2018 Aug 6-8, Metro Streetcar Ride in Little Rock, Arkansas (3 days)

Hubby and I had an enjoyable visit to Little Rock, Arkansas
The people were friendly, and the food was good.
We stayed two nights at the Wyndham Hotel in North Little Rock, which included breakfast.
Our room was on the ground floor, offering a good view of downtown and the Arkansas River bridges. 

The day after we checked in, we rode to the downtown area to find a place to have lunch. David's Burger was closing for the day, so we walked down the block to Big Whiskey's.

Big Whiskey's, where I enjoyed a plate of Hot wings

We walked around downtown, stopping at the Arkansas Studies Institute, where we spoke with the curator.
The building had a vault that, in its heyday, was used to store spices.
Our next stop was the Arkansas Historical Museum, where we saw a collection of Bowie knives, a children's gallery, and contemporary art.
The Pioneer Village had closed up shop for the day.

Bowie Knives

We stopped at General McArthur's Park, where we saw several war markers.
The museum was closed.
We rode behind the museum, where we saw several families of ducklings.

Duckings

We rode to the Arkansas Capitol Grounds, where we saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Purple Heart recipients' plaques, a Civil War memorial, and the Firefighters Memorial.
It was getting late as the sun slowly drifted out of sight.
I don't think I could walk another step after all the sightseeing.
We stopped at Wendy's for a quick bite and retired for the day.

Little Rock's Capitol Building 

On the first day, we drove everywhere, and parking cost $1.50 for one hour. To avoid this, we purchased a Metro Streetcar pass for $2.00 each, which allowed us to ride the Metro Streetcar all day. (We bought the tickets at the Historic Arkansas Museum.)

To catch the Streetcar, we had to walk a couple of blocks.  
The drivers were knowledgeable about the area, and the Metro Streetcar was air-conditioned and ran every 20 minutes.

Metro Streetcar

Our first stop was the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, where we saw his 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine, a life-size replica of the Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room as they appeared during Clinton's tenure. 

Oval Office

We stopped outside the Clinton School of Public Service to take a few pictures, and then we walked to the nearby Heifer International Building. 

We were greeted at the door by a curator at the Heifner building.
The curator provided us with a brief description of the Heifer Company and its origins, which began with just a cup of milk.
At the Heifer International village and farm, we visited their vegetable garden and saw the farm animals. 
At Cafe Heifer, we ordered oatmeal raisins,  macadamia cookies, and water.
We saw several turtles in the wetlands, and the gardeners were pulling up plants that had stopped bearing vegetables. 

Heifer Garden 

We took the Metro Streetcar to the 1836 Old State House Museum, which is free to visit. The museum features three levels of artifacts, including hand-stitched African quilts and American Indian relics. 

Old State House

We took the Metro Streetcar to the River Market District, got off, and walked to David's Burgers, where we enjoyed a dressed hamburger and all the fries you can eat for lunch. (They are only open for lunch).

River Market 

Just a few blocks away was the Museum of Discovery, where we explored the physics and chemistry of the natural phenomenon that was Little Rock's 1999 twister in Tornado Alley.

Little Rock, 1999, Twister in Tornado Alley.

On the Streetcar, we met an older man who was treating four of his eleven grandchildren to a ride.
It was extremely hot, so it was nice to hop on a cool Metro Streetcar instead of a hot car.
Storms were brewing throughout Arkansas in the late evening, and we even received some rain. 

Storm Clouds over the Arkansas River 

Woke to thunder and rain this morning.
I hope we miss the bad weather on the way home.

🏛2017 Aug 1, James K. Polk 's Ancestral Home Columbia, Tennessee

Hubby and I enjoyed the free Chick-fil-A minis for breakfast, then had our swimming pool water checked and stopped in for our weekly B-12 Shots.

We rode to Columbia, Tennessee, to tour James K. Polk's Home & Museum. As many times as we had visited Colombia, we had never stopped to go inside the home, so we made a memorable trip just to tour the home.

The Living Room 

The dining room

Master Bedroom

The Stairs 

The Kitchen 

The Gardens

The Presidency 1845-1849 

James Knox Polk, our 11th president 

James K Polk for the Union
This house, constructed in 1816, is the only surviving Tennessee residence associated with the nation's eleventh president. James Knox Polk (1795-1849) lived here from 1818 to 1824. When Polk's mother died in 1852, the house passed to his younger brother, William H. Polk.

As Tennesseans considered secession during the 1860 presidential election, William Polk supported Stephen H. Douglas, the Northern Democrat, over John Breckinridge, the Southern Democratic candidate. In 1861, Polk became a staunch Unionist. He chaired the Tennessee Unionist Convention, which selected him as its gubernatorial nominee to oppose secessionist Isham G. Harris for Tennessee governor. The Confederate press lambasted Polk's candidacy, and a Nashville paper proclaimed that he could "no more fill the place of Governor than Falstaff could play Hamlet." Harris handily defeated Polk, 74,973 to 43,342 votes.

After Federal troops occupied Columbia in March 1862, they established the Provost Marshal headquarters at St. Peter's Episcopal Church next door to the Polk house. In September, Polk joined Union Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden's staff in Nashville. The Nashville Daily Union proclaimed on September 9, "Blessed with all the comforts and luxuries of a delightful home, he has voluntarily left them all to fight for that flag which he loved, 

2. James K. Polk House, which James K. Polk delighted to honor."

Polk became ill in Nashville and died there on December 16, 1862. His older brother's widow, Sarah K. Polk, arranged with Union General William S. Rosecrans to have his body transported to Columbia to be buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

It was a small group, a couple from up north with two children, a couple headed to Atlanta for a wedding, and us.
Our guide was very well-informed about the Polk family as he guided us through the home, including the climb of the stairs to the three bedrooms.
The kitchen was outside in another building, and the gardens were self-guided.
We walked back inside the museum and gift shop before they left.
We continued talking to the couple that was headed to Atlanta.

