Yes, I came back - I was distracted!

Before doing what I had promised at the end of my last blog entry I will give you a short quiz, just one question. I will then give you the answer at the beginning of my next blog entry. Yes, you will have to wait, but maybe not very long. Here is the question: What national park is the most visited park in the world? A picture to wet your whistle and give you a hint.

I have some more pictures from my visit to the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas.
Perhaps less said the better. Painting at the entrance.

Eisenhower was responsible for the creation of the interstate highway system. He vividly remember that his unit around the time of WWI traveled coast to coast and it took them a full month to move the distance. He thought that to not be good for the countries defense but also it would enhance commerce.

The museum had a beautiful display of White House dinner ware from various Presidents. My estimate is that Eisenhower's were the best looking.

During his Presidency he was showered with various gifts from other rulers and statesmen. Here are a couple of examples of such gifts, most are archived for future displays.

Did you know that Ike took up oil painting in his 50s? So, my own imaginations to do the same may not be so out of line...

The glare of the glass protecting the painting diminishes its beauty. It is said that Ike would destroy two out of every three paintings, but they were so well liked by others that the White House used the paintings on their postcards.

I will select one more photo from the Eisenhower Museum stop, a gift that now would be abhorred and is illegal, but as it is, it is a thing of beauty given in the early 1950s from a ruler in Africa to the President. Times have changed.

A carved elephant tusk probably three feet in length

As I move onto Truman, I wanted to mention something that I have learned, not so much from the museum, which is apolitical in its public offering to all Americans, but which historians acknowledge. Eisenhower disdained Truman and his policies, it was part of the reason he chose to enter political life. He disagreed with Truman cutting the military, although he, himself, did so for the first years of his Presidency. He did not want the federal government to be involved in medical care whereas Truman actively advocated for national health care. Ike disdained the federal government borrowing money, but he, like Truman, for the first years of his Presidency ran in deficit spending. Where is the stairway and where are its shadows?

I enjoyed the Truman museum in Independence, Missouri, even more than the Eisenhower museum. What an unlikely President, and yet this almost blind high school graduate, a failure in business, a man, like Eisenhower, born to humble and yet honorable parents, from the heartland of America in an obscure town, in full character lived life to the fullest and took opportunities as they came and made the most of it. Ike was raised in a Republican family, Truman a democrat. From county commissioner, to Senator, to Vice President, to President upon the death of Roosevelt. To trace a life like his is to gain an appreciation for what can be, some by chance and much by character and hard work, seizing opportunity and allowing that opportunity to stretch and grow a person. Likely, of all the Presidents who have served, none have been more challenged and had to make large decisions in the first few weeks of his term. This is what he said shortly after he became President and was faced with the weighty decisions of leading the USA still at war.

The museum entrance and the mural greeting visitors

A picture taken with Harry Truman and my cousin-in-law "Pinky" Cunningham. I run in good company.

Other photos of our visit to the museum and to Harry's home. The first picture is that of an exact replica of the oval office at the time he served as President. Gee, now I don't need to stop by the White House on our trip!!!

For the next two pictures, I would suggest you enlarge them and read. He never forgot the impact of the decisions he made.

Off season has its advantages. Louise, Laura, Pinky and I were treated to an exclusive tour by the park ranger of the inside of the Truman residence. Cameras not allowed. While in the dining room, I had an imaginary short and quiet conversation with Harry just for fun. All the furnishing are original and even his famous walking coat was on the coat hook by the backside entry. The home was beautiful inside with the exception of the kitchen, a simple and plain fare. His reading room was quite small but full of bookshelves, his friends for many a quiet evening. They had one TV set but by its placement in the parlor room, probably never used. He didn't like the new contraption and didn't think it would amount to much.

What a treat, Pinky took me down to Grandview, to the farm where Harry labored with his mother and sister for eleven years as a young man. The comparatively large farm of over 600 acres or about 454 footballs field in size, but only 10 acres survives untouch, The rest is all built up with shopping center and residential properties even a freeway intersects the original property.

Well, I have spent most of my evening composing this blog, but in the previous entry I promised a story or two about citizen Harry Truman, as told to me by an older local who actually met President Truman in the local barber shop. As a youth this man would walk his dog around the town of Independence and he stopped by the barber shop that given morning. His dog promptly lay down under the one barber chair not occupied. Who soon enter the barber shop for a trim? None other than Harry coming off of one of his famous walks. He proceeded to the empty chair only to be growled at by the dog. He responded by delaring, "I didn't know that dogs could be Republicans!" Another story coming from the same gentleman was the time when he got sick and his dad took him to the local doctor, brought him to the door and told him to go in and wait. No empty chairs were to be had and one gentleman offered the use of his lap. Sitting on his lap and looking up he realized that he was sitting as a guest of Harry Truman. One more story from that old story teller was of the time that Truman, who liked a good practical joke, offered to deliver mail to someone of the mail deliverer's route, only to surprise the recipients by who knocked on their doors! And to close this long blog, one more picture which also shows the sense of humor he had. The handwritten note on the upper right corner of the invitation to his own Inaugural says "Weather permitting I hope to be present HST"

Next entry will be the answer to the question, the location of which we will be departing from tomorrow. I then want to share with you about my visit to the World War I museum in Kansas City. It is a world class museum much like the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. It is the only major museum in the whole of the U.S.A. commemorating the sacrifices of over 600,000 Americans.