On Friday, June 28, 2008, I made the decision that I had better see a doctor. I wanted to be absolutely sure that I had a clean bill of health before heading into a busy week in which my boss would be on vacation and I would be preparing for my upcoming European vacation. And besides I had a lot of stuff wrong with me: pink eye, some sort of urinary tract infection, an unbearable sore throat, and the common cold. So that was my first adventure of the weekend - getting some antibiotics, which incidentally made me feel almost as good as new by the next day.
So after the doctor and a half-day at work, I swung by my Mom and Bob’s place. They were hosting a small gathering in hopes of getting rid of some of the leftover food from Ashleigh’s graduation party. There weren’t a whole lot of people who could make it on such short notice, but Denise and Adam were there anyways. Diana and Tom, Bev, and Karen and her kids all joined us. I enjoyed a couple of hours of eating, chatting, and eventually giving in to Adam’s Gecko demands, before taking off for home to hit the sack relatively early. The others stayed until sundown and played cornhole.
If you ask me, these kids look like they’re up to no good - especially Andrew
Andrew in a kinder, gentler moment
The first game of the night was to remove the rubber band from Abby’s hair
Diana and me. The fork indicates that we’re eating.
Denise imitates the pretzels in front of her
The Bob and Tom Show employs visual aids
It’s difficult to leave when Adam is intent on driving my car
Saturday the 29th would be yet another long day in my illustrious series “website-driven re-visits of places I’ve already been but have to see again because I was too stupid to take photos of myself by the landmarks when I was there the first time” tour. This one was rather time-sensitive and would normally have been the last thing I would have attempted the weekend before I left for Europe - and probably not financially responsible as the gas prices creeped above $4.00/gallon that week.
But as it happens, while Chris, Jackie, and I were visiting the Benjamin Harrison home a few weeks earlier, I learned from some visitors from Fort Wayne that The Lincoln Museum located in their hometown would be closing on July 1. I had wanted to see it again at some point and I desired a photo in front of it (although technically the location wasn’t historically significant to Lincoln). I figured I could group this visit with a few other places in the area and make one final Indiana day-trip out of it.
The first place that I added into the tour was the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio. I had visited this place with Bob on Saturday, August 29, 1998 during our roadtrip through Ohio and Michigan. But again, of course, no photos of me. So I rectified that by taking some nice shots of the various items in the museum during our hour-long visit: the Gemeni Space Shuttle, Armstrong’s Gemini and backup Apollo 11 spacesuit, a moon rock, and a cool tin canister of bomb shelter survival supplies prepared by an already-established grocery chain from Cincinnati named The Kroger Company.
Outside the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum
A display of Ohio astronauts. I only pose with the most famous of them.
The Gemini Spacecraft. Armstrong commanded Gemini VIII and effected the first emergency landing of a U.S. space mission
Neil Armstrong’s Gemini space suit
Flag from Apollo 11 - flown to the moon and back
Jackie examines a genuine moon rock. It’s mystic power would lull her to sleep once inside the theater.
The Neil Armstrong Museum or bust! (I was explaining to Neil why he should sign some more autographs for me)
Ready to boldly go…to Fort Wayne, Indiana
There was also a very interesting video presentation in the domed theater, but unfortunately I had to walk all the way back to the front desk to tell them that there was no picture, so we caught the last fifteen minutes and then went back for the first ten. Not sure which minutes Jackie actually saw between her snoozing bouts.
It took about an hour and forty-five mintues to reach our destination of the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne. By this time it was 12:45pm. I woke Jackie up and we went inside and were pleased to find that in their final days there was no charge to get inside the place. This meant that every Tom, Dick, and Hairybutt was there giving the place the once-over. In addition to the free admission, every one of the few remaining items in the gift shop was 75% off. I picked up a commemorative guide, a commemorative stamp, and pennies in a bottle for Denise and Derek (those were the only names left of people I knew!).
So if you’re wondering why this great museum is located in Fort Wayne where Lincoln never lived or worked…Founders of the Lincoln Insurance Company of Fort Wayne received permission from Lincoln’s son Robert Todd Lincoln to use the Lincoln name. Because of Lincoln’s kindness, the founders created the museum in Abraham Lincoln’s honor in 1928.
A final visit to The Lincoln Museum
The Lincoln Museum or bust…or bust…or bust!
Farewell to this signature museum
It was sad to see it closing. It is a highly interactive museum with many displays covering Lincoln’s America, the roots of his politics, the Civil War, Ford’s Theater, and a Lincoln family album. Although I thought that there were more than there were, genuine Lincoln artifacts were sprinkled throughout (including a Lincoln life mask). Jackie and I also caught all three films (with life-size historical figure figures silhoutted behind the transparent screen) in The Fiery Trial gallery. The lower level contained the revolving display, sort of a hodge-podge of artifacts dedicated to campaigning, voting, and inauguration of all of the Presidents. How Bill Clinton’s Presidential running shoes factored into that, I’ll never know, but I was happy enough to see them.
While in Fort Wayne, I decided we needed to make a quick stop at Johnny Appleseed’s, aka John Chapman’s, grave. It was just as difficult to find as it had been the last time Bob and I saw the grave after visiting the Lincoln Museum on July 21, 2004.
Oh the Lord’s been good to me…and so I thank the Lord…for giving me the things I need…the sun and the rain and the appleseed…the Lord’s been good to me
Johnny and Jackie
Jackie fooling around in a log cabin in Johnny Appleseed Park
And finally we drove another 45 minutes southwest to the town of Huntington, home town of Vice President Dan Quayle (grabbing some McDonalds along the way). I hated the thought of coming to the area and not visiting the only United States Vice Presidential Museum in the country, located at the Quayle Center, a former Church of Christ, but I thought I might have to since the museum was only opened on weekdays. So I called and pleaded with Dan (not Quayle) the curator and he agreed to meet us there at 3:30 and open the doors for us.
It was a quaint little place which had opened in 1993, complete with displays and relics from all 46 of our country’s Vice Presidents, with a special emphasis on the five from Indiana. Four of these were displayed in the lower level and the upper level was exclusively devoted to Dan Quayle memorablia. Quayle himself usually visits the museum at least once a year and there is an area in the upper level with seating for talks from him and other seminars. All in all, well worth seeing at least once.
Outside the USVP Museum
Jackie browses the artifacts
Posing with the 46 Vice Presidents. In looking at this photo I noticed that the photo of John Tyler is actually William Henry Harrison. I immediately notified the museum.
Giving a speech at the Quayle center, watched over by Messrs. Bush and Quayle
Psst Dan…there’s no e in potato
We also got one little bonus when Dan informed us that VP Quayle had lived in the area for many years of his life (during three separate stints) and that his boyhood home was not far away. In fact, he led us over there after we had finished up at the museum and I had Jackie snap a photo of this private residence on Polk Street, in front of which I boldy stood.
Dan Quayle’s boyhood home in Huntington
By this time it was 4:30 and time to head back to Dayton. I thought that I could make good time and meet up with an old friend for another patented reunion by 6:30 or so. I didn’t have much luck driving home as I missed a crucial turn and winded up driving south along the Indiana/Ohio border. At least I got to see some interesting small Ohio towns like Fort Recovery, St. Henry, Minster, and Anna. It was almost 7:30 by the time I showed up for my reunion…where we would end our day’s adventures.
The day will continue with my seventh reunion of the year…
I had a great time despite my body’s desire to rest. I’d love to do it again sometime.
Jackie
July 11th, 2008