Byways Rivers & Lakes 2015

Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

The Belle of Louisville Turns 101

Rivers & Lakes 2015

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©Copyright 2015 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.

For more than 32 years, Byways has been covering the leading destinations along the highways and byways of North America. Some of the most well-known — and least known — destinations to discover in the United States and Canada.

Byways is published in two versions, a Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iPhone and iPad. And a Apple Newsstand/App Store edition. All advertising, editorial and video is included in both versions of the publication.

For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine 502-785-4875 http://bywaysmagazine.com

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PREVIEW

By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

or more than 32 years, Byways and Gulf of Mexico beaches invites you to linger longer, has been covering the leading des- breathe deeper and enjoy untamed wildlife. In fact, tinations along the highways and Louisiana has more surface water available (84%) than byways of North America, highlighting any other state.

Also in this issue, veteran travel writer Bill Graves has some of the most well-known -- and us Traveling the Highways and Byways. Bill takes us to least known --destinations to discover Wisconsin’s Elkhart Lake, where he learns that in the United States and Canada.

Wisconsin has more lakes than his native Minnesota.

Byways annual Rivers & Lakes issue features the What a letdown!

Hudson River Valley, where veteran travel writer Jim In What’s Happening, we cruise into the sunset on the Legget takes us on a whiskey tasting tour, flies in an open biplane cockpit at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and dis- Niagara Belle. Board from either the American or Canadian side of the Niagara River, and enjoy the covers the the delights of Dutchess County. scenery with dinner, lunch and wine tasting options onTravel writer Pat Woods invites us to come to board.

Milwaukee, to see what’s changed. We learn that Utah’s Dinosaurland is celebrating the 100th Milwaukee’s waterfront has Anniversary of evolved into a stellar cultural Dinosaur National and recreational mecca. With a Monument.

Here, different ethnic festival every you can explore the weekend from May through real Jurassic World.

September, Milwaukee has The area is home to earned the “City of Festivals.” one of the most proIn Minnesota, we experience ductive Jurassic its remarkable waterways.

Period dinosaur quarFrom the land of nearly 12,000 ries in the world. lakes and the birthplace of the Bucket-list destinagreat Mississippi River, tions include the Wall Minnesota’s appeal as a destiof Bones and its nation lies both in its abundant 1,500 exposed natural scenery and in its dinosaur bones and vibrant cities. the Dinosaur Garden.

Byways cover story takes us The final stop is to the Ohio River, where the Jefferson’s Poplar country’s oldest steamboat, the Forest in Virginia.

Belle of Louisville, has just The Great Steamboat Race You’ve heard of turned 101. On April 30, 1963, Monticello. But did Belle of Louisville made her you know Thomas Jefferson designed and lived in a secfirst cruise in a race against the steamboat Delta Queen. ond home?

That race was the beginning of an unparalleled river traOne of only two homes Jefferson designed for his perdition, the Great Steamboat Race. sonal use, the Poplar Forest retreat was the place where Traveling two hours south on the Ohio, we discover Jefferson “came to indulge in the life of the mind and Owensboro, Kentucky, the Big O along the Mighty renew his personal creativity.”

Ohio. Owensboro is Kentucky’s fourth largest city and it A visit to Poplar Forest offers a unique opportunity to has been creating its own renaissance in recent years. experience Jefferson’s everyday life.

In the midst of the Great Recession, this Ohio River Enjoy the expanded video offerings in this issue of town invested over $120 million in its waterfront, and Byways.

Please CLICK ON VIDEO links for all editothe private sector soon matched it. rial features, advertising and What’s Happening section In Southwest Louisiana, Byways takes us on a journey to enjoy the additional video clips that bring Byways along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. The articles to life. environment through prairie lands, wetlands, marshes 4 • Byways

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Volume 32, Issue No. 4 2015

On the cover. The Belle of Louisville on the Ohio River. The steamboatturned 101 this year. To learn more, turn to page 30. For more on Byways Rivers and Lakes, turn to page 8. Cover photo courtesy gotolouisville.com and Belle of Louisville.

Features

Rivers & Lakes 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 John Henry New York Whiskey, Ghosts of Old Rinebeck Aerodrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Milwaukee Revisited: Come See What’s Changed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Mighty Mississippi: Experience Minnesota’s Remarkable Waterways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Steamboat Belle of Louisville Turns 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Owensboro, KY, The Big O Along the Mighty Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Outdoor Adventures Await on Southwest Louisiana’s Waterways. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Departments

Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Traveling the Highways & Byways, with Bill Graves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

What’s Happening

Cruise into the Sunset on the Niagara Belle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Utah’s Dinosaurland Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Dinosaur National Monument . . . . . . . . 46 Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Coming in future issues of Byways ..... Great American Roads, The Leading North American Tour Destinations, Great American Railroads, Mountains & Valleys, and much more!

Next Up: Great American Roads.

Right. The National Road Interpretive Center in Vandalia, IL provides information, displays, photos and more detailing the history of the National Road.

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Rivers & Lakes 2015

Matthew King’s 1940’s Tiger Moth from Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, flies over the Hudson River’s Kingston-Rhinecliffe Bridge. Photo courtesy ©Jim Leggett.

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John Henry New York Whiskey

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Ghosts Of Old Rhinebeck Aerodome

s a staff photographer on the Hudson RegisterStar old timers told tales of Hudson’s flamboyant past; enterprising madams ran upscale brothels, making this “the most notorious red light district in America.” Both the town and citizenry prospered.

(1920s -1950s) Volstead’s meddling do-gooders inflicted Prohibition on America (1920-1933) so gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond, kicked out of New York City, in gleeful revenge moved near Hudson where he ran Hooch and contraband booze flowed like Niagara Falls.

Framed by the sleepy backdrop of the Catskill

Owner Derek Grout pours another at Harvest Spirits Distillery. Photo courtesy ©Jim Leggett.

