CARTHAGE, MISSOURI, was the scene of one of the first organized battles of the CIVIL WAR, which ended as a Confederate victory. Late in the war the town was burned by Confederate raiders. At one point in it's early history it was very wealthy, with many millionaires . This money was made from local marble quarries.

 

 

Here is the small, but well done. Civil War Museum. It does a very nice job of telling the tragic story.

 

 

This is the very impressive County Courthouse occupying the main square . I just love all the towers that remind me of Disneyland.

 

 

A lot of the people who rode with the Confederate raiders went on to become notorious bandits and killers after the war. The infamous BELLE STARR lived in a hotel on this spot.

 

 

We headed further East to the town of MANSFIELD, MO, where Laura Ingalls Wilder's famous ROCKY RIDGE FARM is located. She lived in this house in her later life while she was writing most of her books.

 

 

Marie took the tour and loved the house. She said that it had been built in increments, mostly by Laura's husband.

 

 

A view of the side of the house.

 

 

Hope you can read this.

 

 

There were many Black Walnut trees throughout the area, all laden with the walnuts. Here a I met an energetic senior person who makes some money by going around harvesting the nuts. He does this by climbing way up in the tree and shaking it violently.

 

 

 

 

Laura"s daughter built this house for her mother nearby to the Rocky Farm. Laura lived here for some years and then went back to the Rocky Farm house.

 

 

This Rock House has many very nice architectural touches both inside and out. We both enjoyed the tour.

 

 

Another view.

 

 

Hundreds of millions of years ago  the Midwest  plains were  covered by a huge shallow sea, and many layers of sedimentary rock were laid down before the sea receded. I was very impressed by the many layers of hard rock and the vertically of the cuts along the roads. Also, this resulted in a relatively shallow layer of soil on top. This is fine for getting rocks to build houses or stone walls, but tough for digging wells or graves.

 

 

Another typical view of the cuts on the roads.

 

 

We arrived in the beautiful Capitol - Jefferson City - and were very impressed by the beauty of the Capitol Buildings. It is situated on a high bluff over the Missouri River. This is the view from the river side.

 

 

See! I was there also, and expecting some showers.

 

This is the third capitol building that they erected on this site. It was started in 1914, and was entirely constructed from native material, except for some interior granite pillars. I think that the budget was $8 million dollars. and they dedicated a big chunk for art decoration

 

 

The view of the Missouri River from the Capitol Bluff.

 

 

We wondered into and around the capitol, and were able to join a tour that was just starting. This is the House Library, Which has these magnificent murals painted by Thomas Hart Benton. They depict the history of the state, including some topics  that some legislators would just as soon forget.. But the painter refused to change these "offensive" items, and they are fully accepted now.

 

 

It makes me think of the Sistine Chapel, except that these paintings are on the walls instead of the ceiling

 

 

This is the chamber, and I am sorry that the photo does not capture the magnificent stained glass windows. The overall effect of the room was probably the most beautiful chamber that I have ever visited.

 

 

This is the view from the front side. There is a very beautiful statue of Thomas Jefferson out front.

 

We stayed in a very nice Holiday Inn Express, and then drove to the St Louis Airport and flew home on a very pleasant Southwest Airlines nonstop flight. It was a delightful trip, but, as always, it was great to get home.