Best Of The West

The last attraction I visited while in Oklahoma City was the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It seemed to be completely removed from most of everything else in Oklahoma City...or at least the Bricktown area I spent a large portion of my OKC time in. When I entered the museum, I was warmly greeted by a gentleman dressed in a cowboy outfit who apparently took a liking to me right away because we chit-chatted for nearly 20 minutes. He gave me his "business card", and it names him as Mr. Jerry Lee Tyner, BRS. Old West Aficionado, Serendipity Songster. How cool is that?!

This really got you in the mood for the rest of the museum! Kudos!

Turns out he was a docent, and he told me all sorts of facts about the museum and artifacts in it. Most of the conversation focused on a giant white statue directly behind us that depicts a Native American atop a bronco. It's an item featured often in materials about the museum, and when you see it in person, you are going to be simply breathless at how huge it actually is. Turns out it's nearly 100 years old, and the man who posed for the sculptor also posed for the Native profile on the buffalo nickel. How the sculpture ended up in the museum was an interesting (and lengthy) tale about World's Fairs, far away little towns, bureaucratic battles, bronze replacements, and the struggle to preserve plaster that was taken apart for decades.

From here, it gets a little complicated. See, this museum is HUGE. A LOT bigger than it appears to be. The above pictured statue sits in the middle of the east and west wings. I'll talk about the east wing first since I spent the least amount of time there. That's where the cafeteria is, as well as a gallery of Western art the museum has purchased over the years. There's a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln, a smaller bronze one of John Wayne, and some newer artifacts that have recently been acquired by the museum. However, most of the gallery space lies behind Lincoln, and no photography is allowed there, so I didn't go in.

The west wing, however, was PACKED with information and things to see. Even at a slightly hurried pace I didn't get to see it all. It seemed every time I tried to backtrack I found myself in a new room with more artifacts, paintings, or exhibits that taught me about another aspect of Western American culture.

There were areas that showed various Native American clothing:

A section that talked about television westerns (I'm a Rawhide and Big Valley fan myself) where I learned about the first and only African American western star Herb Jeffries aka "The Bronze Buckaroo" (he recently passed this past May at the age of 100):

An area that talked about the history, sport, and evolution of the American rodeo:

A small section that seemed to depict hunting in the early days of the frontier:

A very well done section that discussed the military, including the contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, and women:

A very expansive section that talked about the "basics" of cowboy culture (like different types of hats, rope ties, horses, saddles, etc.) as well as the different kind of cowboys there were. This was an area I wish I would have spent more time in:

There was even an interactive "town" where you could walk in and out of different shops and listen to a shopkeeper tell you about what their average day is like. It was very similar to the McKinley Memorial and Museum I visited in Canton, Ohio except it was larger, newer, and didn't have creepy mannequins incorporated into the shop areas:

There was also a very large gallery full of smaller statues and gorgeous paintings depicting western scenes. One painting in particular had pinks and blues so vibrant and, almost neon looking that I was sure it was a modern piece....but was painted in 1916! No photos allowed in there, and as we know, I (usually) follow the rules. There are also outdoor gardens, but as I was running out of time, my camera battery was dying, and it was over 100 degrees outside, I didn't go and wander about.

This museum was beautiful, and very well put together. But what I loved most was how much I learned there. Did you know that there were cowboys in Hawaii and Canada? I sure didn't. I also learned a lot about the more obscure parts of American history, and about the cultural and economic impact this had on our developing nation. You can go over more than 200 years of history in about two hours, and I think that's pretty cool. I also appreciated that multiple cultures were featured, and that both men and women were portrayed throughout the museum. I also enjoyed that rather than having the material portrayed as a "cowboy versus Indian" theme, both topics were blended throughout without lessening their individual importance. If you have two or three hours to spare in OKC, do yourself a favor and visit this truly amazing and unique museum.