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By Jim Leggett

Mountains, Hudson’s environs gave inspiration to renowned artists Frederick Edwin Church (1826-1900).

Fellow painters were known as The Hudson River School of Artists. Gripping tales of Rip Van Winkle, Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane and more were set among such pastoral beauty A few miles north of Hudson on Country Road 66 lies Valatie, once a thriving mill town, still a quaint hamlet.

Harry Houdini filmed daring water escapes below Kinderhook Creek Falls, marked by an Historic Site plaque a stone throw from Main Street Cafe (Diner on the green canopy). Hands down the best place to eat in

this area, taking the best NYC Greek diner to a rural village setting. Always good food, huge portions, large menu, and very, very affordable prices.

As a regular correspondent for Whiskey Magazine I was heading for nearby Harvest Spirits Distillery where owner Derek Grout was rumored to produce notable gins, brandies and whiskey adjacent one of Columbia County’s bespoke apple orchards.

As a footloose youth, I’d picked apples by the bushel in this very orchard. In a welcome back salute Derek siphoned a generous dram straight from a stack of humorously emblazoned oak barrels, one which lisped “ShCoth Whishkey”. Wait till I next see Sean Connery…(yes, I do know himself!)

From an old fashioned apple press the Grout family makes superb hard or sweet ciders. Hankering for something new Derek tried his hand distilling liquor. “I began making our traditional applejack 4 years ago, during an abnormally cold winter. As the cider fermented I froze it in two stages; outdoors in 50 gallon barrels, and then transferred to 5 gallon pails moved to a walk-in freezer”.

Stored in fifteen gallon American Oak quarter casks for 2 to 3 years, the distillation was christened Old Scrumpy, a name often given to traditional ciders made mainly in the South and West of England, already known in pre-Roman times.

“Since the liquids had adequate time to mingle with the air (oxygen) malic acid is converted to lactic acid, resulting in a sharp acidity which mellows to a soft, almost milky taste”., They also make genuine old-world

Aerodrome vintage airplane flies over the Hudson Valley and Hudson River. Photos courtesy ©Jim Leggett.

applejack, not to be confused with modern distillations from two-years-old apples, such as apple brandy.

“The closest you get to traditional applejack today is ice cider, sweeter, less alcoholic. I wanted to rediscover how Colonial era applejack really tasted.

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Our first run proved very tasty. I used it to condition barrels for carefully aging Cornelius Applejack, so named to honor the man who pressed apple cider here for over 30 years 40% ALC/VOL. Distilled from 100% Hudson Valley apples Cornelius delivers a subtle sweetness, hints of peach with a spiced oak maple wood finish.” Nice.

On the prowl, I spotted an intriguing bottle marked in felt tip pen JOHN HENRY 2-ROW SINGLE MALT. “Ahem…” coughed Derek “That’s not for sale yet…not aged properly!”

Thankfully, it is now!

Derek pours me a wee dram.

For a young whiskey this amazing dram thrills the taste buds, warms the chest going down, and, soon, nullifies all daily woes. Taste; pronounced aromatic aroma, hint of apple, smoky finish with noticeable smoothness.

What will this wonder taste like when it grows up?

Aged in ex-bourbon hogsheads, it tastes fruity, malty and well balanced. None of the overwrought oak you find in single malt aged in new charred American oak barrels.

“Our long tenured Jamaican worker John Henry (not so) subtly hinted he would like one of our products named after himself. He’d developed a connoisseur appreciation for our Applejack, Core Gin and Peach Brandy,” It will be a recurring story explaining why this whiskey is named after this John Henry…not a lyrical namesake from a Johnny Cash song.

Incredibly this whiskey was the product of two serendipitous errors; a brewery’s mistake in over smoking their malt, and a distiller making a premature tails cut. “Since we didn’t have the equipment and expertise

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Historic Village Diner. Photo courtesy ©Jim Leggett

to brew our own, we had a commercial brewer make the wort for our whiskey,” Derek explains. “Of ten or so different mash bills made for us, one was very different -super peaty beer made with apple wood smoked malted barley, aged one year in 50 gallon hogsheads. Thinking it too smoky to serve in their pub, the brewery was going to throw it away.”

Then Derek made a second distillation of the smoky beer, made his tails cut. “I left for the day. Next morning we realized the carboy of ‘smoky tails’ was exactly what we were longing for -- we’d discovered the genesis for John Henry 2 Row Single Malt Whiskey.

“John Henry Single Malt Whiskey continues to impress and gain accolades. As soon as we released it this past February, our whiskey won a Silver Medal for best 2 year old malt whiskey in the Judging of American Craft Spirits in Bardstown, KY. John Henry is available

$75 takes you on an open cockpit biplane flight over the historic Hudson River in a 1929 D-25 Standard.

Photo courtesy ©Jim Leggett.

in 3 sizes, including 50 ml ‘airplane’ bottles.”

Easy to find in liquor stores across New York, if you’re out of state you can order online.

here’s an adventure you will cherish all your days!

Historic Village Diner In absolute harmony with www.harvestspirits.com/shop_online.html old world aerodrome fun, Red Hook’s old railroad style “Historic” Village Diner is Duchess County, significant as a distinctive example of early-twentieth Ghosts Of The century American roadside architecture.

Red Baron Exceptionally intact from A mere forty minutes south of its date of manufacture in the Valatie lies Old Rhinebeck 1920s, it embodies distinAerodrome, a living museum of pioguishing characteristics of neer and World War 1 aviation where the type and period in its legendary names, Fokker, Sopwith, streamlined metal railroad Nieuport, SPAD, Jenney and others dining car inspired design.

FLY again -- every summer weekend Red Hook’s diner is addiJune through October. tionally significant as a repAs ORA’s photographer I spent resentative example of a Silk weekends aloft in vintage biplanes, City Diner, a highly popular shooting mock dog-fights from a twoprefabricated dining car line seater 1914 AVRO 504-K made of manufactured by the cedar wood, its wings covered in Irish Paterson Vehicle Company of Paterson, New Jersey from the 1920s to the 1950s. Moved several times to adapt to changing travel patterns, the history of the diner also recalls the growth and development of the regional transportation system during the early automobile age.

