These Places Matter

We so appreciate the people across America who mobilize with others to share a sense of place and history. We are camped this morning near the site of the Siege of Vicksburg, now commemorated by the Vicksburg National Military Park. Yesterday after we toured the charming historic village of Vicksburg we drove slowly through the Park, marveling at the statuary and the rugged terrain that challenged the men that fought there. We were the only vehicle in the Park, all the other visitors were joggers, bicyclists and walkers, presumably locals, who used the 16-mile rolling roadway as a safe place to exercise.

Photo credit: Huffington Post

Earlier in the day we visited the Jerome-Rohwer Interpretive and Visitor Center in McGehee, Arkansas. Sited in a delightfully restored historic railroad station, this small museum reflects the experience of the Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated in two near-by Arkansas camps during World War II. The visit was made more poignant by the arrival of a Japanese-American couple from Puyallup who had lived there. She shared her sorrow at the age of eleven of having to sell her new bike before boarding the train to Arkansas. He had a different experience: having grown up on an isolated California farm, he was relatively happy to suddenly be surrounded by peers and activities. One of the people involved in this museum was George Takei, also a former resident. Read his poignant comments about the dedication earlier this year in the Huffington Post Blog.

The morning of November 2^nd found us in the beautiful Great Plains State Park near Snyder, Oklahoma. Heading east, we stopped at The Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton. The most memorable part of this architecturally intriguing museum was not an intentional display: we were fascinated with the prairie dogs living all over the museum grounds….not something we would see at home on San Juan Island. 

A little ways down the road we stopped at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, where we learned all one would ever want to know about the famous Chisholm Trail, a cattle-driving route that stretched from Texas to Kansas. This excellent museum was funded with oil money and featured a Western art gallery as well as many very well done interactive displays. We thought of our friend Emily Reed, consummate cowgirl, as we toured the museum.

The third museum of that day was the Chicksaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, OK. This was by far the best museum of the day, but we arrived after a multi-tribe celebration and shortly before closing time. We did wander briefly into the exhibit hall. There was obviously a great amount of cultural pride that went into developing the campus and exhibits. Wish we had more time there. 

Then we drove to Hot Springs Arkansas and toured the Hot Springs National Park facilities. In fact we got so interactive with those exhibits we took historic baths at Buckstaff Bath House.