 Well, I thought I was done with Oklahoma but it turns out I have one last very brief entry to go- my first meal at Sonic! I'll try to get that out before this weekend- after all I'll be headed to a "new" state: Georgia! (I put those quotes there because I actually used to live in Atlanta for a very brief period of time...but never ever did any touristy stuff. Shame on me!)

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. As always, you can check out my pictures on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and I'll see you on the next adventure!

From Bombshells To Just...Well...Bombs

Greetings readers! I apologize for the delay in this, my final entry for my trip to Nevada in May. I've had a lot going on for the month of June, so this is truly the first moment I've had to tell you about my time at the National Atomic Testing Museum.

Above the ticket booth inside the museum

This was my sister's choice for a museum outing- I personally was not interested in the atomic bomb testings or on those kooky 1950s stories about aliens and UFO crashings. However, since she picked it, we went there. It was accessible via the Deuce Bus (you'll need to transfer) and took about 20-25 minutes total in traffic to get there from the MGM. This museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and as I also work at a Smithsonian Affiliate institution I received a nice discount on admission (half price if I remember correctly). When you first walk in, it seems as if this place is going to be a weird homage to aliens and pie-tin flying saucer movies (as you can see from the picture above) but thankfully the entire museum wasn't like that.

Display case showing all of the products marketed using an atomic theme

Essentially, the museum touched on both the scientific and cultural impact America's nuclear testing had on history. Admittedly, some of the more boring parts (to me) were the scientific areas- while it is cool to see actual bombs and replicas of the parts, reading about technical achievements weren't exactly up my alley.

Try and contain your enthusiasm folks...

I did, however, learn a lot from the cultural aspects of the museum. Like the JC Penney fall out shelters (maybe those would help boost sales for them now), the economic impact the testing companies had on the region, and the tourism sparked by mushroom cloud viewings and bomb parties. Those sort of tidbits make the time seem relatable, more than a 1:18 scale model ever could.

Take that Walmart! We sell bomb shelters!

There was an "Area 51" section that you have to pay extra money to enter, which we did not. Also, there was a seemingly out of place display about September 11th that had pieces of actual building in it. Upon further inspection you find out that it is dedicated to men and women from the area that have lost their lives to tragedies such as that.

Piece of steel from the Twin Towers after September 11th

My only negative from my time here actually came from my sister. She picked this museum, and wasn't taking time to read or learn or interact with the exhibits. Just kinda breezing through and rushing me as if she was doing ME a favor. Folks, museums are places to immerse yourself in a particular topic, or art, or history, or whatever-- just running through everything (unless you are an expert museum goer such as myself) pretty much misses the point. She slowed down a bit once I told her we didn't have to rush or be anywhere by a certain time. It was a reminder to me that not everyone frequents museums the way I do, so some things just don't occur to them.

A hallway in the museum designed to look like it's underground
with my sister prepping to take a picture

Well, that (finally) wraps up Nevada. I leave for Oklahoma in just over 2 weeks, and you know I've got my itinerary ready! I can say this- I'm excited most about the food! Chicken fried steak, barbecue, and whatever the heck an onion burger is are all things I've read are must haves!

Still working on finalizing a few more travel plans for August, September, and October (Georgia, New Jersey and/or New York, and Michigan, respectively) but I really need to see what my life and wallet are looking like at that time. Also, some other things on the horizon that may hinder my blog goal- but we'll get more into those if they become an actual factor.

As always, thank you for reading my blog, and I'll see you on the next adventure!

Finishing Up Alaska

I've been so busy at work I didn't realize I still had SO many photos/locations to tell you all about for Alaska! I think I can eek out one or two more entries about my time in the Pacific Northwest...

SKAGWAY, ALASKA

This is where we spent the most time of all the ports during the cruise. I already told you about my time at the Red Onion Saloon there, but I visited a lot of smaller museums and sites as well.

Display showing a gold rusher moving his supplies

KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK 

*Please note, the day I typed this up (October 3, 2013) the US Government was shut down, so the website may not open. Hopefully this will be just a temporary thing!