After years of catering to travelers on Dutchess County's major highways, the Village Diner now enjoys continued popularity as a community-oriented restaurant and the focal point of much local nostalgia.

Red Hook’s Village Diner.

We made repeated stops, happy to endure short waits during crowdPhoto courtesy ©Jim Leggett. ed Sunday mornings; corn beef hash and eggs over medium, rye toast and crispy bacon, linen. Powered by a vintage rotary motor, like most absolutely yummy.

(7550 North Broadway, Red Hook WW1 machines it had no throttle, no brakes and only a sturdy wooden tail skid to bring it to a tail-dragging stop! NY) Once I co-piloted ORA’s 1946 Fleet Finch biplane About the Author. from New Jersey following the Hudson River at 1,500 Photojournalist Jim Leggett, a forfeet with pilot Cole Palen, AKA The Black Baron, grabmer resident of Hudson NY, is a bing a nap in the front cockpit. Setting sun over mist travel writer based in North shrouded Catskills, hypnotic throaty drone of the Kinner Carolina and Nassau, Bahamas. engine, silk scarf billowing in the slipstream, what His passions include steamships, absolute bliss. motorcycles, open cockpit flying, For a paltry $75 you take an open cockpit biplane and whiskey, in moderation. He is flight over historic Hudson River in a 1929 D-25 also a veteran pipe band drummer.

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Milwaukee’s beautiful lakeshore and skyline.

Photo courtesy Pat Woods.

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Milwaukee Revisited: Come See What's Changed!

By Pat Woods

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Milwaukee Art Museum features a 90-foot high entrance hall enclosed by a wing-like sunscreen that opens and closes three times daily. Photo by Pat Woods.

f your last Milwaukee visit was several years ago, consider revisiting Wisconsin’s largest city -- or add it to your bucket list if you’ve not been there.

With summer temperatures averaging 77 degrees, Milwaukee is a delightful summer destination. Located at the junction where three rivers flow into Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is a study in blue water and green foliage.

Milwaukee’s lakefront has morphed into a stellar culture and recreation mecca. Visitors can walk, jog or bike on a broad scenic paved trail than runs along the lakeshore for miles.

The 3-mile RiverWalk flanking north and south sides of the Milwaukee River connects downtown hotels to dozens of traditional and trendy eateries, brewpubs, parks, historic sites, retail outlets, boutiques, boat tours and other attractions.

During my September visit, I walked from the Hyatt 16 • Byways

Regency Hotel to the Shops at Grand Avenue, Wisconsin Cheese Mart, the Spice House, Usinger’s Sausage, Milwaukee Boat Tours, plus several restaurants. Along the way, I passed attractive small parks and public art displays.

The six square blocks of the Historic Third Ward contain an eclectic mix of art galleries, theaters, restaurants, bars, antique shops and specialty stores typically found in much larger cities. A Visit Milwaukee spokesperson said Milwaukee’s revitalized warehouse and manufacturing district compares to New York’s trendy SoHo district.

Delightful year-round sights and aromas in the indoor Milwaukee Public Market put a fresh spin on the Third Ward’s grocery marketing tradition. Focusing on Wisconsin products, this attractive market purveys fresh bakery and produce, freshly-ground coffee, home-made candies, artisan cheeses, decadent sausages, sushi,

$14.99 lobster dinners, plus a wine bar and a demonstration kitchen where Milwaukee’s top chefs share their trade secrets.

Deserted warehouses lining the river were converted to classy waterfront condos, some with boat docks.

Throughout the city former breweries were repurposed into boutique hotels, fitness centers and eateries.

Prime attractions Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront is accented by the contemporary Milwaukee Art Museum featuring a stunning 90-foot high glass-walled entrance hall enclosed by a “wing-like” sunscreen that opens and closes three times daily. Forty galleries on four floors hold the museum's’30,000 works.

Nearby Discovery World, a gem for all ages, focuses on technology, automation, energy uses, fresh and saltwater aquariums, plus a multimedia virtual reality theater. Music lovers enjoy the Les Paul exhibition of guitars and artifacts. See www.discoveryworld.com.

From mid-May through September, the S/V Denis Sullivan docks next to Discovery World. The recreation of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner does 2-hour Lake Michigan day sails.

Grohmann Museum at the Milwaukee School of Engineering displays 850 European and American paintings and sculptures documenting the evolution of organized work in agriculture, construction, manufacturing, retail, medical and dentistry from 1580 to the present.

Don’t miss the revolving rooftop sculptures! See www.msoe.edu/museum Antique and fine arts lovers will enjoy touring the

One of many sights on a Milwaukee boat cruise. Photo by Pat Woods.

Red lighthouse on the Lake Michigan breakwater is viewed on Milwaukee Boat Line tour. Photo courtesy Pat Woods.

1892 Pabst Mansion, the private family home of Captain Frederick Pabst, famous beer baron, sea captain, philanthropist and arts patron. www.pabstmansion.com If you ever rode a motorcycle-or wanted to-don’t miss the Harley-Davidson Museum’s displays of legendary military, industrial, law enforcement and racing bikes.

The Women at the Handlebars display features bikes, leather jackets and stories about lady motorcycle pioneers. See www.h-dmuseum.com.

Perched on a Lake Park bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the 1912-era North Point Lighthouse holds a treasure trove of maritime artifacts. Explore the keeper’s

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Perched on a bluff in Milwaukee’s Lake Park area, North Point Lighthouse overlooks Lake Michigan. Photo courtesy Pat Woods.

quarters, climb to the top for a bird’s eye view of the lake fer spirits. Great Lakes Distillery is Wisconsin’s first and learn about the brave keepers who watched over the craft distillery since prohibition to hand-produce fine sometimes treacherous shoreline. Open weekends. See spirits in small batches. For tours and tasting times, see www.northpointlighthouse.org. www.greatlakesdistillery.com or call 414-431-8683.

