Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis: One of the Most Beautiful Churches in America

Connie Attractions & Events, Missouri April 13, 2014April 17, 2014Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri attractions, St. Louis Cathedral 0 Comment

The architecture is stunning. Extensive use of arches, domes, marble, and stained glass is beautiful. But the most breathtaking feature is the mosaics. Everywhere you turn, mosaics glitter—on the walls, in the domes, on the ceilings, in the side chapels. Home to one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world, a collection whose installation began in 1912 and was completed 76 years later, in 1988, using over 41 million mosaic tiles in over 8,000 color shades, it’s no wonder that the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis was named one of the 12 Most Beautiful Churches in America by Budget Travel.

The slide show highlights some of what you will see on your visit.

The Mosaic Museum in the lower level of the church takes you through the design and application process of the mosaics.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, located at 4431 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. You may take a self-guided tour anytime during these hours as long as a service is not taking place. Visit the basilica web site for information on guided tours.

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5 Fun Facts about Laura Ingalls Wilder

Connie Attractions & Events, Missouri April 8, 2014February 3, 2015Laura Ingalls, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Missouri attractions 0 Comment

You may know her as the author of the “Little House” series of children’s books. Or perhaps you’re familiar with the popular television show based on her books. Little House on the Prairie, starring Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon, ran from 1974 to 1983. The show, which focused on the Ingalls family’s lives in 19^th century western America, still plays in reruns today.

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the “Little House” book series, based on her real-life experiences, while she lived in her Mansfield, Missouri, home. Today you can tour the home and browse the adjacent museum for glimpse at the life of the author. Here are a few fun facts I learned about her and her family on my visit:

Laura Ingalls Wilder started her journalism career at age 44. She was 65 when she began writing the “Little House” series. She wrote a total of 18 books, which have been translated into 40 languages.
It took 17 years for Laura and her husband, Almanzo, to build their Mansfield house. When they first bought their farm, they built a one-room log cabin. When they could afford it, Almanzo built the house, one room at a time. On the tour, you enter the back door into the kitchen, the first room that was built. Of course, at the time, it wasn’t the kitchen; it was the entire house. The house grew, room by room, until 17 years later, it was finished. The tour takes you through the rooms in the order in which they were added.
Everything in the house is original, with the exception of fabric items and wallpaper, which are copies. Some pieces are set in the exact arrangement as they were on the day Ingalls Wilder died in 1957.
Laura Ingalls Wilder typically received 50 pieces of mail each day, which she read at the table under a lamp that Almanzo made. On her last birthday, her 90^th, she received over 1000 pieces of mail.
Pa looked nothing like Michael Landon. The museum, full of memorabilia including “Pa’s fiddle,” includes lots of pictures. I wasn’t the only one who noted the dissimilarity in looks between Landon and the real-life, shaggy-bearded Pa. I heard other guests mention it, too.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum, open March through mid-November, is located at 3068 Highway A in Mansfield, Missouri. Check the web site for hours and admission.

Dawt Mill: An Ozark Canoe Trip Getaway

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Missouri April 6, 2014April 2, 2018Dawt Mill Missouri, the ozarks missouri 0 Comment

We took a Dawt Mill float trip years ago, when our girls were little, paddling a canoe down Bryant Creek from where we were dropped off and ending at the dam at Dawt Mill about five hours later. Afterwards we bought the girls snacks and t-shirts in the old mill that doubled as a general store. That’s about all that was there then: the canoe rental, the general store, and a few camp sites. Fast-forward about thirty years. My husband and I visited again, and what a change! Canoe trips are as popular as ever, but now there are several options for dining and lodging.

We stayed in a one-room cabin overlooking the river, a cabin just right for two people.

If you have a larger party, you can stay in the two-room suites in the Cotton Gin Inn or in the Log Cabin that sleeps six adults.

The general store in the old mill that we visited years ago has been converted to Henegar’s Gristmill Restaurant, open breakfast through dinner, with several tables that overlook the river. Though fancier entrees were offered, we opted for simple but delicious burgers.

