Southward Bound

   Well, we knew it had to come. After a wonderful six weeks visiting with friends and family, we packed up our belongings and started our trip south. We’re back on the road again. We had a great time visiting with everyone and, for the most part, the weather was unseasonably warm and dry. 

    But all good things must come to an end. We needed to head southwards and continue our journey. So, today was the day we had decided upon. None too late either. The wind blew in gusts over 30 mph most of the night and the temperatures plunged into the mid 20’s!!! The wind was so bad that we pulled in a couple of our slide outs because the awning fabric was being buffeted by the wind so much we were afraid of damage. The morning dawned sunny but no less cold. The wind, still a factor this morning, made hooking up “fun”. Cold metal and cold fingers are not my idea of a good time!! So, we got the motorhome pulled out and lined up. Then attached the Jeep and at 9:25 we rolled on to the highway. 

    Our first destination was the town of Carthage, Missouri. I spent many a summer there with my Grandparents and both of us love to go back to visit. Many of my relatives are buried in the local cemetery, to include my mom, dad, grandparents and great-grandparents. We had a strong wind all of the drive, but luckily it was mostly behind us. We arrived and set up camp at the Big Red Barn RV Campground. We’ve stayed here before and highly recommend it if you are in need of a neat, clean, and picturesque campground. Carthage offers a neat little Civil War Museum that highlights the Battle of Carthage. The Battle of Carthage, also known as the Battle of Dry Fork, took place at the beginning of the American Civil War on July 5, 1861, in Jasper County, Missouri. The experienced Col. Franz Sigel commanded 1,100 Federal soldiers intent on keeping Missouri within the Union. The Missouri State Guard was commanded by Gov. Claiborne Jackson himself and numbered over 4,000 unorganized, inexperienced soldiers, along with 2,000 unarmed troops who did not participate in the battle. The battle was rather meaningless from a tactical or strategic view, though it was deemed a victory by the Missouri State Guard. Carthage played a part in determining Missouri's course during the war, as it helped spark recruitment for the Southern regiments. On the edge of town is the State Historic site that is little changed from its 1861 appearance.

    Carthage shows its Civil War era roots in the multitude of large Colonial style homes. Unfortunately, it has been cold and all of the leaves have fallen from the trees. The homes loose some of their elegance without green lawns and large leafy trees surrounding them. The town square is quaint and the Jasper County Courthouse is the centerpiece (pictured at the opening of this blog entry).

    Also in the area (but we didn’t visit this time), is the Precious Moments Chapel and Gardens ( www.preciousmoments.com ). You’ve all seen the Precious Moments figurines. In 1984 Sam Butcher came to Carthage from California and built the Chapel and Gardens. The Chapel is beautiful. It has many areas lit by stained glass windows and he has painted many murals featuring his characters all around the Chapel. If you like the Precious Moments figures, you’ll love the Chapel and Gardens. 

    Tomorrow, we move a little further south and plan on reaching that “Vegas in the Ozarks” known as Branson, Missouri. There we’ll meet up with Barb’s son, his girlfriend and her family for some fun and entertainment.