Milwaukee boasts a lively performing arts scene with professional symphony, ballet and opera. Talented theater groups perform at numerous venues throughout the city and suburbs.

Terrific tours Milwaukee Food & City Tours enables visitors and locals to discover the sights and flavors of the Milwaukee area’s most delicious and historic neighborhoods on themed walking or bus tours. Examples: Christmas bakery tour, Churches & Chocolates, Ghouls & Spirits.

My Old World Third Street walking tour visited Usinger’s Famous Sausage and the Spice House. We sampled cheese and beer at Wisconsin Cheese Mart, had a tasty German lunch at Mader’s Restaurant followed by dessert and coffee at Turner Hall Restaurant. See www.MilwaukeeFoodTours.com or call 800-9793370.

While breweries made Milwaukee famous, some pre18 • Byways

your own charter sail on a 34foot sailing yacht operated by Sea Dog Sailing.

Harley-Davidson’s 105th Summerfest. Photo courtesy Visit Milwaukee.

Milwaukee on the water Using two large vessels, Milwaukee Boat Line offers several excellent narrated sightseeing tours on the Milwaukee River, breakwater, lighthouse and Lake Michigan harbor.

The narrator covers Milwaukee history, architecture, and how former abandoned warehouses lining the river have morphed into trendy waterfront condos.

See www.MkeBOAT or call 414-294-9450.

Adults can take the nation’s only brewery tour by boat aboard the Brew City Queen with RiverWalk Boat Tours.

Anglers can go sport fishing on Lake Michigan with Blue Max Charters or Crabby Charters.

Romantics can take a moonlight cruise or design

The Milwaukee Art Museum is the focal point of the downtown Lake Michigan shoreline.

Photo courtesy Pat Woods.

Festivals and sports With a different ethnic festival every weekend from May through September, Milwaukee has earned the “City of Festivals” moniker. Festivals are held in a 75-acre lakeside park with 10 permanent stages plus a 23,000-seat amphitheater.

Home of professional Milwaukee Bucks basketball and Milwaukee Brewers baseball teams and dozens of sports bars, Milwaukee is a well-established sports magnet.

Located on Lake Michigan’s

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Miller High Life bottle sign at the MillerCoors Brewery. Photo courtesy Visit Milwaukee.

western shore, Milwaukee is 90 miles north of Chicago at the intersection of I-94 and I-43.

Learn more from www.VisitMilwaukee.org 800-554-1448 About the Author. Based in the Phoenix area, Pat Woods has penned scores of cruise, rail and travel features.

You can see more of her work at: www.clippings.me/users/patwoods

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Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves rowing up in Minnesota, I always thought that the slogan about the “land of 10,000 lakes” was a big deal, making my home state something special -we had more lakes than anybody.

I am today next door in Wisconsin. They tell me here that they’ve got 15,000 lakes, and always

have had. What a let down!

I am at one, Elkhart Lake. It's 20 west of Sheboygan.

This place took on the eminence of an upscale lake resort in the late 1800s. And it still has that vintage feel and look about it.

The three hotels, at the north end of the lake, were built back than. One of them, the Osthoff Lake Resort, now sprawls over a couple city blocks. It could easily keep a painter employed full-time just keeping its wood siding white.

In 1872 the railroad pushed north. Elkhart Lake was added to the route. That track is still here, as is the passenger depot in the village. During the summer, folks from Milwaukee and Chicago, with steamer trunks in tow, poured in here at the rate 2,000 a week. They found relief from the heat and dust of the big city here beside the clear, spring-fed waters of Elkhart Lake.

Gambling was popular, especially with the Chicago crowd. It was illegal, but that didn’t seem to matter.

Men, women and children all crowded around the roulette wheels. Access to the gambling tables was as

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easy as going to the soda fountain in a drug store. The sheriff didn’t concern himself with it, saying it was “just a summer thing.” Finally in 1946, the last gambling location was shut down.

I arrived at the lake for Labor Day weekend, which is the official end of the summer in this part of country. I was out in a boat fishing early on Labor Day. The lake is deep, maximum depth is 119 feet, and spreads over 292 acres. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, it is among the 10 healthiest lakes in the state for fish and wildlife. (That’s out of 15,000, lest we forget.)

The morning began quietly and fishing was good.

Nobody was on the lake. A little before 10, power boats began easing out from docks all along the shore, which is dense with cottages.

As if a race starter fired his pistol, at 10 o’clock the lake took on new life: those boats went to all-ahead-full as water-skiers and wake boarders rose from the water behind them. The last day of a Wisconsin summer was underway, and right on schedule.

Boating rules here are strict: A speed of “slow, no wake” is always in effect except between 10:00 am and 7:30 pm in the evening. That’s when the aquatic acrobats and the speed-boaters have their fun. On Sunday, no motorboats are allowed at all, unless you are using an electric trolling motor.

The Tuesday after Labor Day was like the Florida coast when a hurricane is coming ashore. The beaches were all but empty and I saw only one water skier..

At the south end of the lake is a beautiful, tree-shaded campground at Broughton Sheboygan Marsh Park. This is a 14,000-acre wildlife preserve with 30 acres developed for campers.

The county built an 80-foot observation tower here. A climb to the top allows you to pick where in the park you want to explore. I discovered that you can skip the climb and still get the view -- albeit it on a TV monitor -- by going in the lodge and getting on the joy-stick that controls a video camera on the top of the tower.

About the author: After seeing much of the world as a career naval officer, Bill Graves decided, after he retired, to take a closer look at the United States. He has been roaming the country for 20 years, much of it in a motorhome with his dog Rusty. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is the author of On the Back Roads, Discovering Small Towns of America. He can be reached at Roadscribe@aol.com.

