Fri & Sat - April 9 & 10
President Eisenhower's childhood home in Abilene near the original downtown area.
The graves of Dwight, Mamie and one young son are inside this quiet chapel.
This is the inside of the chapel.
Statue of Eisenhower in the center of the complex of buildings, museum, library, home, visitors center and chapel. This is an excellent museum and you could easily spend the whole day here, as we did.
Quote on one of the plaques behind the statue.
There are several museums in Abilene including the Grey Hound Museum, Telephone Museum, Carousel & Carnival Museum, Old Town Abilene & Train Rides and two old mansions you can tour thru on the walking tour of many beautiful, old historic homes. It is referred to as the Little Town of Mansions.
On Saturday we stopped at Beatrice, Nebraska to see the Homestead National Monument of America. It is the only monument established to honor a Legislative Act. Lincoln signed it in 1862 allowing anyone over 21 to claim 160 acres if they would grow crops, build a home and live there for
five years. It made 270,000 acres in 30 states available and 40% (1.6 million) of those who attempted to homestead succeeded. Homestead Act was in effect until 1976, and 1986 in Alaska. It was incredibly difficult, but probably the single most important stimulus package ever passed. In the 1870s a typical Nebraska farmer produced enough food to feed four people. 100 years later he produced enough for 60. The wall shows the 30 states involved and the cutouts represent the amount of area available in each state.
If you are ever looking for something free to do with young children, don't forget about the very cool animal exhibits at Cabellas and Bass Pro Shops. This is Cabellas in Omaha.
At Lincoln we stopped for a nice visit with John's cousin, Becky. Then on to John's hometown of Greenfield, Iowa. We will be spending the next week or two visiting friends and relatives in the area. We will be camped at B.L.'s house. Feel free to stop in and see us, if you're in the area. B.L. recommends the Blazing Saddles gay bar in Des Moines for a good time. He says they have $1.50 beers and Friday afternoons are especially fun.
Tarra
Thank you for visiting Homestead National Monument of America. We hope you can come again. Please share the following information with your readers.
ReplyDeleteDid you know there is a National Park site devoted to telling the story of the Homestead Act of 1862? To learn more about what may be the most influential piece of legislation this country has ever created go to www.nps.gov/home or visit Homestead National Monument of America. Located in Nebraska, the Monument includes one of the first 160 acres homestead claims but tells the story of homesteading throughout the United States. Nearly 4 million claims in 30 states were made under the Homestead Act and 1.6 million or 40 percent were successful. The Homestead Act was not repealed until 1976 and extended in Alaska until 1986. Homesteads could be claimed by “head of households” that were citizens or eligible for citizenship. New immigrants, African-Americans, women who were single, widowed or divorced all took advantage of the Homestead Act. It is estimated that as many as 93 million Americans are descendents of these homesteaders today. This is a story as big, fascinating, conflicted and contradictory as the United States itself. Learn more!