We visited Bolivar in Polk County, both of which were indirectly named after two famous people. Bolivar was named after a city of the same name in Tennessee where many early settlers came from, which of course was named after the famous liberator of many South American countries, Simon Bolivar. Polk County was not named…
Tag: Missouri
Sinclair Dinosaur Sighting, Fair Play, Polk County
Yes, there is a town called Fair Play in southwestern Missouri, and we spotted an original generation Sinclair dinosaur out in front of an eponymous gas station. I’ve spotted a new generation one recently, and of course there used to be one at Osceola and South Broadway until just a few years ago in St….
Stockton Lake, Cedar County
It’s been years since I featured a manmade lake, and recently we visited Stockton Lake, created in 1969 from the Sac River in Cedar County. Pop-up storms were brewing over the lake, so in some directions dark clouds loomed, while in other directions sunny skies prevailed. It seems like the great era of dam building…
Tower Rock
We made it out to Tower Rock, and it was worth making the trek down to the rural corner of southeast Missouri where it’s located. As can be seen from the above engraving, Tower Rock has been a sight on the river for generations of travelers, and I think about all the people who have…
Alley Spring Mill, Shannon County
Dating from 1893, Alley Spring Mill, or just Alley Mill, is one of the most picturesque places that I have found in Missouri. Deep in the woods of the southern part of the state in Shannon County, it sits near a spring, so the water is still a vibrant blue color when it flows through…
Route 19 Bridge Over Round Spring, Shannon County
Built in 1930 by C. F. Johnson & Son, this span is also known as the Spring Valley Bridge, according to Bridgehunter.com. It is interesting to think that even though it was built in the Twentieth Century, it is approaching the one hundred year mark.
Salem, Dent County
The Dent County Courthouse in Salem is one of the more interesting courthouses in Missouri, and I can’t help but notice that it looks like a Second Empire house. I even remember my time in Washington, DC, and loving one of the houses on Logan Circle, and it bears a striking similarity in massing. The…
Main Street, Louisiana, Missouri
The beautiful architecture continues, and quiet descends on Main Street, one block east of Third Street (seriously, the lack of mufflers on the trucks in Louisiana is a serious detractor from quality of life). Above, there’s a Gothic Revival cottage, and below there’s a rare Italianate villa with its tower placed on the front facade….
Third Street, Louisiana, Missouri
Third Street is the main north-south corridor in Louisiana, Missouri, heading up to the bridge that crosses over the Mississippi River. The bridge was actually just replaced in the last year or so, and recently removed. Third Street rises dramatically up the hill towards the bridge (which has no western approaches since the bluff is…
Former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Hannibal
It must be a hidden talent, but the first major building we stumbled upon coming into Hannibal was a giant abandoned building, which in this case is the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. It’s the usual story; it was founded over a century ago by nuns, it was added on to repeatedly over the last one…