Interesting memorial to the 16th President but more importantly to Henry Bourne Joy, former president of the Lincoln Highway Association that financed the 3,500-mile cross-contintental highway from San Francisco to New York. There is also a sign commemorating an 1882 telephone conversation across the canyon.
A vignette of Iowa history: Sac and Fox Nation, federal I Dian agency, Iowa corn fields, grain silos and railroad tracks. Tidy well-loved spot.
Fun quick stop for a bit of Wild West history just off the interstate. The wooden headstones tell a story of those who lived and died in Ogallala during its heyday in the late 1880’s.
Not the original site but a reproduction. For some reason the gates are locked on weekends and on weekdays after 5; what are they guarding against? It’s a helpful and welcome piece of Helena history but could use some embellishment such as a few more signs … and open doors.
Large monument erected by the Daughters of the Confederacy to honor their fallen. Lovely shaded spot on a hillock beneath giant magnolias overlooking the larger Maple Hill Cemetery. A few large panels describe the CSA generals and soldiers — all of whom were immigrants!
Smallish National Park Service center with a 20-minute video plus large panel photos and maps explaining the events surrounding the 2-day battle. Unique in its description of “contraband camps”; apparently the large village created at Corinth was a model of what could be achieved. Interesting place in the war, both in strategic importance as a railroad crossroads for the CSA and also in its connection to Shiloh and Vicksburg. The pathway leading to the center is special; it has bronzed artifacts such as soldier’s caps, rifle barrels, a bayonet, a sword, postal bags, affixed to the sidewalk. The back is an earthworks and nearby is the Corinth National Cemetery with some Civil War dead.
Great stop for history buffs. Who knew most western states were surveyed using this baseline? and that it is in the center of a cypress and water tupelo swamp? It is not far from the highway and worth a brief interlude in a beautiful spot.
Great example of badlands — chalk spire erosion — without having to go to the Dakotas. Two trails were opened in 2020, a half-mile overlook and a 1.25-mile circuitous route well marked with with trail markers that are wonderful examples of the fossils found there, including embedded organisms as well as impression fossils. There are signs about every 0.2 miles that describe the vegetation, birds, reptiles, raptors and mammals in the area. We saw lizards and large grasshoppers, no snakes.
20 miles south of the main highway and down long dirt roads.Not huge but certainly unique and impressive and unexpected out on the Kansas prairies. Worth a side trip if you have an hour, even better if you make the loop to include the Western Vistas. Don’t count on the Keystone Gallery to be open; call first. Also, the roads have frequent cattle guards so if you don’t have a big car you may not want to exceed 40-50 mph. If you’re lucky and you leave via the southerly route you may see the herd of 1,300 horses, also an impressive sight.