2022 Heritage Days at Warsaw, Missouri

 

I'm pretty sure we attended most of the Heritage Days at Warsaw since they begin around the time Truman Lake was completed in about 1979.  I have written many a blog about our times there and much of it is a repeat of events.  We love that it is!  We always find something new to see or unique crafts to purchase.  Most of all, we love the atmosphere at this time of year!  The changing colors of autumn compliment the smells of wood burning in campfires, a smokehouse, and in sourgum making.  It is good to see the old gas powered machines still working and history being told through examples of how it was lived.  A variety of skills are kept alive and doing well enough to sell some of the products produced.  Added to that are countless skills of homemade crafts and foods available at Drake Harbor on the water's edge at Warsaw.  Much of this and Civil War stuff can be seen at the Visitor's Center at Truman Dam.  I think many people just like spending a couple days in the past before they have to get back to the reality of modern life!

This is how we spent one of the two days of this annual event this year.  I think it occurs in the middle of October each year.  It is our favorite local event!

Mountain Men in their encampments are scattered outside all over the Truman Visitor's Center grounds.  Some just set up and stay a couple days and some make and sell stuff.  They come from all over.  I think this may be a lifestyle choice for some because I see many of the same at the early spring Rendezvous at Pomme de Terre Lake Outlet.  The time period is the early 1800s and can include the Civil War around the 1860s.  Most participants pride themselves on their authenticity in all things.  

Old Ringer Washing Machine and Wash Board

Machine to Grind Cornmeal

Machine to Grind Wheat into Flour

The Pioneer Village is open year round for a self tour.

Ax Throwing

General Store has unique products and always someone playing music out front.

Old School House

Sourgum Making

Soap Making

Scotish Highland Cattle with 3-week old baby

Mountain Men Encampment demonstrating cast iron cooking.

Tinsmith

Wool dyeing using natural dyes

Straw bale playpen for youngsters

So I found something new!  R. Gordon Tompkins from Sibley, Missouri (816-680-5482) makes the most beautiful scarves.  They are lightweight cotton and the most perfect weave.  Keith even bought one for himself!

Knife making

Chuckwagon

Log Chicken House and Tool Shed

Log Smokehouse - smoking cheese today!

Needlecraft

Rag Rug Loam

Wooden Toys around a couple uniquely joined trees

150 year old covered wagon

Beti's selfie in front of Truman Visitor's Center

Barn Loam

Civil War Stuff

Cannon Shot Over the Truman Dam

View of cliffs from the Truman Visitor's Center

View of cliffs and Truman Lake from the overlook inside Truman Visitor's Center

Dam View from inside the Truman Visitor's Center.  Plenty of parking below allowing bus shuttles to the Visitor's Center and Drake Harbor.

Drake Harbor at Warsaw is a great location for countless craft vendors and a variety of foods.

Drake Harbor at Warsaw

Spectactcular sunset on the way home to Hermitage from Truman Lake.  We will be back again and again!

Czech Cousins Visit - Week 2: Jefferson City's Missouri State Capitol (Part 2)

There wasn't a lot of other tours of the Missouri Capitol at Jefferson City the day we were there.  As a matter of fact, I don't think there was any other tours at this time.  We did see a few other people here and there that were wondering around on their own.  I had booked the tour online as they make it very easy.  

So it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves!  The legislators were off at this time and much of the building had rooms that were being remodeled while they were gone.  Many areas had all the beautiful furniture outside the rooms in the hallways and new carpet rolls along the walls.  In the following pictures you may see cheap looking tables and chairs in their places and floors all torn up without carpet.  Some of the walls were being painted too.  It was not a busy time for the legislators so we went everywhere and there were several offices open with aids and office personnel.  We were invited inside more than once!

Governor Mike Parson was away so we went inside his office and to play!  He was born in Wheatland, Missouri which is five miles from my home in Hermitage.  He was sheriff of Polk County (Bolivar) which is where I spend a lot of time and money only 30 miles from my home.  So I'm just sure he wouldn't mind my Czech Cousins and I enjoying his office when he didn't need it!

Governor Mike keeps a really clean desk!

I wonder if Cousin Lucie got online to say, "Ahoj!"to her friends in the Czech Republic!

Lucie, Paul, and Beti in the governor's office

Reception desk in the governor's office

I was looking for a 'fly on the wall' in this governor's meeting room but even a fly didn't show up today!

This metal sculpture was created by some Missouri State Prisoners especially for Governor Mike Parson recognizing his agricultural background.

Overview of the Legislature Room where all the state laws are made and bills passed or failed.  Notice there's no carpet and all the cheap tables and chairs in place while remodeling at this time.

The Great Seal of Missouri is punched out with this antique manual machine.

We all got to create and take home a souvenir! 

Beautiful antique water fountain  is still working!  It is located near this office.

We were hanging around wondering where to go next when the Aide in this office came out and was very welcoming.  He let us in this office and then continued our tour as this was the place that our regular tour guide left us to wonder around for ourselves.

So I'm guessing Cousin Paul had some business to tend too!  

I had mentioned to the Aide that we would like to see the Whispering Gallery located at the upper most part of the center dome.  It is not usually a part of the regular tour but he seemed to have lots of time on his hands.  I had been here a couple times while I worked for the state years ago and knew it would be impressive for my Czech Cousins.  Getting to it was not as easy as all the other places in the Capitol Building.  I don't know who showed it to me but it was likely some politician that wanted to impress some of us at the STC.  I do remember I was impressed and did manage the old stairways in high heels back then!

Several flights of open metal stairs were climbed to reach the upper level of the Capitol Building and the rough unfinished interior construction could be seen.

Finally we reached the locked door and the Aide had the right key!

So the thing is that a person could whisper something facing a wall anywhere around this dome area and another person could hear it if their ear was on the wall on the other side.  Of course, you could just holler across the open area and be heard just fine!  I understand that the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. has this same structural phenomena but this whispering feature was not done on purpose.  When the Missouri State Capitol was built, the feature was engineered to duplicate.

The view from this perspective is amazing at 200' from the top to the Great Seal of Missouri below.

This antique chandelier was about $5,000 new and was brought down to be cleaned a few years ago for the first time.  Before it was completely lowered to get to it, it dropped and was damaged.  It took about $500,000 to fix it!

Overview of the Whispering Room in the Missouri State Capitol Building

One side of the main level of the Capitol Building is a museum.  This is an antique voting box.

One of the first legislatures desks

This modern voting box is located on each legislator's desk

Old Stage Coach

Old Bicycle

New Rented Car 

The next day it was time to say goodbye to my Czech Cousins as they return the rented car to the International Airport in Springfield, Missouri and fly back to the Czech Republic.  We make tentative plans to meet again on our 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2024 in Italy.  I'm so happy we had this wonderful time together and they came to visit me!