New Salem

Good morning everyone. I think we passed through another time zone so that means most of you are still asleep. Jim was my editor for the last blog. Good detective work Jim. I did include pictures of the  Dana-Thomas House. This Wright home is 12,000 sq. ft. It has more art glass than any other of his designs. This time I was not able to take pictures inside. If any of you are interested in his designs, this is a grea one to look up. It was quite a contrast from Lincoln's home that we had just walked from. We spent the night at the New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg. When we drove in there were tents all over the place. Found out at the visitors center that we were sharing camp with 1200. Boys outs and their leaders. Luckily we were in a different area. They were there for their annual pilgrimage. Next day we toured the village. It had about the same amount of people as our development, but spread out a little more. 12 log houses, 10 workshops, stores, tavern, mills and a school that was also used as a Church. The bldgs were furnished as they were in the 1830's. Lincoln spent 6 years here as a young man. Most of the homes were not much larger than 2 or 3  Cmors.
I couldn't believe how crowded they were. Definitely no privacy then. Junior had a lot of fun interacting with the. Ill age people. While sitting on a slit log in the schoolhouse, I noticed how the men's pants were fastened. Sharon and Carol, stop laughing. They were laced in the back and a button flap in the front.
I was thinking this would be great after a big meal. I talked to a woman, weeding in her garden. The weeds were called henbane and chick weed. The light green chickweed was one of the first greens to come up in the spring and so would be used for dinner. Interesting wool carding mill where the oxen would tread on the slanted wheel to run the mill. I also was fascinated with a door hinge I saw.

Next after hearing that there would be approx 7,000 boys outs and others at a ceremony on Sunday at Lincoln's tomb, we decided to see it on Saturday.
 Incredibly beautiful building. Very quiet and solemn inside. While inside you got a feeling of much more space than from the outside. There is a large bronze bust of Lincoln outside which legend says will give you good luck if you touch his nose,which cis now quite shiny. It was gloomy and raining at the tomb, which somehow seemed quite appropriate. We stopped for a moment at The Vietnam Nam Memorial and I said a prayer of thanks for my brother's safe return.
Our last stop of the day swas the Lincoln Library and Museum. You entered into a large Gallery which had figures scattered around the different areas, You were allowed to take pictures here but not inside the galleries or theaters. We went into one theater called the Ghost of the Library. Really interesting holograms. Then the Union theater to see history through Lincoln's eyes. The exhibits were breathtaking. We walked through a replica of Lincolns cabin and learned he was given an ax when 7 year old and told to clear the land. When we exited the cabin, in front of us was a life sized scene of a slave  auction. I actually started crying. It looked so real. There was a mother being taken away while her husband and little son were being taken in different directions. Their faces were so real and the agony in their expressions twisted my heart. It was hard to look at and yet hard to walk away.
After that. Exhibit it was good to go into Mrs Lincolns attic, a play area for children and monkeys.
Our next stop was the White House years, outside of the White House was a statue do Booth staring at Lincoln and his family. These figures had real hair and clothing and looked so real, even up close. Don has a conversation with Generals McClellan and Grant. Junior visited with Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Inside were figures of Mary Todd in her Ball Gown and also many dresses from ladies who were her society rivals. I would much rather be wearing my jeans than being laced into those corsets and then hoop skirts. The Treasure Gallery held many personal artifacts in glass cases.

The next day started with Mass in a Church that reminded me of St Paul's where we got married.
We decided to have breakfast out. The only food we have not had in Cmor was Dairy Queen ice cream and a Chicago Dog and Dunkin Donut that jim and Carol insisted we try!
We asked a lady at the Church for a recommendation. She sent us to the neighborhood Hickory Pit. We felt quite at home. Everyone working their was related in some way. They hugged people as they came in and I think we were the only strangers. I had a local specialty. Here in the morning they eat horseshoes. That is toasted bread covered with ham or beef, bacon or sausage. Then it is covered with cheese sauce or gravy with sausage or both and then eggs and finally completely covered with hash browns For the smaller appetite they have a pony shoe. That's what I had and still could only eat part of it.

The best part of the restaurant was it's name When we heard it, we had to go there. It was called DJ'S.