Katie McDougal
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Short Vacation Filled With Memories
Katie's Korner
By Katie McDougal
IN THE past, Labor Day weekend was the time when the better half and I would be either in or traveling to Ava, Mo., to take in the various activities of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association’s Fall Celebration.
This Labor Day weekend found six McDougals and their four pups — Bianca, Izzy, Dory and Roy — traveling to Weston Bend State Park on the east side of the Missouri river near Weston, Mo. The park is a great place to stay. The campsites were paved, and electricity was available. We had a fire ring, grill and picnic table. Our site was also located near a water spigot and not far from a clean vault outhouse. The shower house was clean and convenient. A laundry room was also available. We arrived late Friday, so by the time we were all hooked up and settled, it was time for bed.
THE NEXT morning found us in the historic downtown of Weston, where we ate a bountiful, wonderful breakfast in the Weston Cafe. After breakfast, the group scattered to shop and browse in the many shops located in the area. After about two or three shops, this old gal found a park bench and spent the remainder of the “shopping frenzy” admiring the building structures and dreaming of how it must have been in the “old days.” It was a bit warm on the west side of the street, but the east side was cool and comfortable.
OUR NEXT stop was St. Joseph, Mo., where we took in the Pony Express Museum. This was interesting to all of us, and I found the name of J.K. Ellis on the list of Pony Express riders. This whetted my curiosity, and I will be researching our Ellis history for that name. We had all read much about the short-lived Pony Express, but I am sure everyone learned several new bits of information. The old well, located inside the stable area, had been filled for safety reasons with bits of this and that after it was first found.
However, it was excavated and a new top installed, complete with a working pump. On display were several items found in the excavation. One was a big blue and white pitcher. The many pieces of the vase were patiently put together and glued by a woman whose name I don’t remember. Unless there were pieces missing on the back, it was all there.
Part of the family enjoyed the Pattee Museum. The huge, four-story building has displays on two floors. I think I would have enjoyed it after I heard the reports. However, my old body needed a quiet time, and it was pleasant sitting in the car. The Carousel and Jesse James Home are located in the same area.
We spent some time viewing the many beautiful old homes before returning back to our “home away from home.”
SUNDAY was my favorite day trip. It was to Atchison, where I plan to go again and stay overnight in the Glick Mansion Bed and Breakfast. It is said to be “haunted.”
Our first stop, after crossing the huge blue bridge over the Missouri River, was the River Boulevard. It is truly a wonderful area, allowing people to dabble their feet in the river at the end of a long boat ramp. As I sat on a bench up above, a third-generation grandfather, son and daughter played with their dogs at the end of the ramp. The Lab was having a wonderful time chasing thrown rocks. The teenage girl, with capris rolled up, was having just as much fun.
There were rest rooms, a health station walk area, lots of benches for resting, a sprinkler play area for little folks and an information outlook over the water.
This was where, years ago, the barges stopped to unload their cargo as they traversed up and down the river. There is also a beautiful Veterans Memorial at the south end of the area. Of course, there are signs and information everywhere about the Lewis and Clark expedition.
From there, we went on to the visitor’s center. We arrived just in time to get on the hour-long trolley tour, which was narrated by the bus driver. This is something I would recommend for anyone interested in the history of Atchison. Each and everyone of our six-member family really enjoyed the tour, which made it a lot easier to find our way around later in the day.
After the tour, we ate lunch in Mueller’s Sports Bar and Grill. The hamburgers were huge and very good, but the prices were lower than expected. For $5.95, you received a huge hamburger with all the trimmings and French fries. Our bunch always likes hamburgers, but Nina and I shared a pork tenderloin and mushrooms and still had too much to eat.
We then went to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum located high above the Missouri River with an absolute beautiful view. I enjoyed this tour a great deal. We saw the upstairs bedroom where she was born, along with her bedroom during her early years, which she spent with her grandparents. The home is well maintained, and the caretaker lives in part of upstairs area that is believed to have been where the maids lived. It was not lived in for about 60 years and had five small rooms. It has now been remodeled.
We went back over some of the tour area and took closer looks at some of the wonderful old homes, which are now private residences, before returning back to our “home away from home.”
THE LAST day found us eating breakfast in Leavenworth before preparing for our return home. We did take in a few sites in Leavenworth en route to and from other areas. Leavenworth would be a good spot to spend a couple of days sight seeing.
