My nephew, Steve Klaseus and his wife Corine told us about Galena, IL when we visited them Sept. 10. We thought it sounded interesting, so instead of heading east or south, we drove NORTH! We camped at the Palace Campground in Galena and our first stop was the Visitor's Center in downtown Galena. The Visitor's Center had many displays of items that either belonged to U.S. Grant or celebrated his presidency and his time in the Civil War. Very interesting and FREE! We also walked through the historic downtown which was very busy with tourists.
On Monday we visited the Galena History Museum and were welcomed by Gen. Grant and his wife! The town celebrated 9 generals from Galena who served in the Civil War, and had an extensive Civil War display. Galena was a boom town in the 1800's, as it had a deposit of lead that was mined using the pocket mine to extract the lead. In the 1850's the mines petered out and the miners headed west to the gold mines. The town was a bustling shipping hub, and at it's zenith had 12,000 residents. Grant's two brothers were running a leather store in Galena, and U. S. Grant was asked to move to Galena to help with the business. When the Civil War started Grant re-enlisted in the army. When the war was over the grateful people of Galena presented Grant with a two-story brick home. He lived there until he was elected president and the family went to Washington. They left their furniture in Galena, so the home boasts of having over 90% of Grant's furnishings. He returned to Galena occasionally until ill health no longer made it possible to come.
Tuesday we took the trolley tour of Galena and received a good overview of the city and various points of interest were explained. After lunch we drove 12 miles west to Dubuque, Ia. We intended to stop at their Visitor's Center but took a wrong turn and ended up at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium where we spent the afternoon viewing the salt water aquarium and history of the area. The J. M. Block, a river dredger, was docked at the Museum and a self-guided tour was available, so we walked over to see it. We still had one more building to tour, so returned on Wednesday to visit the second building and enjoyed seeing the otters and beavers and many aquariums and terrariums on the first floor, and then went to the second floor to view the turtle exhibit.
October 4 we hitched the trailer and headed to Crawfordsville, IN, on our way to Harrodsburg, KY.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Box Car Days and Clay County Fair
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| Classic tractors - Box Car Days, Tracy, MN |
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| I had one of these when I was little! |
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| That's one BIG Combine - Clay Co. Fair |
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| Pink tractors at Clay Co. Fair! |
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| Bales of corn stocks to make a tractor - Clay Co. Fair |
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Amana and Cedar Rapids, IA; Rock Island, IL
On Monday, September 23 we left Sioux Falls and headed east and south to the Amana Colonies. It
was a long day on the road and we were glad to arrive at the Amana RV Campground at 4:45 that afternoon. Tuesday we enjoyed the famous Amana pancakes at the Ronnenburg restaurant before setting out on a shopping spree! We stopped at the Lehm book store, the Amana Woolen Mill, the meat shop, the furniture store and an antique store.....oh yes and the leather store and wine store :-) We were dragging by the time we headed back to the RV park.
Tuesday was granddaughter Tracie's birthday so hope she got our card! We ate breakfast at the Amana bakery (I had a slice of apple streudle) and we were treated to a slice of sauerkraut bread. It was really good, and I could see it on a Reuben sandwich. After breakfast we drove to Cedar Rapids and toured the Czech/Slovak Museum. We'd seen signs about it along the highway for years, but had never stopped. What an impressive museum! It was totally destroyed in a flood in Cedar Rapids in2008 but was not only restored, but an annex was added increasing it's size AND raised 12 feet in the air and moved onto a new parking deck underneath it. It just reopened this spring. The theater had a short movie on the repair and move and a 25 minute movie showing the Russian invasion in 1968.
Thursday we had a short drive to Rock Island, IL. After set up and lunch we drove into Moline to pick up information on Galena, IL and then over to the John Deere Pavilion and Plaza. It was a beautiful day, so enjoyed sitting outside for a few hours.
Friday we crossed the river and drove into Davenport, iA to visit the German American Heritage Center. The building was erected in 1861 as a hotel for immigrants. Now it's a museum outlining the history of Germany, the reasons Germans immigrated to the Quad Cities area, and their treatment during the First World War. It also highlighted the contributions the Germans have made to the area.
