Big Lake State Park, MO
Our big event of the day was to visit the Harry S. Truman library and museum. Being a Poly Sci major, political junkie and history buff visiting the Presidential Libraries are always on our list. Trivia question...no googling the answer - What does the S. in Harry S. Truman stand for? (Answer at end of today's blog). The Truman library aptly resides in Independence, MO, Harry's home town. From the outside it looked very mid-century and non-descript.
Once inside, we were blown away with the depth and engaging experience this museum provides. There were tons of inter-active displays and areas. On first entering one encounters a mural depicting the Missouri expansion. BTW - Harry did several brush strokes on the blue sky in the upper right corner.
After watching a movie about Truman's presidency you begin a walking timeline thru the museum. It does a great job setting the stage for what situations Truman inherited. What makes this museum so cool is that it's not just giving you propoganda or Truman's side of the facts, but asks for your input as well. After an exhibit on WWII and Truman's decision to drop the bomb, your input is solicited as to what you would do. I flipped through the book and saw hundreds of different responses. My fave was one written all in Japanese. Anyone care to translate?
The boom and growth period of post WWII was really well done. The posters and re-enactment of this period in America was awesome. Loved the TV shows, Life Magazines, typical American kitchen, etc. This part of the exhibit focused on Truman's domestic policies and the post war boom.
We also walked through a "cave" area, cold and very bleak looking, which set the stage for post WWII overseas. So interesting to see the struggles of Italy, Greece, France, and most of Europe after the war.
There was another section on Truman's foreign policy focusing on the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan. Here's Ned watching a movie about the start of the Cold War.
My favorite part of the Truman Museum was an area called "The Decision Theatre". You sit in an area that feels like a court room jury box and there is a "yes" or "no" button for each person. At first you feel like you're in an interrogation room with the one sided glass. As the show begins different scenarios are discussed and everyone gives their opinion on how they would handle the situation, via the button. At one point interrogation spotlights come on overhead and you are being grilled by Sen. McCarthy. This was so creepy, yet really gave you a chance to ponder and think how you would handle some of the situations that Pres. Truman was confronted with. Here's a pic of Ned and I being interrogated. (Kinda funny that I'm shooting a picture of myself, and of couse, Ned who takes these things waaaay too seriously).
There is a beautiful outside courtyard that has an eternal flame and the graves of Pres. Truman, his wife Bess, and their daughter Margie.
Another level of the museum depicts Truman's personal life starting from his childhood. There is so much to share and so much trivia that my head is still swimming. Little nuggets: Truman wrote over 1300 letters to Bess beginning when he was 10 years old. He stated that this was his hardest and longest campaign; Truman was the first Civil Rights President signing an executive order to desegregate the Armed Forces; both his grandparents were slave owners; he graduated from high school which was a big deal in this part of Missouri - at that time most just went til 7th grade;
There was also an entire section on his re-election campaign. They showed a map of his "Whistle Stop Tour", all the places he traveled in the country by railway. Hey...we think Harry stole our Winnie map!! (compare that to the one on our adventureswithwinnie website).
Note that he didn't travel to the Southern States at all. That was Strom Thurmond country who was a Democrat, supporting segregation, who was running against him.
Here's the original Winniemobile.
If you're ever near Kansas City I definitely recommend a day for the Truman Presidential Library.
And the answer to the trivia question is:
S - stands for just S.
Well after spending the majority of the day at the library one can work up quite the appetite. Even tho we were technically in Missouri, we're just a stone's throw from Kansas City. You know what that means don't you? BBQ!!!! We drove into Kansas and found Smokey Joe's, rated as one of the best Kansas City BBQ's. It's in a Gas Station. We thought that by arriving in the late afternoon it would be pretty empty. Au contraire. The line was almost out the door!
Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, beans, coleslaw and Texas toast. Best damned BBQ of the trip. Kansas wins, with Martin's in Tennessee a very, very close second.
We're now camping at the very Northwestern corner of Missouri. Yes, it is definitely mid-western camping. The downside is we're pretty much in a mowed meadow. The upside is there is almost no humidity!! Well, 56% feels like nothing to us.
Tomorrow starts a pretty exciting part of our trip. In 1929 Ned's Dad's family piled in a modified Chevy Truck, traveling on the Lincoln Highway, headed for Puyallup, WA. Ned has the journal that his Aunt Laurie wrote and we are going to retrace the journey. I'm so looking forward to going on the Russell Roadtrip of 1929! So for now, I'm signing off and will turn our blog tomorrow over to my travel buddy. Ciao!
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