HAPPY TRAILS to you until we meet again. Maybe your trails will take you to interesting places to make memories.
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This Labor Day weekend found six McDougals and their four pups — Bianca, Izzy, Dory and Roy — traveling to Weston Bend State Park on the east side of the Missouri river near Weston, Mo. The park is a great place to stay. The campsites were paved, and electricity was available. We had a fire ring, grill and picnic table. Our site was also located near a water spigot and not far from a clean vault outhouse. The shower house was clean and convenient. A laundry room was also available. We arrived late Friday, so by the time we were all hooked up and settled, it was time for bed.
THE NEXT morning found us in the historic downtown of Weston, where we ate a bountiful, wonderful breakfast in the Weston Cafe. After breakfast, the group scattered to shop and browse in the many shops located in the area. After about two or three shops, this old gal found a park bench and spent the remainder of the “shopping frenzy” admiring the building structures and dreaming of how it must have been in the “old days.” It was a bit warm on the west side of the street, but the east side was cool and comfortable.
OUR NEXT stop was St. Joseph, Mo., where we took in the Pony Express Museum. This was interesting to all of us, and I found the name of J.K. Ellis on the list of Pony Express riders. This whetted my curiosity, and I will be researching our Ellis history for that name. We had all read much about the short-lived Pony Express, but I am sure everyone learned several new bits of information. The old well, located inside the stable area, had been filled for safety reasons with bits of this and that after it was first found.
However, it was excavated and a new top installed, complete with a working pump. On display were several items found in the excavation. One was a big blue and white pitcher. The many pieces of the vase were patiently put together and glued by a woman whose name I don’t remember. Unless there were pieces missing on the back, it was all there.
Part of the family enjoyed the Pattee Museum. The huge, four-story building has displays on two floors. I think I would have enjoyed it after I heard the reports. However, my old body needed a quiet time, and it was pleasant sitting in the car. The Carousel and Jesse James Home are located in the same area.
We spent some time viewing the many beautiful old homes before returning back to our “home away from home.”
SUNDAY was my favorite day trip. It was to Atchison, where I plan to go again and stay overnight in the Glick Mansion Bed and Breakfast. It is said to be “haunted.”
Our first stop, after crossing the huge blue bridge over the Missouri River, was the River Boulevard. It is truly a wonderful area, allowing people to dabble their feet in the river at the end of a long boat ramp. As I sat on a bench up above, a third-generation grandfather, son and daughter played with their dogs at the end of the ramp. The Lab was having a wonderful time chasing thrown rocks. The teenage girl, with capris rolled up, was having just as much fun.
There were rest rooms, a health station walk area, lots of benches for resting, a sprinkler play area for little folks and an information outlook over the water.
This was where, years ago, the barges stopped to unload their cargo as they traversed up and down the river. There is also a beautiful Veterans Memorial at the south end of the area. Of course, there are signs and information everywhere about the Lewis and Clark expedition.
From there, we went on to the visitor’s center. We arrived just in time to get on the hour-long trolley tour, which was narrated by the bus driver. This is something I would recommend for anyone interested in the history of Atchison. Each and everyone of our six-member family really enjoyed the tour, which made it a lot easier to find our way around later in the day.
After the tour, we ate lunch in Mueller’s Sports Bar and Grill. The hamburgers were huge and very good, but the prices were lower than expected. For $5.95, you received a huge hamburger with all the trimmings and French fries. Our bunch always likes hamburgers, but Nina and I shared a pork tenderloin and mushrooms and still had too much to eat.
We then went to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum located high above the Missouri River with an absolute beautiful view. I enjoyed this tour a great deal. We saw the upstairs bedroom where she was born, along with her bedroom during her early years, which she spent with her grandparents. The home is well maintained, and the caretaker lives in part of upstairs area that is believed to have been where the maids lived. It was not lived in for about 60 years and had five small rooms. It has now been remodeled.
We went back over some of the tour area and took closer looks at some of the wonderful old homes, which are now private residences, before returning back to our “home away from home.”
THE LAST day found us eating breakfast in Leavenworth before preparing for our return home. We did take in a few sites in Leavenworth en route to and from other areas. Leavenworth would be a good spot to spend a couple of days sight seeing.
HAPPY TRAILS to you until we meet again. Maybe your trails will take you to interesting places to make memories.