It was getting close to lunchtime, so we stopped at Long John Silver's (Hubby's favorite). I love their cod.
We stopped at Tractor Supply in Lawrenceburg, then headed for home.

2012 June 19, Tuesday, Trip to Plains, Georgia Home of President Jimmy Carter

Tuesday, Jun 19, 2012

My husband and I were up at 4:30 A.M. We both ate a tomato sandwich for breakfast. (I ate 1/2 of a sandwich.)

We stopped at the rest area in Birmingham, AL, to use the restroom and get snacks of Reese's Pieces and Diet Pepsi. $3.00

We filled up with gas in Alexander City, which cost $50.00. At 8 A.M., we put 15.38 gallons in the van for $ 3.24 per gallon.

After we filled with gas, our GPS went crazy and stopped working. 

We drove through Columbus, Georgia, and parked at thehrysler, Jeep, Do1400 Army, Ram dealership, 1400 Army CtColumbus.GAColumbus, Ga. 

My husband wanted to ask someone in the services department why the GPS was acting the way it was, but they didn't know.

We stopped at the Webster County Courthouse (red brick with four large white columns) to take pictures of the historic markers for Walter F. George (1878-1957), who served as a senator from Georgia for 34 years, and the historic marker for the First Confederate flag that was raised in Georgia and Webster. I took several pictures of the surrounding area. 

Webster County Courthouse

The buildings across the street from the courthouse were Simply Country Thrift and Snack Bar, Mom's Kitchen Restaurant, which had a mural of grilling out in the park, and Jesus with the twelve disciples sitting at the Lord's Supper. 

We arrived in Plains, Georgia. Our first stop was Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Farm. 

After parking, we both walked to the restroom at the front of the parking lot. 

There were several markers along the walkway, "From here to Plains, Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Farm, Jimmy Carter's signature and his hand print in the cement dated Sept 24, 2010, and Always a reckoning.

We saw chickens inside the pen, an outhouse, a garden with fresh vegetables planted, a marker reading "Carter Slept here," a chicken house, money on trees, and a water pump.

Inside Earl and Lillian Carter's home, we saw the kitchen, which had a dough bowl, rolling pin, bowls, cook stove, in the hallway an old talking telephone, Jimmy Carter's bedroom, bathroom, dining room, breakfast room, Earl and Lillian's Bedroom, Gloria and Ruth's bedroom, and the living room. 

I sat in a rocker on the front porch while my husband took my picture.

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home 

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home 

We walked past the Carter tennis court, the windmill water pump, and the old gas pump next to the store that was owned and run by the Carter Family.

We walked past the Winds of Change marker, the Carter family garden, which grew velvet beans, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and peanuts.

The Carters also owned a Blacksmith Shop and a barn.

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home & Barn 

 We walked past the marker of Catch the Mules and the next-door neighbors, Cash Crops, Never Far from Home, and Legacy of an Outdoor.

We were greeted by Park Ranger Pierson (Ivan). He told us a little about the farm and walked around the park with us. We asked him about his college, and he said he was going back to get his master's in History, but that he loved what he was doing.

We thanked him, and we rode into the small town of Plains. 

We crossed the railroad tracks and spied the historic marker of President Jimmy Carter.

We stopped at the Train Depot that Carter used as his campaign headquarters when he was running for President.

I took many pictures inside the depot.

Our next stop was the Plains Museum, the former Plains High School.

Jimmy & Roseland Carter

Sitting at a President's desk 

We were greeted at the door and given a paper about the school. We walked through, taking pictures and reading posters inside. 

Bought four postcards and was told that we could get them stamped at the post office.

We asked where a good place to eat was, and we were told that Mama's Kitchen,n 203 Church St, Plain, GA.

We rode over to Americus, GA, and ate lunch at Captain D's on 1305 East Lamar Street, Americus, GA 31709. 

I ordered a 12-butterfly shrimp plate with green beans and a salad. 

My husband ordered a deluxe seafood Platter with baked potato and slaw. 

Next, we rode over to the Charles Lindbergh monument at Souther Field near the airport. 

Next, we rode to the historic downtown of Americus to tour the Best Western Plus Windsor Hotel. 

I took pictures of storefronts, the hotel, and the visitor's center that was inside the hotel.

Inside the hotel was an ice cream shop called Richelle's Bakery, 123 W. Lamar St, Americus, Ga. Richelle's

Bakery

My husband and I share a bowl of vanilla ice cream and two chocolate chip cookies, which cost $5.50.

We rode back to Plains, Georgia, to the Golden Peanut Company, formerly the Carter Warehouse, where we tasted the peanut butter ice cream, bought a basket of tomatoes and a bag of peanuts, and spent $9.76.

We drove to the post office, where I had my four postcards stamped with the seal "Hometown of the 39^th president of the USA" and the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Stamp, which said "Plains, GA Jun 19, 2012 AM 3180." Cost $2.14.

Post Cards

 Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, Plains, GA. As a young boy, Jimmy Carter lived on a farm in Plains, GA. Smiles from Plains. Pictures are (1) Commissary and Gardens, (2) Jimmy Carter, (3) Barn, (4) Boyhood Farm.

The Smiling Peanut (The Smiling Peanut was made for a Carter Rally in Evansville, Indiana, in 1976 and was later given to Plains in 1977. It is a favorite spot for photographs and a reminder of the importance the peanut played in Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign. Jimmy Carter.

President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. The Carters returned to their hometown of Plains in 1981 after leaving the White House.