Sawyer’s Deli, serving sandwiches and snacks, is a more casual eatery. If you want a splurge meal, consider the Chef’s Table on the weekends for a multi-course meal. On summer weekends, enjoy a concert or karaoke on the outdoor deck of the Gravel Bar.

It was too cold for a canoe trip during our stay, but watching the rush of the river from our cozy cabin and taking a few walks closer to the water to take photos was relaxing. And since restaurants are few and far between in the area, it was nice to be able to eat right at the resort. We’ll have to return yet again for an encore canoe trip.

Dawt Mill is located in Ozark County, Missouri, near the town of Tecumseh. Check the web site for further details.

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Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial: Visit Lincoln’s Farm

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In his 1859 autobiography, Abraham Lincoln referred to the farm where he lived with his family for fourteen years. He lived his formative years, from age 7 to 21, in the home where he lost his mother, where his step-mother continued to encourage his love for reading and learning, and where he was molded into the man who is often regarded as America’s greatest president. You can visit the very land where Lincoln grew up, in what is now Lincoln City, Indiana, at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Living Historical farm.

We reached our new home about the time the State came into the Union. It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals, still in the woods. There I grew up.” –A. Lincoln

Evansville Museum: Culture, History and Hands-on Fun

Connie Attractions & Events, Indiana April 2, 2014Evansville IN, Evansville Museum, Things to do in Evansville, Things to do in Evansville Indiana 0 Comment

You’ll discover hands-on science, local history, art galleries, a planetarium, and a transportation center all under one roof at the Evansville Museum—well, two roofs, really—and you can cover it all in one afternoon.

Start in the science gallery where adults are as anxious as children to try the interactive demonstrations. Watch clouds form, see your image reflected upside-down in a mirror, or drop a coin into the gravity well and watch it spin ‘round and ‘round as it descends to the bottom.
Moving into the history exhibitions, see replicas of dresses worn by movie stars and lots of movie posters, which demonstrate the popularity of the silver screen in Evansville, formerly home to twelve theaters. Many of the theaters began as vaudeville venues and were converted to movie houses in the early 20^th century.

Walk down a brick paved street of yesteryear and peer into the windows of homes and businesses.

The museum includes an extensive exhibit about life during World War II. During the war, Evansville became the quintessential Rosie the Riveter town as women took on factory jobs while the men went to war.

The museum’s second level houses art galleries. Permanent exhibits in the Crescent Galleries showcase American and European art dating back as far as the 16^th century. The remaining galleries feature temporary exhibitions: some part of the museum’s collection, some regional art, and some touring collections.

The Immersive Theater, the planetarium, offers several different shows each day. One show is specifically geared to young children and another to older children. “Skies Over Evansville” reproduces the night sky, and a museum staff member points out constellations and planets, and answers audience questions.

Next door, the Evansville Museum Transportation Center (EMTRAC) invites you to explore the Evansville’s transportation history, from 19^th century riverboats and carriages to steam fire engines and locomotives.

Outside, ring the bell of a Milwaukee Road steam engine and walk through the Tennessee Club Car, the very car that General Dwight D. Eisenhower used during his presidency campaign and later was used by Lady Bird Johnson as she campaigned for her husband’s presidency.

A 1920s railroad car attached to the back of the EMTRAC building houses a model railroad that you view from inside the museum. The layout represents Evansville during the 1950s.

Spend just a few hours in the Evansville Museum, and you’ll get a good feel for the area culture and history—and will have had fun learning about it.

The Evansville Museum is located at 411 S.E. Riverside Drive, Evansville Indiana. Check the web site for hours and admission rates.

Disclosure: My visit to the Evansville Museum was hosted by the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Evansville Museum, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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Tour the USS LST 325, Evansville Indiana

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During World War II, there were more LSTs built in Evansville, Indiana, than in any other inland location. It’s fitting, then, that Evansville is home to the only operational naval museum in the nation, the LST 325. On a tour of the ship, you’ll learn about its operations and how military personnel lived on board. Read more