Attractions & Events Archives

Last summer I was driving through the town square in Crown Point, Indiana, when I noticed two men in suits standing on a corner deep in conversation. It took me a few seconds to realize it was a sculpture. In the next few minutes I saw a man holding an umbrella and a photographer taking a picture of the courthouse. When I stopped in at Carriage Court Pizza, there was a woman sunning herself on a chaise lounge in their courtyard. These sculptures were all part of the Seward Johnson collection of sculptures on display as part of Crown Point’s public art project. Read more

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: Exploring Life in the American West

Life in the American West conjures up images of cowboys and homesteaders, cattle drives and rodeos. The Western way of life was romanticized and popularized in early 20^thcentury books by Zane Grey and later in cinema movies. Today the story of the American West is told in Oklahoma City’s National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum through world-class art galleries and exhibits. Read more

Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours: Touring the Techatticup Gold Mine

Gold strikes, claim jumpers, renegades and posses are things you find in a Wild West movie. In Nevada’s Eldorado Canyon, it was real life. On a recent visit to Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours near Nelson, Nevada, our guide related captivating stories of the ghost town’s past and led us on a tour of the abandoned Techhatticup gold mine. Read more

American Banjo Museum: Evolution of an American Instrument

It’s been said that you can never play a sad song on a banjo. How true that is. When I think of banjo music, I think of ragtime, the Roaring Twenties and bluegrass, upbeat toe-tapping music. The American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City celebrates the evolution of the banjo with over 400 unique banjos on display, plus memorabilia, a hall of fame and special exhibits. Read more

Myriad Botanical Gardens Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory: Lush Oasis in Oklahoma City

There is no doubt that the Crystal Bridge Conservatory blends well with the surrounding downtown Oklahoma City skyscrapers. The 224-foot long, 70-foot diameter tube covered in translucent acrylic panels complements the steel and glass buildings in the area. Stepping inside the conservatory at Myriad Botanical Gardens, though, and you get the feeling you’ve been transported from hectic city life to a lush tropical oasis. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Read more

Driving north to Hoover Dam from Arizona via US 93, I noticed people walking alongside the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, a concrete barrier separating freeway traffic from the pedestrians. A few minutes later, I was among those people on the bridge, getting an awesome view of Hoover Dam and the Colorado River. Read more

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

Attractions & Events

Seward Johnson Sculptures in Crown Point Portray Real Life

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: Exploring Life in the American West

Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours: Touring the Techatticup Gold Mine

American Banjo Museum: Evolution of an American Instrument

Myriad Botanical Gardens Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory: Lush Oasis in Oklahoma City

Hoover Dam from 3 Views