This National Park is actually a collection of buildings, trails, and historic sites between Washington and Alaska that preserves the story of the gold rush of the late 1890s. 

Taken straight from Wikipedia:

The Skagway unit protects much of downtown Skagway including 15 restored historic buildings. The visitor center in Skagway is located in the historic White Pass and Yukon Route railroad depot building at 2nd and Broadway.

From the visitor center, visitors to the park can experience the history of Skagway and the gold rush by participating in ranger led walking tours or by watching the park movie.

The park also preserves portions of the White Pass Trail and the Chilkoot Trail, which leaves from the historic townsite of Dyea, Alaska and runs to Bennett Lake, from which prospectors could raft to Dawson City, Yukon.

The historic townsite of Dyea is also part of the historical park. The trail center in Skagway is operated by both the National Park Service and Parks Canada and has information regarding current traveling conditions along the Chilkoot Trail. A permit is required to hike the 33-mile historic trail.

How the gold would have been stored at the local bank/post office-
I lost my notes so I'm going off of memory.

I entered several of these buildings in Skagway, including the main Visitor Center where I watched a 20 or so minute video documentary about the gold rush and how it affected everyone- the rushers, their families, the Native Americans that were already there, and those who struck it rich (or became bankrupt). Not a very impressive gift store, but the information was helpful. Certainly I was NOT going to go hiking, but for my more adventurous readers, I've been told it is a trail that hikers love because of its difficulty.

In one of the buildings I started chatting with one of the Park Rangers about my old job (at the Smithsonian) and why I was so into museums, and he excitedly went and grabbed an "office person" for me to talk to. Mr. Karl Gurcke is a historian for the KGRNHP, and we chatted for about 15 minutes about not only the history of the city and how it has managed to stay a float a century after the gold rush ended, but how everyday people live their lives currently. We exchanged business cards, though shamefully, I have not yet emailed him to thank him for speaking with me- but I DID mail one of my postcards!

CORRINGTON'S ALASKAN IVORY AND MUSEUM

Mask on display in the museum portion of the shop

Not a whole lot to say about this place, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I learned a lot of Alaskan history within two and a half small rooms- a lot of it information I didn't get anywhere else. There were displays about Native myths, and details about how they carved and weaved many of their cultural items (most of which you can purchase in the much-larger store portion of the building). One neat thing was a talking mannequin that was supposed to be Captain James Waddell. He told the story of how the final shots of the Civil War were actually fired in what we now know as Alaska. THAT is an interesting fact I didn't know about and even though he looked a little worn and dumpy, I was impressed they even had that level of display to begin with. 

Captain James Waddell- he may look bummy
but he talks and moves at the touch of a button!

There were also lots of baskets made out of whale baleen
This claims to be the largest.

CITY OF SKAGWAY MUSEUM

City of Skagway Museum

I happened upon this museum by chance. Off the main hubs of the city (which is saying a lot since Skagway is about the size of a neighborhood in larger American cities), I thought this museum was a church at first. It was certainly the newest looking building I saw the entire time I was there. I paid two bucks to enter, and walked around the tiny exhibits that essentially told the story of the citizens of Skagway. Everyone from police and firemen, teachers, business men (and women!), and all social statuses were represented through their personal artifacts and belongings. There was more information about the now defunct fraternal society called the Arctic Brotherhood (whose lodge is still standing and is an information center for the city). I enjoyed that there was a lot of information about how women were able to make their own way in a town that was so overrun with men- not all the successful women in Skagway had to work at a Saloon, and I was glad to see more information about the entrepreneurs of the time. My favorite non-artifact portion of the museum? The SUPER clean bathrooms. That's always a big plus for me, and the entire place was spotless and sanitary looking!

