Ohio Trip, part 1

I’m writing this well after the fact, from an outline I made and from the photos I labeled at the time.  Therefore, it doesn’t have as many personal comments and reflections as usual.  That’s ok - it’s long enough as it is. 

This was my trip to visit as many genealogy places as possible that lay along a diagonal line between Oklahoma City and Philadelphia.  You’ll see that I didn’t make it all that way.

I left Oklahoma City on Thursday, April 21, and drove I-40 east to North Little Rock.  I didn’t make stops other than pit stops.  I was very tired from earlier preparation and a busy day Wednesday.  Usually, I plan and prepare for traveling way ahead of time so that I’m rested and ready to go when the day comes.  It didn’t work out that way this time.  Getting to Little Rock was my only goal and that took 6 hours. 

I found that the Country Inn and Suites had changed names.  Mom and I have stayed there a couple of times and were impressed with the cleanliness and outstanding service.  It seems that they thought of so many little things to provide comfort to the weary traveller and we liked staying there.  The staff was still good this night, but some of the extra niceties were missing.  Even so, the Pershing Boulevard Simply Home Inn and Suites is still on my list of places to stay.

I did have to watch out for the weather all evening - a small tornado came through the area, just a mile or so north of my hotel.  Springtime in Tornado Alley.

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Left the morning of the 22^nd for parts East.  I like driving through eastern Arkansas - it’s flat farmland and easy on the eyes.  Arrived at Memphis and decided to take a look at the river.  Had a nice stretch, but didn’t do much looking around.  Friends lived in Memphis many years ago and we had seen quite a bit of it then, both before and after the Beale Street renovations.  Picked up a flyer, though, for the Casey Jones Museum in Jackson, Tennessee.  That would be my next stop. 

 The museum was nice and interesting enough that I stayed several hours.  Bought a souvenir - a Casey Jones postage stamp - 3 cents worth.  I have it in a frame with other stamps. 

I headed on to Columbia, Tennessee, my first genealogy location.  I found a Days Inn on Highway 31 north of downtown and planned to stay there three nights.  The room was good, clean, and an excellent location for my projects - between downtown Columbia and the cemetery near Spring Hill.  I was glad I came into town on that particular highway, as I later found a string of hotels and shopping strips about 3 miles south of town.  That would have ruined my first impression of Columbia. 

Columbia, itself, is a small town with a square and a fantastic restaurant on the square. 

I ate at the Square Market Cafe every day, including Easter Sunday brunch.  Each meal was heavenly.  The cafe is classy and the staff perfection.

Columbia is the county seat of Maury Co.  I was corrected in my pronunciation of the name of the county.  MAWRY is pronounced MURRAY.  The spelling of the name is apparently a mistake due to thick southern accent heard by a northern ear.

 

Columbia is also the historic hometown of James Knox Polk, 11th President of the United States.  I toured his home (I was the only one on the tour) and had a fella who knew everything there was to know about James K.  

I was very glad to see this coverlet; it's similar to the Isabell Adamson coverlet I have and helps me confirm the date of Isabell's.  

As was usual in that time, the kitchen was a separate building.

The grounds of the house were wonderfully cared for and I spent quite a while walking the small garden.

It was fascinating; I decided that I'll add Presidential homes to my collections. 

I’m taking the opportunity to digress:  The first Presidential home I visited was the Eisenhower home in Denton, Texas, a thousand years ago.  The last (and only other one) in Springfield, Illinois, the home of the Lincoln family when Abe left for the White House.  We were there just before they shut it down for several years for restoration.  Timing is everything.  I’ve heard people talk of being in a place where a famous person has lived and feeling a presence there.  I’d always thought Hogwash!  Well, I’m here to tell you that I felt that way in the Lincoln house.  It threw me for a loop.  Weird - and interesting.

Now, back to Tennessee.