Kansas City

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I had a great week with Debbie, Bobby and family. We swam a lot and played a lot of games! Bev came through for the long weekend; it was of course great to see her too. Bobby’s folks came through on Saturday and we all enjoyed a shrimp and crab boil. Madisonville is located on the Tchefuncte River which feeds into Lake Pontchartrain; on Sunday we took the kids down to watch the boats and have an ice cream.
I flew back to Kansas City on Wednesday. Kansas City really is a nice city. Just big enough to still feel friendly, they are really proud of their reputation for providing the world’s best barbecue.
The Kiowa and Cheyenne Indians were the first human inhabitants of this area. Of course there is lots of cowboy history in this whole area. Dodge City, which was prominent in cowboy movies when I was a kid is southwest of Kansas City and was where the commercial route known as the Santé Fe Trail from Kansas City to Santé Fe, New Mexico opened in 1821.
I went to George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas about four years ago and was very impressed, so I have made one of my travel goals to visit as many presidential libraries as I can. Harry S. Truman was born in Independence, Missouri, which is just 16 miles from Kansas City, so off I went. Located in beautiful grounds the building is quite impressive. I didn’t know too much about Truman until I went there—I left liking the man, he was certainly a no nonsense president. I really giggled when I learned that after WWII when a lot of union led strikes broke out, he just told the guys to go back to work or be drafted! They went back to work—can you imagine how that would go over today?
I went from the Library to Union Station which is in the middle of Kansas City. The station has been restored to its original condition. You can still buy a ticket and catch an Amtrak train at the station,- but in addition there are several gift shops, a post office, a theatre district with giant screen moves and live theatre, an interactive science center, and two restaurants in the building. There were several men setting up a huge model railway display, which will be in the station for the next couple of weeks.
I enjoyed Kansas City very much, now it’s on to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Photos

Kansas City
From the Missouri River bridge

From the Air
Some of the farm land on the way in

Kansas City
Stole this early 1850s photo from the Kansas City site because it looked so much like Deadwood--just bigger

Truman Library
Beautiful grounds and impressive building

Harry S Truman
Apparently the S is just an initial, no name attached

Passage of Power
I think for most of us Dwight Eisenhower was the first U.S. President that we remember. Here Truman looks so relaxed as 'Ike" takes power.

Union Station
Built in the late 1890s, you can still buy a ticket and catch the train here.

Inside Union Station
No doubt when they built a railway station -way back when - they did it in style!

Diner
In the 1950 style

Comments

[Al]

I was just gonna say Deadwood city last week and then visiting Louisiana next! You sure are getting around. So you flew! Well thats faster than driving. Probably cost less than the gas bill would of been. Great pics and commentary BTW! Al