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The Mississippi River flows under the Third Avenue Bridge in downtown Minneapolis.

Photo courtesy ŠExplore Minnesota Tourism.

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The Mighty Mississippi: Experience Minnesota’s Remarkable Waterways

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Recreation on City Lakes in downtown Minneapolis.

Photo courtesy ©Explore Minnesota Tourism.

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signature experience will highlight landmarks along the river, including Nicollet Island, Boom Island and more.

A variety of riverboat cruises offer visitors a unique inneapolis was born of water. From the mouth and beautiful perspective on the City by Nature. Paradise of the Upper Mississippi River roared the start Charter Cruises, provider of charters on the Mississippi of a historic hub. Formerly two separate cities, River for over 18 years, can host groups large or small Minneapolis and Saint Anthony joined to become one in 1872, creating the “Flour Milling Capital of the World” in 1880 and for 50 years thereafter. The city of water churned to become a milling center, leading not only to the industrial success it has today but to a culture deeply rooted in nature.

From the land of nearly 12,000 thousand lakes, the birthplace of the great Mississippi River, Minnesota’s appeal as a destination lies both in its abundant natural scenery and in its vibrant cities. Itasca State Park is home to the headwaters of the Mississippi and lures visitors with its massive pines, miles of hiking trails and glistening Lake Itasca, 250 miles north of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

The 575 miles of the river begin in north central Minnesota and wind through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, offering much to explore. From Saint Anthony Falls in the bustling downtown, the Mill City Museum tells the Mississippi River’s story of creation, expansion and modernization in the city of Minneapolis.

Minnesota waterways invite you to be adventurous.

With Above the Falls Sports, take a kayak along the Mississippi, and tour downtown Minneapolis in classic Itasca State Park is home to the headwaters back-to-nature style. An urban kayaking adventure, this of the Mississippi. Photo courtesy ©Explore 24 • Byways “The Mississippi is well worth reading about. It is remarkable.” – Mark Twain

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Kayak along the Mississippi, and tour downtown Minneapolis. Photo courtesy Visit Minneapolis.

for a narrated cruise with amazing sights of downtown Mississippi on the Stone Arch Bridge through some of Minneapolis. the most iconic places the city has to offer.

Other great views await from above on the river bank.

From the Guthrie Theater to the Weisman Art Segway Magical History Tours will take you across the Museum, Minneapolis is home to an array of artistic and

Riverboats on the Mississippi River. Photo courtesy ŠExplore Minnesota Tourism and Visit Minneapolis.

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The 1910 Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior.

Photo courtesy ©Explore Minnesota Tourism. cultural attractions. Explore American modernism or get Home to nearly 12,000 lakes, 69,200 miles of rivers playful at the Guthrie Theater. Learn the unique art of and streams, and more shoreline than California, Hawaii, stage combat under the supervision of a professional and Florida combined, Minnesota offers you a natural and feel connected with the city’s vibrant theatrical cul- playground for a truly unique group travel experience. ture.

Travel information and trip ideas available at minneapolis.org and exploreminnesota.com.

Looking for more to do? Minneapolis’ 197 parks encompass the city’s defining 22 lake shores and river banks to feature astonishing beauty and historical significance. Minnehaha Regional Park, home to the 53-foot Minnehaha Falls, is one of the city’s oldest and most popular o parks, attracting more than 850,000 visitors r Vide o f k Clic annually. Additionally, the Chain of Lakes -- four of the largest lakes in Minneapolis -offers group activities from canoeing to strolling along 13 miles of paved shoreline paths.

Travel along the North Shore of Lake Superior for seven breathtaking state parks.

Experience the history of the shore at the 1910 Split Rock Lighthouse, a commercial fishing museum in Tofte, MN, or the harbor From High in the Sky to ... High on a Plate! Make a date to travel town of Grand Marais -- including an arts the Historic National Road in Illinois. center full with galleries. Whether indoors or outdoors, the scenery of the North Shore Like us on FaceBook! www.nationalroad.org of Lake Superior has earned national recognition.

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Minnehaha Regional Park, home to the 53-foot Minnehaha Falls. Photo courtesy ŠExplore Minnesota Tourism.

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The Belle of Louisville on the Ohio River in Downtown Louisville. Photo by John F. Revell, courtesy gotolouisville.com and Belle of Louisville.

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The Steamboat Belle of Louisville Turns 101 Byways • 31

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he 650 passenger steamboat Belle of Louisville is recognized as the oldest river steamboat in operation, and is a National Historic Landmark and one of the River City’s most beloved and historic treasures.

The Bell of Louisville is owned and operated by the city of Louisville, Kentucky, and moored at its downtown wharf next to the Riverfront Plaza.

Originally named Idlewild, she was built by James Rees & Sons Company in Pittsburgh, for the West Memphis Packet Company in 1914 and was first put into service on the Allegheny River. Constructed with an allsteel superstructure and asphalt main deck, the steamboat is said to hold the all-time record in her class for miles traveled, years in operation, and places visited.

On April 30, 1963, Belle of Louisville made her first cruise in a race against the steamboat Delta Queen. That race was the beginning of an unparalleled river tradition, the Great Steamboat Race.

The race is scheduled annually as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The event pits at least two riverboats against each other in the span of the Ohio River that runs between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Spectators can watch the event from the shore or aboard a competing vessel.

Idlewild operated as a passenger ferry between 32 • Byways

Memphis, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas. She also hauled cargo such as cotton, lumber, and grain. She came to Louisville in 1931 and ran trips between the Fontaine Ferry amusement park near downtown Louisville and Rose Island, a resort about 14 miles upriver from Louisville.

Idlewild operated a regular excursion schedule from 1934 through World War II, during which she was outfitted with special equipment to push oil barges along the river.

She also served as a floating USO nightclub for troops stationed at military bases along the Mississippi River.

