Missouri (Show Me 2014)

Missouri could have been listed back in 1999 when I first visited Kansas and spent a week at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Among the day trips I took with the other Maine judge who was attending the same course as I attended was a trip to Independence and a dinner trip to Kansas City. The dinner trip actually involved about 5 judges attending the course who piled into a car and then drove to some warehouse type district in Kansas City to have some BBQ. Sorry I cannot remember the name of the place (one of my reasons for discounting the 1999 trip) but I remember the BBQ was tasty. It was served cafeteria style and we waited in line with a plastic tray to get a tray of ribs and all the sides and then sat down at huge communal style tables. The place we went was nothing like this BBQ restaurant. However I am attaching the link to prove that BBQ is really a big thing in Kansas City and if you ever visit you need to spend some time sampling the Kansas City version. https://www.jackstackbbq.com/locations/freight-house?webSyncID=88aea745-ea15-b092-2adb-eb15cce169d0&sessionGUID=1d437b5b-e62a-a78d-a76e-265368e74a8e&sessionGUID=1d437b5b-e62a-a78d-a76e-265368e74a8e

The other place I quickly visited in 1999 was Truman’s library in Independence, but I returned there on the 2014 trip as well. Like so many presidential homes/libraries I have visited, I gained insight into the man and his time by visiting his roots. In this blog I have written about my exploration of the LBJ ranch on the Pedernales in Texas, my visits to FDR’s home and library in Hyde Park, New York, and my 2014 visit to the Clinton boyhood home. I also mentioned a stop in 2014 at Lincoln’s birthplace in Kentucky on the way home to Maine. When writing about trips to Virginia I mentioned my visits to the Virginia homes of presidents, I have spent enjoyable hours at Washington’s Mt. Vernon, Jefferson’s Monticello, Madison’s Montpelier, and Monroe’s Highland, always learning a little more about the man and his presidency when visiting historic homes. Will the next generation someday visit Mar-A-Lago, Trump Tower, or Bedminster to learn about the history and presidency or our time? One wonders.

But I digress. The Truman Museum and Library is well worth the visit. https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/museum/ordinary-man/home Furthermore if you have the time and the inclination you should also visit the Truman home to really get a sense of the man. https://www.nps.gov/hstr/index.htm He wanted to be remembered as the people’s president in addition to being the fellow who told us that “the buck stops here.” Like most of the visits to presidential sites, one is always reminded of how fleeting their tenure in office and on earth likely was. All too often the graves are found on the properties and proper homage must be paid for a job well done, or if perhaps not well done, in Truman’s words, “I will say this to you, that I expect to work just as hard as I have done for you up to date, and to do it to the best of my ability.” (Upon his arrival at White House in 1948, following his election victory)

One last addendum to my trip to Independence. Harold and I stayed at a small motel near the museum and adjacent to the motel was what I thought was a soft serve ice cream place, although the sign said “frozen custard.” I did not know what frozen custard was and since the picture looked like soft serve ice cream, I assumed it was the same thing. WRONG! “The difference between ice cream and frozen custard comes down to one ingredient: egg yolks. Ice cream is made with milk, cream, and sweetener. Frozen custard contains the same ingredients, plus egg yolks. This extra ingredient means frozen custard usually has a richer, thicker, and creamier texture than ice cream.” https://www.allrecipes.com/article/custard-vs-ice-cream/ Frozen custard was invented on Coney Island in 1919 according to Wikipedia. All I know is I had never encountered it before and I rushed back to the motel room where Harold was napping and told him I found the motherlode of frozen desserts. I rarely see it in Maine or New England or even in South Carolina, but if I did, I would repeat the bliss I experienced in Independence.

Well what else did Missouri show me beside frozen custard? After our visit in Independence, Harold and I moved on to spend a few days in Branson. Harold wanted to head south, and Branson is down by the Ozarks and he hoped to avoid unpleasant weather and rest up for a few days before heading up to Maine. We did not think much of Branson, it is a honky tonk sort of tourist mecca. But we did find a lovely lake outside of town, Table Rock Lake. The daffodils were blooming. There were trails along the lake and we spent a pleasant afternoon there. Even Branson created a good memory for me, a lovely day with beautiful spring weather. Wally enjoyed the day too.