Day 26-St. Louis

 Our first full day in St. Louis.  We left our campsite around 9 AM, and headed to Schnucks grocery store for milk for our coffee, and a couple of muffins which we consumed in the store's parking lot.  There are 114 Schnucks stores, 71 of them are in Missouri.

Leaving the Schnucks' lot we headed to the National Museum of Transportation which primarily features trains & trolleys but also has cars and steam powered farm vehicles as well.

If you want to see more train photos, I took over 80, just click on this link.

The museum was a great place for kids of all ages.  There were many school groups, parents and grandparents with pre-school youngsters.  We brought Nick here 41 years ago when he was just a 1 year old.  I think he loved it

Nash

Studebaker

Bobby Darin's Dream Car-custom made for the singer/actor and featured in several of his films.

We left the museum around noon and headed to our favorite barbecue restaurant in St. Louis, Salt & Smoke.  Anytime we're visiting St. Louis, we eat here. It's a cut above!

Potato salad, a popover, 6 ribs, and baked beans.

A popover, pulled pork, cream corn, and french fries.

Leaving Salt & Smoke, we walked a few blocks along Delmar Boulevard, window shopping, and browsing in Subterranean Books, where Joni purchased a few stocking stuffers. She starts her Christmas shopping on December 26.

Our next stop was the Ulysses S. Grant National Historical Site.  Born in Ohio, Grant graduated from West Point, and served in the army.  Resigning from the Army in 1854 while stationed at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, where he met his wife, Julia Dent.  During this time he helped manage his father-in-law's 850 acre plantation, White Haven.  

The issue of slavery was a constant source of tension between Grant and his father-in-law. Grant was raised in a free state, and his father was taught him that slavery was morally wrong.  Grant owned one slave, whom he freed in 1859, whereas his father-in-law owned over 30 slaves.  As the Civil War approached the father-in-law wanted Grant to serve the Confederacy, so at some point Grant and his family moved off the plantation into a log cabin nearby.  Unsuccessful at farming, Grant returned to the Army in 1959, and the rest is history.

The main house at White Haven.

Slavery in Missouri and specifically in St. Louis was not a topic that was explored in my classrooms from grades 3-12; and as the exhibits in the museum highlighted, my experience was not unique.

The 10 acre Grant National Historical Site was established in 1989, so it was not a place that I visited while growing up in St. Louis.  The more commonly visited Grant's Farm is the  281-acre Busch family estate. It is an  iconic setting for family fun and a refuge for more than 900 animals including the Budweiser Clydesdales.  

Revisionist history now recognizes President Ulysses Grant impressive achievements in one of our nation's most difficult times.