In 1947, she was sold and renamed Avalon. Over the next few years, Avalon visited ports all along the Mississippi, Missouri, St. Croix, Illinois,

Kanawha, Ohio, and Cumberland Rivers.

By 1962, Avalon had fallen into disrepair, and might have seen the end of her days, when Jefferson County Judge Marlow Cook bought her at an auction for $34,000. She came to Louisville and was re-christened Belle of Louisville.

The restoration of the boat was supervised by marine architect Alan L. Bates (who later became Captain Bates), whose book, Str. Belle of Louisville (1964), remains a primary source on the history of the boat and the crews who worked on her.

Prior to the auction, the hull had been condemned as unfit by the U.S. Coast Guard: concrete patches had added much weight to the oft-damaged hull, as had generations of accumulated modifications to the decks and fittings within her superstructure.

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These were stripped and repaired in dry dock or removed by volunteers. What remained was cleaned, surface prepared, supplied with new finish carpentry, and painted in

Great Steamboat Race. Belle of Louisville vs. Belle of Cincinnati. Photo courtesy gotolouisville.com and Belle of Louisville.

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a style consistent with the boat's early 20th-century origins.

In August 1997, Belle of Louisville was partially sunk at her moorings; a former crew member of the boat was later convicted of sabotage. The proximate cause of the sinking was flooding of the hull via a city water line left connected to a fitting that led into the boat’s hull. Thanks to the swift actions of the steamer’s crew and other members of the community, the boat was rescued, repaired, and returned to service.

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The Belle of Louisville turned 100 years old on October 18, 2014. To celebrate, a 5-day riverboat festival named “The Belle’s Big Birthday Bash” was held in Louisville along parts of Louisville Waterfront Park.

Eight other riverboats from across the country joined Belle of Louisville to help celebrate her 100th year on the river. The festival incorporated cruises, fireworks, riverfront concerts, hot air balloon glows, and more. The other riverboats attending the festival included Spirit of Jefferson, Anson Northrup, Belle of Cincinnati, The

The Belle of Louisville at the start of The Great Steamboat race on the Ohio river in Louisville, Kentucky.

Photo courtesy Joe Schneid.

Colonel, General Jackson, River Queen, Spirit of Peoria, and Celebration Belle. This 5-day festival is said to be the largest riverboat gathering that Louisville has seen in over 100 years.

Today, the Belle of Louisville offers scheduled dining and sightseeing cruises on the Ohio River for groups, weddings, families and individuals from April through October. For tour groups, convenient on-site motorcoach parking is available for up to 6 coaches.

Tour groups are welcome on all public cruises, or pri-

vate charters may be arranged for special events.

Reserved seating is arranged on the main deck for meal group tickets. Buffet dining is available on the lunch and dinner cruises.

Visit http://www.belleoflouisville.org

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Smothers Park on the Ohio River is part of a $120 million waterfront investment in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Photos courtesy Visit Owensboro.

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Owensboro, KY: The Big O Along the Mighty Ohio

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I

Walk along the Ohio River.

Click for Video

f the Belle of Louisville headed down the Ohio River, it would reach another visitor-friendly river town in 151 miles, although you could make it in a couple of hours overland in just 106 road miles. It’s Owensboro, a major magnet for western Kentucky and a city that takes full advantage of its river heritage.

Owensboro is Kentucky’s fourth largest city (almost 100,000 people in the metro area), and it has been creating its own renaissance in recent years.

As a regional business and development magazine noted, “In the midst of the Great Recession, this Ohio River town invested over $120 million in its waterfront, and the private sector soon matched it.”

Locals flock downtown for myriad reasons, and visitors can blend into a vibrant scene of live music, local restaurants, museums, new hotels and festivals aplenty – all set in a sweeping bend of the river. Towboats and barges glide by, and pleasure boaters add zip and color.

Front and center on the waterfront is Smothers Park, with multiple performance venues, a riverside promenade for quiet strolls or more serious exercise, benches and swings for watching the river traffic and a cascading fountain from the designers of the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Here, too, is one of the largest fully handicapped-accessible playgrounds in the country.

Much of Owensboro’s vibrancy centers on three B’s – 38 • Byways

bluegrass, barbecue and bourbon. Add a fourth B – for burgoo – if you want. More on that later.

Bluegrass music’s presence is easy to explain. Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, is from Rosine in adjacent Ohio

Spirits at Miller House.

County, Kentucky, so the whole area is steeped in the “high lonesome sound” he made famous.

The International Bluegrass Music Museum is a major attraction, and it is about to be supplanted by the twiceas-big and more elaborate International Bluegrass Music Center. Look for it in 2017.

“Just as country music is tied to Nashville and jazz is tied to New Orleans, bluegrass is tied to Owensboro,” said Shannon Wetzel, executive director of Visit Owensboro.

Finding live bluegrass music is easy. There’s a huge three-day festival called ROMP every June, jam sessions crop up at various spots in town and Bluegrass on the Banks is a summertime Smothers Park mainstay. It’s also common to be at the bluegrass museum and have guests walk in behind you, open up their instrument cases and start picking.

Bluegrass music leads to barbecue, and Owensboro delivers that in a big way. Expect pulled pork and chicken, of course, but also try barbecue mutton, a western Kentucky specialty.

Fill your plate at famous places such as the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn and the Old Hickory Restaurant, and don’t overlook numerous smaller barbecue joints. Let the smoke be your guide.

Owensboro’s International Bar-B-Q Festival is a May tradition, and it leads into a summer-long series of church parish barbecue picnics. From May into September, there’s hardly a weekend without a parish picnic and the opportunity to truly eat local.

Bourbon rounds out the three Bs. A new distillery is preparing to open in Owensboro in a structure built as a distillery in 1885, and current tasting opportunities are abundant. Near the river are establishments such as Gambrinus Libation Emporium (it and CYO Brewing have great craft beer selections, too), and nearby is the Miller House, where a downstairs space called Spirits offers more than 350 bourbons.