Sunday we left Rock Island and drove to Galena, IL.
was a long day on the road and we were glad to arrive at the Amana RV Campground at 4:45 that afternoon. Tuesday we enjoyed the famous Amana pancakes at the Ronnenburg restaurant before setting out on a shopping spree! We stopped at the Lehm book store, the Amana Woolen Mill, the meat shop, the furniture store and an antique store.....oh yes and the leather store and wine store :-) We were dragging by the time we headed back to the RV park.
Tuesday was granddaughter Tracie's birthday so hope she got our card! We ate breakfast at the Amana bakery (I had a slice of apple streudle) and we were treated to a slice of sauerkraut bread. It was really good, and I could see it on a Reuben sandwich. After breakfast we drove to Cedar Rapids and toured the Czech/Slovak Museum. We'd seen signs about it along the highway for years, but had never stopped. What an impressive museum! It was totally destroyed in a flood in Cedar Rapids in2008 but was not only restored, but an annex was added increasing it's size AND raised 12 feet in the air and moved onto a new parking deck underneath it. It just reopened this spring. The theater had a short movie on the repair and move and a 25 minute movie showing the Russian invasion in 1968.
Thursday we had a short drive to Rock Island, IL. After set up and lunch we drove into Moline to pick up information on Galena, IL and then over to the John Deere Pavilion and Plaza. It was a beautiful day, so enjoyed sitting outside for a few hours.
Friday we crossed the river and drove into Davenport, iA to visit the German American Heritage Center. The building was erected in 1861 as a hotel for immigrants. Now it's a museum outlining the history of Germany, the reasons Germans immigrated to the Quad Cities area, and their treatment during the First World War. It also highlighted the contributions the Germans have made to the area.
Sunday we left Rock Island and drove to Galena, IL.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Sioux Falls, SD, Sept. 18-22, 2013
We left Mankato on the 18th and arrived that afternoon at the Sioux Falls KOA. It was a beautiful, sunny day and spent a lot of time sitting outside enjoying the beautiful day. We visited the Pettigrew home museum on Friday morning.
Mr. Pettigrew was instrumental in the settlement of Sioux Falls. He was a realtor, a financier, and was a good friend of James J. Hill. He was able to pursuade Mr. Hill to extend his railroad through Sioux Falls. He also built a flour mill on the river so that farmers would not have to take their crops so far, and with the railroad nearby could move their flour and other materials to other parts of the state quickly.
After lunch we drove to St. Joseph Cathedral to take a tour of their newly refurbished church. The MOST impressive thing to me was that the parish had raised the total amount needed to do the work before it was ever begun! The work is totally paid for! The stained glass windows have been releaded and the statues have all been repainted. It's truly a beautiful cathedral.
Saturday we pent the morning at Falls Park which is a beautiful park along the falls. We went up into the observation tower and had a great view of the city and also the falls. We were surprised at the volume of water going over the falls, considering it has been an extremely dry summer in Sioux Falls.
Sunday we enjoyed a family reunion at Mike and Connie's house in Sioux Falls. We were also celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and our 49th anniversary. It was a wonderful day!
Mr. Pettigrew was instrumental in the settlement of Sioux Falls. He was a realtor, a financier, and was a good friend of James J. Hill. He was able to pursuade Mr. Hill to extend his railroad through Sioux Falls. He also built a flour mill on the river so that farmers would not have to take their crops so far, and with the railroad nearby could move their flour and other materials to other parts of the state quickly.
After lunch we drove to St. Joseph Cathedral to take a tour of their newly refurbished church. The MOST impressive thing to me was that the parish had raised the total amount needed to do the work before it was ever begun! The work is totally paid for! The stained glass windows have been releaded and the statues have all been repainted. It's truly a beautiful cathedral.
Saturday we pent the morning at Falls Park which is a beautiful park along the falls. We went up into the observation tower and had a great view of the city and also the falls. We were surprised at the volume of water going over the falls, considering it has been an extremely dry summer in Sioux Falls.
Sunday we enjoyed a family reunion at Mike and Connie's house in Sioux Falls. We were also celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and our 49th anniversary. It was a wonderful day!
