We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and checked in. The drive was all interstate and with an easy take down and set up, we were set in no time. What a treat to find our site was so perfect. We have a patio with a little garden and bird feeders. There is a swing, a gas grill and a chimenea plus a big stack of very dry wood. We built a fire right away and stayed outside until it was too cold.
On Monday, our first task was to go grocery shopping. We stopped at Aldi’s but also a Mexican grocery store where we picked up a few things. According to Wikipedia, Carthage is 25% Hispanic or Latino and there are a lot of Mexican grocery stores as well as restaurants.
After that, we were off to another site on our quest to visit all the Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites. The Battle of Carthage is a SHS and there wasn’t a whole lot there except the display that described the battle. The battle happened in July of 1861 and the most striking part of the display was about the key role that recent German immigrants played in the Union Army. Many of them had fought for democracy in 1848 and when they were defeated, they immigrated to the US. They were very much against slavery and played a huge role in Missouri which was so divided during the Civil War.
Next we visited Grand Falls which is the largest continuously flowing natural waterfall in Missouri. It is located on Shoal Creek and is quite spectacular for this area.
Tuesday, we were off to the only National Monument in Missouri, the George Washington Carver monument. Carver was born near Diamond, just south of Carthage in 1864.
George Washington Carver was an extraordinary man. He was born into slavery in 1864. He was a sickly infant and yet, survived being kidnapped, along with his mother and taken to Arkansas at the end of the Civil War. His mother was owned by the Carvers and they sent money to retrieve him and his mother though she was never found. He was raised in the Carver home and because of his poor health, he was free to spend time in nature and nurtured a passion that fueled the rest of his life. The pictures below include the graves of the Carvers. George, who lived until 1943 is buried at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama where he taught agricultural science and became famous for his work with peanuts. He struggled to obtain an education but finally got a Masters Degree in Iowa before moving to Tuskegee to teach at the request of Booker T Washington. There is so much more to tell of Carver’s story. I can’t imagine how a man who suffered so much racism and cruelty in his life was able to persevere. His story is a powerful reminder of what is possible against all odds but also a warning that not everyone has the inner strength to rise above and should make us all wonder if we do?
Incredible. That historic site is one we've driven past but didn't have the time to stop. Now I want to stop there!