Table from the old Arctic Brotherhood lodge

Dress from one of the women entrepreneurs-
Whose name I can't remember because I can't find my notes :(

Here are some more pics of what I saw in Skagway

The old Arctic Brotherhood lodge- the most photographed building in Alaska
Apparently architecture students really dig this place

A looksie at my combat boots. More importantly, all the sidewalks
in Skagway were wooden, something I found interesting

Recreation of a Saloon in one of the Klondike Park's buildings

Actual miner's tools excavated near Skagway and Dyea

Well, I think I have one or two more entries before I am (officially) finished with Alaska and Washington. I'm on a travel hiatus for the rest of the year, but have strong plans to visit Nevada, Louisiana, and Georgia all before Memorial Day next year! In the meantime, you can check out all of my Facebook photos (and hit that "Like" button while you're at it!) from the rest of Alaska and all of the other states I've covered thus far. 

Thank you so much for joining me on my adventure!

Capitol R-I

If you remember, I was supposed to take a tour of the US Capitol Building with my BFF in 2011, but because of extreme weather (DC Earthquake ring a bell?) and terrible traffic we didn't get to go. To be honest I wasn't much interested in capitol buildings at all other than that one (you know, THE Capitol Building) , but while I was planning my Rhode Island adventures, I ran into two distinct snags. The first was that I was having a hard time finding things to do that worked with my time schedule. Firewater wouldn't be firing, all the whale and lighthouse tours weren't cruising on the days I would be there, and being reliant on public transport, I couldn't easily figure out how to get into rural Rhode Island without spending hundreds of dollars on cabs. Speaking of cabs (I'm still feeling the sting of that $45 cab ride to get some food), the second snag was that I had to seriously watch my budget while I was on this trip (I'm the goof that miscalculated my pay dates) so I needed whatever I did to be affordable.

Enter the FREE public tour of the Rhode Island State House, conveniently a ten minute walk from the RISD and other Providence locations I was more excited about. And directly across from the Providence Amtrak station too!

The RI State House. It was SOOOOO rainy and gloomy!
All the clothes in my suitcase were damp walking in that rain!

I requested a tour via their online program- I wasn't sure if this was a hot spot or not, and I wanted to be sure I would get to see everything if it was. When I arrived I learned that the (only) tour guide had just started their vacation, so I would have to do a self tour on my own. Also, not sure if it was because of the weather or not, but I was one of only four people touring the building at that time.

Cannon in the entrance lobby

First and foremost, please keep in mind that EVERYTHING in this place is made out of marble. Why does that matter? Well, on the very rainy day I was in Providence, that meant I was soaking wet, and wet shoes on marble floors are a good recipe for accidents.

I was handed my self guided tour brochure, and sent up a small set of stairs to a mini platform with the official seal of of Rhode Island (and its full proper name- the longest in the country) gilded into the floor directly beneath a beautifully painted and decorated dome.

Rhode Island...and the rest of its name

The dome above the state seal

The brochure was very informative (though slightly out of date- more on that later) and gave information about every public non-office room in the building. Highlights included the original Gilbert Stuart (a native Rhode Islander)  portrait of George Washington in the State Reception Room, the ability to look at the chambers of both the House and Senate of Rhode Island (though you aren't allowed in those, I took pictures from doorways and balconies), and statues in mini alcoves painted (what I assume is) Rhode Island red dedicated to the different branches of the US military and for various people that have made an impact on the state.

This statue dedicated to the US Navy was one of my favorites

But the absolute treat (to me) was the feature that has now rendered the tour guides obsolete- the mini museum dedicated to the founding of Rhode Island, that hold it's original charter signed by King Charles II in 1663 (more than 100 years before we won our independence). Originally, this document was kept in a steel vault located outside of the State Senate chambers. A helpful employee let me know that they only recently created the mini museum, and they hadn't yet updated the guides (or the gaping hole in the wall where the steel vault used to be). I loved the mini museum, which also has artifacts owned by RI founder Roger Williams, and other state-related memorabilia from the 1600s.

The Royal Charter of 1663

Make sure you check out the rest of my pictures from my time at the Rhode Island State House- an unexpected but worthwhile excursion if I say so myself!

