Of the eight states that Route 66 runs through, Kansas has the shortest stretch, only 13 miles. There is still plenty to see here, though, from an old mining town to historic bridges to a renovated home that legend says was the home of “Galena’s Bloody Madam.” Read more
The young couple that moved into the Oliver Comstock House had a notion to name their new baby Hannah. Within days of Hannah’s birth, strange events began occurring. The piano keys were banged on in the middle of the night. The name “Hannah” was written on the wall in pencil. Doors opened and closed on their own. The couple soon discovered that the home’s original owner, Oliver Comstock, was married to a woman named Hannah. The Comstock House is just one of several haunted homes we stopped at during our horse-drawn Marshall Carriage Company ghost tour of Marshall, Michigan, the only such tour in the United States. Read more
Fans of old bridges will love Historic Bridge Park, appropriately named given that it’s the retirement home for five restored Calhoun County, Michigan, metal truss bridges, plus a historic stone arch railroad bridge, all integrated into a footpath that winds through fields of black-eyed susans, queen anne’s lace, cow vetch and cattails. Read more
Indiana, like most Midwest states, is big in agriculture. Soybeans, corn and cattle are common. But shrimp? Shrimp are salt water creatures. Indiana doesn’t have salt water. To my surprise, I found out there are a few shrimp farms in Indiana, including JT Shrimp in Wheatfield, where co-owner Scott Tysen gave us a tour. Read more
Small inns and bed & breakfasts are fast becoming my favorite type of accommodation. Often decorated with antiques and a Victorian flair, I feel like I’m being pampered in elegance in a B&B. I prefer a larger accommodation, though, rather than one with just three or four guestrooms. I don’t feel so awkward, like I’m intruding on someone’s private life. I’m also a stickler for a private bath. The Kingsley Inn in Fort Madison, Iowa, combines the best of an inn and a B&B. The Kingsley Inn is run like a B&B but has eighteen guestrooms, all beautifully decorated and all with private baths. Read more
Pease’s Candy has been a staple in Springfield, Illinois, since 1930. The chocolate company still uses many of the same recipes for their confections that they’ve used for a hundred years. Folks who live in the Springfield area are bound to be familiar with the pink box filled chocolate goodness, but you don’t even have to visit Springfield to enjoy this local tradition. Read more