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| Pettigrew House Museum |
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| St. Joseph Cathedral |
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| View of Falls Park from Observation Tower |
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| The Falls |
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| Enjoying the sunshine at Falls Park |
Pictures from Canada and Minot, ND
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| Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Center |
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| A new member of the RCMP |
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| More Heritage Displays |
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| Troop Review at RCMP Center |
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| This group means business! |
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| Scandinavian Center in Minot, ND |
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| Gol Stave Church |
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| DALA Horse, National Symbol of Sweden |
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| Norwegion Stabbur (Storehouse) |
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| Our new friend |
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Inside the Gol Stave Church |
Friday, September 20, 2013
Visiting the relatives August 22 - Sept. 17, 2013
August 22 -25 we were in Iroquois, SD visiting our niece Barb Walter and her hubby Rollie. We always enjoy camping in their backyard. Barb has a great garden, so we were treated to fresh picked corn on the cob, green beans, and yummy tomatoes! Jack enjoys going to the store for breakfast with Rollie, so I slept in! One day we drove to Brookings to see Jack's sister, Leila. We also did some shopping in Mitchell with Barb and Rollie.
August 26-29 we were in Wadena, MN visiting with Jack's cousins on his mother's side. We camped in the city park and had a bit of excitement the first night. There was a tornado warning, and the police and some firemen stopped at the campground to warn us to take cover and to explain where the public shelter was located. We opted to join the campground hostess and three other campers in the cinder block bathroom (along with a cat, 2 puppies, and 2 birds). We had heavy rain, but no wind, thankfully.
* August 27 we visited with Virginia Malone, Shirley Tabery ? and Jerome and Mary Jane Schmitz.
* August 29 we visited with George and Judy Tabery
August 30 - September 4 we were camped at Olson Park in Worthington and visited with Jack's brother Melvin and wife Betty, Connie and Mike Burkard from Sioux Falls, Rod and JoAnn Burkard of Reading, and Duane and Kathy Burkard from Wilmont. On Sunday we drove to Tracy, MN to Boxcar Days and toured their museum and checked out the antique tractors. We invited Melvin and Betty, Rod and JoAnn, and Kathy and Duane to a picnic at our campsite on Tuesday night. We had a campfire (our first of the year) and enjoyed visiting until 10!
September 5 - 8 we camped in Fairmont, MN and visited with our friend, Helen Kehoe. While we were there we drove to Spencer, IA to the Clay County Fair. It was HOT, DUSTY, but fun.
Helen got me hooked on the game Words with Friends - an app for the IPAD.
September 9 - 17 we were at Good Counsel in Mankato visiting with my sister, Sister Dominic. Enjoyed our visit, especially the good food at her community, Jakes Stadium Pizza and the Amboy Cottage Cafe. Dom and I drove to Red Wing to visit our cousin, Joan Brown. We also enjoyed visiting with Art and Charlene Schuch over breakfast and Lisa's Cottage Cafe and were treated to dinner at their house one evening.
Minot, ND August 17-20
We camped at the Rough Riders campground right outside Minot. Before we were even done setting up a young man came over and peppered Jack with questions regarding the Airstream and so Jack spent a good deal of time discussing the trailer. When he was all finished discussing the trailer, he said he had one on order!
After Mass Saturday evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for supper and then settled in to plan our time in Minot. On Sunday we visited the local museum and on Monday we found the Scandanavian Heritage Park we had heard about from the Canadian Burkards. We spent several hours learning about the various buildings being shown in the park. It was definitely worth the time spent.
We went to the Mall on Tuesday so I could get the latest book in The Walk series. The mall was much larger than it appeared, and we spent some time walking and window shopping there.
We left on Wednesday, heading toward Jamestown and spent lunch and 3 hours in Steele, visiting with Mary Buchholz, a Mankato friend.
After Mass Saturday evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for supper and then settled in to plan our time in Minot. On Sunday we visited the local museum and on Monday we found the Scandanavian Heritage Park we had heard about from the Canadian Burkards. We spent several hours learning about the various buildings being shown in the park. It was definitely worth the time spent.
We went to the Mall on Tuesday so I could get the latest book in The Walk series. The mall was much larger than it appeared, and we spent some time walking and window shopping there.
We left on Wednesday, heading toward Jamestown and spent lunch and 3 hours in Steele, visiting with Mary Buchholz, a Mankato friend.
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