What about that burgoo mentioned earlier? Burgoo is a hearty stew of chicken, mutton and vegetables that originated in pioneer days.

Every cook’s recipe is different.

“We have Broadway plays at RiverPark, we have a beautiful botanical garden, we have barbecue galore, we know how to throw a party – and we enjoy some spectacular sunsets on the river. We can entertain a couple, a famFountains at night.

Owensboro’s Festival Scene Something’s going on almost all the time. Here’s a sample.

International Bar-B-Que Festival – early May Parish picnics – May through September Bluegrass on the Banks – Twice-a-month bluegrass shows at Smothers Park Friday After 5 – Summertime Fridays, with music at five downtown venues Balloons Over the Garden – Hot-air balloons at the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden every June ROMP – A blowout bluegrass festival every June East Bridge Arts & Music Festival – An earlySeptember street fest

ily reunion or a busload of folks who want some new experiences. We were born ready for guests,” Wetzel said.

If You Go Owensboro is two hours southwest of Louisville, two hours northwest of Nashville and three hours east of St. Louis.

For more information, VisitOwensboro.com

Burgoo Stew

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Outdoor Adventures Await on Southwest Louisiana’s Waterways

By Megan Hartman

Launch into the Lacassine Pool to discover 16,000 acres of fresh water great for fishing, bird watching and photography.

Photo courtesy www.BrendaLafleur.com.

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Catch of the day. Photo courtesy www.monsoursphotography.net

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raveling along the Creole Nature Trail All- access for fishing, swimming, skiing, tubing or boating.

American Road in Southwest Louisiana near Lake There’s a great riverfront restaurant and bar, Charles, you encounter a world of timeless tran- Loggerheads, in Moss Bluff, Louisiana that’s located on the Calcasieu River with live music and the perfect sunquility.

The environment through prairie lands, wetlands, marshes and Gulf of Mexico beaches invites you to linger longer, breathe deeper and enjoy untamed wildlife. In the midst of hectic schedules, meetings and life, enjoying the waterways near the Creole Nature Trail relaxes me and helps me find balance.

Louisiana’s abundant bayous, rivers, lakes and wetlands provide unlimited fishing, boating and recreational opportunities. In fact, Louisiana has more surface water available (84%) than any other state. The Calcasieu River, in Southwest Louisiana/Lake Charles, is a major river system that flows to the Gulf of Mexico and reaches around Calcasieu Lake, locally known as “Big Lake.”

As the Calcasieu transitions from an upland sandy stream into a gorgeous cypress-lined river, fishermen catch bass, catfish, crappie and bream.

Photo courtesy www.

Plenty of boat launches along the river allow monsoursphotography.net Byways • 42

set setting for a romantic evening.

Following the river through the Saltwater Barrier toward the Calcasieu Ship Channel, you will find some of the best fishing waters along the Gulf Coast. Known for its trophy-sized speckled trout, Calcasieu Lake is a brackish lake measuring roughly 12 miles long by nine miles wide and about six feet deep. While on the ship channel or in the lake, be on the lookout for “Pinky,” an albino bottlenose dolphin often spotted by locals and charter fishing guides.

Create your own eco-tour while exploring the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, via kayak! Bring your own kayak or rent one in Lake Charles. http://www.visitlakecharles.org/outdooradventures/

Launch into the Lacassine Pool to discover 16,000 acres of a fresh water impoundment great for fishing, bird watching and photography. Expect to catch bass, bluegill or crappie.

Bayou Kayak Rentals, 2360 Lake Street in Lake Charles, features two hour, half day and full day kayak rentals that will get you out on the water. You’ll have access to Contraband Bayou, Little Bayou, plus beach access at L’Auberge Casino Resort and Golden Nugget Lake Charles. Each resort offers beach side dining and drink selections.

Along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, May to September is prime crabbing time! Stop at any one of the bridges crossing the canals or make a beeline to one of the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge locations

or to Rockefeller Refuge’s Price Lake Drive where you are sure to catch delicious blue crabs. Simply tie a thick string around a turkey neck for bait, toss it in the water and wait for a slight pull. Slowly pull the line in and have your dip net at the ready to scoop up your crab before he let’s go.

For more details on crabbing in Southwest Louisiana, check out the video “How to Catch a Crab” below.

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About the Author. Megan Hartman is Senior Marketing Manager for the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Photo courtesy www.LindseyJanies.com

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for the first time ever this season. Departures are available to passengers on both sides of the Niagara River from docks in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. and Lewiston, NY Dinner cruises depart from both the Canadian and American docks, while lunch, wine tasting and a special Sunday Captain’s Cruise are offered from the Canadian side only.

“The Niagara Belle offers a unique opportunity to take in the beautiful scenery along the Niagara River like Fort new Niagara boat tour allows passengers to soak Niagara, Fort George, General Brock’s Monument and up the beauty and history of the stunning Niagara the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge,” says John Kinney, River from the decks of a fully restored New President of Niagara Sunset Cruises and Whirlpool Jet Orleans-style paddle wheeler.

Boat Tours. “Whether it’s a dinner or wine tasting cruise, The Niagara Belle, which previously operated as a guests will get to taste and experience some of Niagara’s cruise boat in Toronto Harbour on Lake Ontario and in best offerings in one excursion.” the Upper Niagara River, has been given a new lease on The Niagara Belle takes visitors on a leisurely cruise life by Niagara Sunset Cruises, a sister company to down the Lower Niagara River, through Queenston and Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, to the mouth of Lake Ontario. The Niagara Sunset Cruises bought the boat in 2013 and ship can accommodate up to 80 people for a seated dingave it a complete overhaul, including more than $1 mil- ner and about 140 for cocktail cruises. lion in renovations.

