Our bus arrived today just before 9:00 am so we were able to be a bit more leisurely i n preparation this morning. Our drive was all of a couple of miles into the historical area of St. Charles where we picked up a guide who spent an hour plus taking us around the area and giving us the history behind many of the homes and shops. This small town extended the invitation to the leaders forming the first state government and in need of a capital building till something could be built to come and use the second floor of this building for free. So this was the capital of Missouri for six years.
As a result many well known people passed through here and many significant events took place here in the early history of Missouri. All of this happened over 15 years after the start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition set sail from their shores but it is the town that already existed and was the launching spot for that significant historical event.
This is the back side of that building today -- which actually was the front and faces the river.
Today this area keeps its historical features including the bricked street. Their are a variety of buildings from this vertical log cabin church
to this gorgeous home
to a mix of styles and sizes that were homes but are now businesses
All of them are on a bluff high enough above the Missouri River shore that its building have not experienced flooding problems. In fact, over the years the flow of the river has changed its shorelines such that there is now a beautiful park along the shoreline in front of many of these buildings that use to sit on the shore or close to it.
Many of the buildings are now interesting little shops and restaurants. Our friends Frank and Bette Foulke and Bob and Glenda Christian joined us for lunch at Braddens
After our delicious lunch, we enjoyed just walking down the streets looking at the buildings and then down to the waterfront and through the park. There we found this statue of Lewis and Clark with Lewis' dog Seaman. Ken took a picture of me patting the dog
Our bus driver then took us to Defiance, Missouri to the Historic Daniel Boone Home and Heritage Center. At the age of 65 Daniel Boone, his wife and five of their grown children moved to this area on a huge plot of land. There, his family built this four story building (it took 7 years to complete it) where his son Nathan and his wife raised 14 children. After Daniels wife died, he moved in to the home and spent his last years there.
It is built into a hill so it doesn't look as tall from the front but all of the floors can be seen from the back. The kitchen and dining room is on the bottom floor. The parlor, living area and Daniel's bedroom is on the second floor and then children's rooms are on the third and fourth floors.
On the grounds are a number of other buildings that have been brought from a variety of sites in the area to give an idea of what the buildings were like in the early 1800s.
This Old Peace Chapel now is the site of many weddings, vow renewals and other events
In the general store we were shown some of the popular items of the past such as these wooden shoes that men wore when doing carpentry work so as to protect their feet.
and this block of tea which is the way it was shipped to the US. You shaved off what you needed for a cup or pot of tea so it lasted a long time. (It is large thick blocks with stamped designs like this that were thrown into the Boston Harbor at the famous "tea party".)
When we returned we had a travel meeting to give directions and answer questions concerning our day tomorrow when we set off for Platte City, MO.
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