to Ohio than that “are we there yet?” swath seen from the turnpike

The Cuyahoga River twists through a patchwork of forests and farmland. What remains of the Ohio and Erie Canal cuts a somewhat straighter path as it parallels the river. Huge rock escarpments jut unexpectedly from the forest floor. Much of the Valley is included in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is crisscrossed with trails making exploration on foot or bicycle easy. We caught a canal lock demonstration and walked through a dry lock chamber. It is pretty impressive construction built with enormous hand cut stone blocks and gigantic wooden gates; one at every 10 feet of elevation change.

Creeks work their way down the hillsides toward the Cuyahoga River sometimes tumbling across sandstone cliffs.

Blue Hen Falls

The result; lovely burbling cascades like Blue Hen and Brandywine Falls. Both are worth the walk with trails that meander through shaded woods.

Brandywine Falls

The Cleveland area and down through the Cuyahoga Valley is known as the Western Reserve. Specifically, this 3million acre plus parcel of land “out west” was set aside for the state of Connecticut as part of their sea-to-sea borders when the state was first established. Connecticut sold this land to private investors who drove its development. The Cleveland History Center does a great job showcasing the successes of those Connecticut transplants. Check it out if you are through here.

Most fun exhibit: The refurbished Euclid Beach Park Carousel originally build for a park in Jersey….of course I rode it…Kent too. When we head further west we are stopping at the Carousel Works in Mansfield that rebuilt it.

Newest news to me: the number of auto manufacturers in Cleveland; 115 of them and none of them survived! But they built some cool cars. My favorite, the Chandler Comrad. I want one.