Along with public cruises, Niagara Sunset Cruises After running private charter trips last summer, the also offers private and corporate charters on the Niagara Niagara Belle is offering cruises for the general public Belle in Canada and the U.S., which can be booked in

Cruise into the Sunset on the Niagara Belle

A

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g n i n e p p a H s ’ t Wha

advance for events such as birthday parties, banquets, by Class 5 whitewater while speeding along the Niagara fundraisers, team-building retreats or VIP events.

River in custom-built jet boats.

Thrill-seekers can also try the Whirlpool Jet Boat For more information on Niagara Sunset Cruises, Tours, which provides the exhilaration of getting soaked visit www.niagarasunsetcruises.com.

Utah’s Dinosaurland Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Dinosaur National Monument

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Visitors can also enjoy hiking, biking, mountain climbing and whitewater adventures at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah.

efore heading to the movie theater this summer to see the anticipated blockbuster Jurassic World, families can experience the real thing by vacationing at Utah's Dinosaurland and its acclaimed Dinosaur National Monument.

“Kids love learning about dinosaurs, especially at the Wall of Bones,” said Lesha Coltharp, director of tourism for Utah's Dinosaurland. “It's the best way to make a vacation both fun and educational.”

Dinosaur National Monument provides a rare glimpse into the past with nearly 1,500 exposed bones captured in their final resting place. The one-of-a-kind Wall of Bones measures 50 feet high and 200 feet long and features the remains of at least 100 intertwined dinosaurs.

“The recently renovated Quarry Exhibit Hall gives visitors an up-close experience with world-famous dinosaur skeletons,” said Sonya Popelka, the monument's interpretive operations supervisor. “A portion of the Wall of Bones is even open for a hands-on experience where you can touch the actual dinosaur bones.”

While the 210,000-acre monument is marking its centennial this year, the dinosaur fossils have been around just a bit longer, somewhere in the neighborhood of 149 million years. The 100-year celebration is seen as a kickstarter to the National Park Service's centennial milestone in 2016.

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“Dinosaur National Monument was established on October 4, 1915, and this season will be full of special events recognizing the Dinosaur Centennial throughout 2015,” said Monument Superintendent Mark Foust.

Foust said the monthly activities will focus on the various reasons why the monument remains an important place for scientists, history buffs, artists and adventure enthusiasts.

The Wall of Bones is just the beginning of the fossilfriendly attractions found in Utah's Dinosaurland. The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum features a Dinosaur Garden with life-size dinosaur replicas, and Red Fleet State Park is covered with hundreds of three-toed dinosaur tracks.

“Whether you're traveling with little ones or adventure-seeking teenagers, Dinoland has you covered,” Coltharp said. “From rafting to fishing, water is also a big part of the fun at our many reservoirs and rivers.”

Whitewater rafting through Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River has also become a popular must-do thrill for families seeking an unforgettable experience, and nearby Flaming Gorge Reservoir is known across the West for its excellent fishing.

Families can also hop in the car and do some dinosaur tracking along the Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Byway. The prehistoric journey travels along a 512-mile loop where motorists can see excavation sites, Native

Green River Canyon in Dinosaur National Monument. Photo courtesy Michael Rissi.

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American petroglyphs and sought-after wilderness areas like Canyonlands and Arches national parks.

Jurassic Period dinosaur quarries in the world at Dinosaur National Monument. Bucket-list destinations include the Wall of Bones and its 1,500 exposed dinosaur bones and About Dinosaurland: the Dinosaur Garden. From dinosaur bones and ancient Located just three hours east of Salt Lake City in Vernal, petroglyphs, to trophy fishing and epic road trips, Utah’s Dinosaurland is a hidden gem of adventure and dis- Dinosaurland provides something for everyone. To easily covery. The area is home to one of the most productive plan your trip, visit: www.dinoland.com.

Quarry Exhibit Hall is located over the world-famous “Wall of Bones” at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah.

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Q

Jefferson’s Poplar Forest

uiz: What is the name of the home Thomas Jefferson’s designed in Virginia? Monticello.

Right. But you might be surprised to learn Jefferson designed a second home in Virginia: Poplar Forest!

One of only two homes Thomas Jefferson designed for his personal use, the Poplar Forest retreat was the place where Jefferson “came to indulge in the life of the mind and renew his personal creativity.” Jefferson and his wife, Martha, inherited the Bedford County plantation known as Poplar Forest from her father in 1773. When his presidency ended in 1809, Jefferson visited the retreat three or four times a year, often staying for several months at a time during planting seasons.

Designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior, and nearly lost to development, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest plantation in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains was rescued in 1984 by a group of local citizens who sought to preserve it for the cultural and educational benefit of the public.

Poplar Forest was opened to the public for the first time in 1986, in its “before restoration” state. Today, the neoclassical architecture of the octagonal house has been returned to Mr. Jefferson’s design. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has recognized the meticulous research and restoration efforts with its highest award, and the plantation has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A visit to Poplar Forest offers a unique opportunity to observe a “live” 48 • Byways

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archaeological dig and historic restoration in progress, as efforts to reveal and restore Thomas Jefferson’s vision for his personal retreat continue.

Poplar Forest is open daily from March 16 through December 30 (closed on Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Admission includes a guided house tour and self-guided exploration of exhibits in the lower level of the house, the wing of offices, the ornamental grounds and the slave quarter site. Guided tours of the octagonal house begin at 10:00 am and run every half hour, with the last tour of the day beginning at 4:00 pm.

For more information about Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, visit poplarforest.org or call 434-5251806.

Byways photo

Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.

Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators plus selected travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptions are complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes and Newsstand in the App Store.

Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, and selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2015 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.

Editor and Publisher Stephen M. Kirchner

Advertising Director 502-785-4875

Internet: bywaysmagazine.com byways@motorcoach.com Byways on Facebook Byways on Twitter

Advertisers Index Bedford Welcome Center, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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Brenham/Washington County, Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

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Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Silverado Casino/Franklin Hotel, South Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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