Keep watch for (even more) updates for the rest of my time in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and as always, thank you for joining me on my adventure!

And Now...I Want A Bear Fur Hat...

My last stop in Cleveland was the Cleveland Grays Armory Museum, home to the second oldest organization in the city of Cleveland, and the oldest known armory in the US that is still owned by its militia (I think I got that right.) It also was the site of the first ever Cleveland Symphony Orchestra performance, held in 1918. History nerd that I am, I HAD to see this place.

Grays Armory as I was walking up to it

I was the only visitor that day, and had a tour with Ms. Kristin Roediger, Executive Director of the Armory. During the tour she told me that she essentially grew up in the building and that her grandfather was actually a member of the Grays, which meant a lot to me knowing she has such a personal connection to the structure.

Lobby of the Armory

The tour was a little under an hour long, and involved lots of stairs and HEAT (a built in 1893, the building doesn't have elevators or air conditioning) but that was okay with me. I just feel badly for the poor event crews that have to lug tables and heavy plates and foods to the upper levels for weddings and other celebrations. (The smaller reception areas are on the highest levels of the building because, at the time, being high up meant you would avoid the smell of horse dung in the busy streets below).

Reception room on the third floor of the building

The largest room available for use actually reminds you of a huge gym, but is home to several display cases featuring soldier artifacts from WWI, WWII, and other conflicts. It also features a huge still-working organ that was saved from an old Erie, PA movie house, even though the pipes of the organ had to be bent to fit in the space.

Large Reception area with the pipe organ pipes visible
 (the organ is behind the black curtain)

One of the places recommended that I request to see was actually in the basement- the shooting range. I've been told it is now the only gun range in the city of Cleveland. Police officers still use it, and sometimes other security classes come through to practice shooting as well, but for the most part, the range is off limits to non Grays members.

Gun Range with bicycle wheel turning devices for moving targets

I could go on and on forever about the neat historical facts I learned while in the building, but I will end with my top three:

1. There were quite a few antique Russian Black Bear fur hats in the building, as they were once part of the uniform worn by the Grays (assumingly not for combat, but for dress uniforms). Probably extinct now, there was a huge problem when a few years ago the hats were put on a display in Canada, and customs demanded receipts for the hats as their material is now banned for import. Imagine trying to find 170 year old receipts for museum displays! Luckily after some leg work the hats were returned. Although I didn't actually touch one, they looked super soft and reminded me of the big black hats you see English beefeaters wear. (So, before PETA and their cronies start harassing me about killing bears, I don't REALLY want a bear fur hat...but I admit the ones they had were pretty cool. No need fussing about bears that have been dead more than 100 years already)

2. The pool room has the original pool tables still intact. As well as some unusual taxidermy (some favorites include a deer butt, and a chicken claw giving the room "the finger"). Five Presidents, and anyone who was anyone in Cleveland and in American industry rubbed elbows in this very room. Also, see that long white photo on the wall between the two paintings? It's a photograph of US ships from just before WWII...and includes images of the ships that were docked at Pearl Harbor (including the Arizona).

3. Finally, the absolute coolest thing was the (alleged) former speakeasy located on the third floor of the building. Outfitted with a special knocker, hidden liquor cabinets, and piecemeal furnishings collected slowly over the decades makes this room feel slightly out of place in the armory. Although their archivist insists that they shouldn't advertise the room as such since there is no "documentation" that was what the room was for, I'm with Ms. Roediger in that, who is going to ADVERTISE and formally announce they have an illegal drinking spot in their building?

Well, that's everything I did while I was in Cleveland. I'm mulling over writing a review of the public transportation system (which had some great highs and lows), but we'll see if I actually get around to it.

Until then, be sure to check out my Facebook page for more pictures of all of my travels so far, and follow me on Twitter for random travel articles and insights.

See you on the next adventure (which will actually take place in less than three weeks!)