Random History Along the Way

So much of my 25 day adventure included so many famous historical events, that I was able to write three blog posts about those locations that have been memorialized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as national parks, historical monuments and memorials.  If you haven't read them yet, I encourage you to check them out:

U.S. National Parks:  America's History (Part 1) featuring the architecture and ruins of several SW pueblos and villages, as well as the tragic atrocities committed against Native American Indians.

U.S. National Parks:  America's History (Part 2) exploring the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to New Mexico.

U.S. National Parks:  America's History (Part 3) touching on some people and events of the 20th century.

This blog is a continuation of the theme, but featuring local and/or state sites and museums I encountered during my trip.

Sunset at the Watkins Mills Campground (MO)

My first day on the road landed me in Missouri so that I could start the next morning at the Harry S Truman National Historic Site in Independence.  In searching for a campground in the area, I discovered the Watkins Mill State Park campground.  What I later learned was that was historical significance as the 19th century Watkins Woolen Mill was located adjacent to the campground and is open daily for tours.  This state historic site is well preserved and includes a separate museum in the visitor center.  While both are open to visitors until 5:00pm, the actual woolen mill building is only accessible by guided tour, with the last being scheduled at 4:00pm.  I was very fortunate to arrive just in time to be able to take the $5 tour.  My guide was very engaging and seems to enjoy telling the story of Waltus Watkins and his business endeavors in this area.  The milling equipment is all largely in tact and is the real story of this park.  That said, there are other buildings of interest on the property and with more time, should be considered for visiting.

Watkins Mill State Park (MO)

It wasn't much later in my journey that my mapping took me across the infamous Route 66!  Established in 1926 and known as the "Mother Road" Route 66 spans over 2,600 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.  Officially decommissioned 1985 and replaced in many areas by I-40, there has been historic preservation in many states and communities where the old road passed.  During my trip I crossed the famed Route 66 in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico . . . making stops along the way to soak in some of the nostalgia from yesteryear.  In Oklahoma there is a very nice museum in Clinton.  A part of the Oklahoma Historical Society, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

Route 66 Museum - Clinton, OK

One of the more interesting exhibits shared what life was like in some of the ghost towns now that the big interstate highway had become the preferred route across the USA.  That set me up for the firsthand witnessing of the decline of buildings and commerce in places like Santa Rosa, NM and McLean, TX.  I did like that the 1929 Phillips 66 filling station had been restored and is being maintained today for visitors to see.  

Route 66 - McLean, TX

 

 

Route 66 - Santa Rosa, NM

 

 

 

But Santa Rosa was sad and depressing to me with all of the shuttered businesses . . . restaurants, motels and gas stations.  They did have a cool car museum which also had a lot of other antiques from a by-gone era. I did enjoy my time wandering through the museum, especially since a late afternoon thunderstorm came rolling through town.

While thinking about how automobile travel has changed over the last hundred years, I can't help but to also think about a similar role the railroad played in the 19th century.  The Santa Fe Trail was significant to the expansion of our country and eventually gave way to the iron horse.  This was made possible with the connection of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad which was chartered in 1859 and completed through to Santa Fe in 1880.  During my travels, especially in Kansas and Colorado, I experienced several tributes to the railroad industry.

La Junta, CO Bank

 

KOA - La Junta, CO

This was especially true in La Junta, Colorado where my KOA campground had several rail cars converted into lodging . . . and where I saw a Santa Fe caboose turned bank drive in branch in the downtown area. "La Junta" means "junction" in Spanish and that is exactly why this Colorado town came into existence.  Historians attribute the name in this way ". . . referring to where the northwest bound Oregon Trail split off from the Santa Fe Trail that went southwest. The Santa Fe likewise junctions in La Junta with main line traffic to Albuquerque, and a branch line to Denver."

 

When my travels home from Topeka took me directly through Atchison, KS I remembered reading about the AT&SF Railroad during one of my Santa Fe Trail visits . . . so I of course had to stop to check out their depot and museum.  It was a fascinating visit, especially to be able to connect the many dots from throughout my entire journey.  It seems like kismet to have this opportunity!

Atchison, Kansas Historical Museum

Here are a few of the trains I saw (and could photograph) throughout my 25 day road trip.  I really enjoyed seeing the blue & yellow K&O (Kansas & Oklahoma) engine, as that is one we never see in the upper Midwest!  It was also neat to see Amtrak's SouthWest Chief, a route I had done back in 2013 from Chicago to my sister's when she was living in Apple Valley, CA.

Trains Across America!