Gennett Records Walk of Fame Commemorates Jazz History

Vernon Attractions & Events, Uncategorized August 10, 2017August 10, 20171920 music, 1920s jazz music, 1920s music, chicago jazz, Gennett records, gennett records richmond indiana, gennett records walk of fame, indiana records, jazz chicago, jazz in chicago, jazz in the 1920s, jazz music 1920s, louis armstrong records, music in the 1920s, piano history, richmond indiana 1920s, richmond music festival, starr, starr foundation, starr piano, starr-gennett walk of fame, the jazz age, the starr piano company, the walk of fame, walk of fame 14 Comments

It’s a bit eerie, a sort of ghost town in Richmond, Indiana. From the late 1800s to the Great Depression, the Whitewater Valley gorge was home to the Starr Piano Company. Its subsidiary, Gennett Records, recorded great jazz artists, including Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke. Today, a shell of the piano factory, a smokestack, and a couple of graffiti covered structures are all that remain. Yet, it isn’t completely dead. The property is now the Whitewater Valley Gorge Park. The lone remaining building is used as an events center, and the Gennett Records Walk of Fame is embedded into the walking/biking path that runs through the park. The Gennett Records Walk of Fame pays tribute to the jazz, country, big band, blues, and gospel greats who recorded here.

Saint Louis Zoo Adventure Pass Well Worth the Fee

Vernon Attractions & Events, Missouri August 2, 2017March 21, 2024saint louis zoo, st louis missouri zoo, st louis mo zoo, st louis zoo, st louis zoo admission, st louis zoo animals, st louis zoo cost, st louis zoo exhibits, st louis zoo hours, st louis zoo hours of operation, st louis zoo lights, St. Louis Zoo Adventure Pass, stl zoo zoo st louis, the st louis zoo, zoo st louis mo, zoo stl 4 Comments

Last summer my granddaughter and I visited the Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri. Zoo admission is free. However, we opted for the Adventure Pass, which gets you into six attractions that aren’t included in the free admission. The Adventure Pass is well worth the $12.95 fee (fee may change seasonally). In fact, the Adventure Pass fee is less than admission at other major zoos. We had planned to spend only the morning at the zoo. But with all that the Adventure Pass offers, we ended up staying all day.

Conner Prairie Experience: William Conner House

Vernon Attractions & Events, Indiana July 28, 2017July 28, 2017conner paririe address, conner prairie, conner prairie farm, conner prairie fishers indiana, conner prairies hours, connors prairie, fishers indiana, Hamilton County Indiana, Living history museum, outdoor history museum, Things to do in Fishers Indiana, Things to do in Hamilton County Indiana, william conner house 2 Comments

Over 20 years ago we visited Conner Prairie, an outdoor history museum in Fishers, Indiana. I remember the 1836 Prairietown, where costumed interpreters stay in character. I remember the William Conner House, home of the early 1800s trader, entrepreneur, and politician. And I remember getting to hold a lamb as we watched sheep being sheared.

Fast forward to 2017 and our second Conner Prairie visit. What a change! The 1836 Prairietown and William Conner House are still there, but they’ve added so much more. We experienced a balloon voyage, which lifted us to heights higher than the Statue of Liberty. We climbed a four-story treehouse in the woods. And we found ourselves in the midst of the Civil War, Disneyesque style.

This first article in a series about Conner Prairie introduces you to William Conner, his two very different lifestyles, and his home on the prairie.

A Stroll Through Anderson Japanese Gardens

Vernon Attractions & Events, Illinois July 26, 2017July 28, 2017anderson garden, anderson gardens, anderson japanese garden, anderson japanese gardens, anderson japanese gardens hours, anderson japanese gardens weddings, japanese anderson gardens, japanese garden in rockford, japanese gardens in rockford, Rockford attractions, rockford illinois attractions 6 Comments

A sense of serenity came over me as I strolled the paths of Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois. Walking through landscapes of meticulously manicured trees and flowing water, relaxation replaced my stress. What is it about a Japanese garden that differs from other gardens? Why does it feel tranquil? It’s because each element—every rock, every plant, every pond— is carefully placed to inspire calm and renewal.

I’ve felt that that sense of tranquility in every Japanese garden I’ve visited. However, it was intensified at Anderson Japanese Gardens because of the garden’s size and extensive use of water. The garden’s twelve acres includes two large ponds, a creek that winds through the property, and a tall waterfall.

World’s Largest Steer and Giant Sycamore Stump

Vernon Attractions & Events, Indiana July 21, 2017July 21, 2017giant sycamore stump, Highland Park Kokomo Indiana, kokomo indiana, Kokomo Indiana attractions, Old Ben, things to do in kokomo, World's largest steer 8 Comments

A tornado swept through Kokomo, Indiana, just days before our visit. Sadly, the tornado destroyed homes. It leveled a Starbucks. It uprooted towering trees in Highland Park. Fortunately, it didn’t touch Old Ben’s home. Old Ben, the World’s largest steer, as well as a giant sycamore stump, are on display behind glass in the Highland Park visitor’s center.

Midwest Wanderer explores history, nature, and culture through road trips along scenic and historic U.S. highways, byways and trails

Author: Vernon

Gennett Records Walk of Fame Commemorates Jazz History

Saint Louis Zoo Adventure Pass Well Worth the Fee

Conner Prairie Experience: William Conner House

A Stroll Through Anderson Japanese Gardens

World’s Largest Steer and Giant Sycamore Stump