Happy Moment #18: Southern Missouri Road Trip

So this past Sunday, after spending the night in Springfield, MO, Jim and I ate a hearty breakfast at the B & B and then headed out to see two attractions not far from Springfield. Our first stop was the Wilson Creek National Battlefield, site of the second major battle in the Civil War (1861). Maybe only about 20-30 minutes from downtown Springfield, Jim and I got there just as they opened -- and the place was pretty quiet. We were able to watch an interesting film about the battle and then take the audio tour around the battlefield (and it was pretty darn cold outside!).

After going into the main building to purchase tickets, we started the car "your" which included spots that were important to this particular battle. I was most interested in the Ray family (and their home which still survives) as this family found themselves in the middle of a battle.

Though I always like the human stores, Jim loved the big guns!

"Bloody Hill" -- where so many people died -- reminded me the battleground we saw in Culloden in Scotland: Somber.

After finishing the car tour, we took a peek in the museum itself and I was mostly drawn to the artifacts related to the slavery. For folks who don't know, the state of Missouri has a pretty twisted history in terms of race and freedom.

And then -- back in the car for an hour drive to Mansfield, MO, to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder House (yep -- THAT Laura Ingalls!). I had actually been here about 35 years ago with my parents when we lived at Fort Leonard Wood and it has always been one of the most amazing memories of my childhood. I loved Laura. My parents didn't have a ton of money when I grew up but I will be forever thankful that they bought me the whole series of books -- WHICH I STILL OWN!

The front is different than my previous visit -- about two years ago the foundation behind the house was able to build a new building to house both the museum and the giftshop.

We drove up just as a tour of the house was about to start! I couldn't take pictures inside the house but I got one of the outside and the plaque on the door!

Once we finished the house tour, we were the only folks in the theater to watch a cool video about Laura and her daughter, Rose Wilder (who was a fascinating person in her own right!)

And then on to the museum! There is just so much to see in this space that I can't do it justice! (there is even a section dedicated to the 1070s television series). What really caught my eye, though, were the quilts and hand embroidery work done by Laura.

And this is Rose's desk and typewriter (like her mother, she was also a writer. Some of the controversy with Laura Ingalls Wilder is the idea behind who actually wrote the books -- was it indeed Laura herself? Rose? A combination of both?)/

And that was the end of our adventure! We drove back to St Louis (in a little snow) while I happily read one of the books I ourcahsed in the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum!)