Detours Magazine Summer 2012

Summer 2012 Vol. 16 No. 2 $3.99

Piecing It All Together

Festivals and shops celebrate city’s historic roots Gooey Greatness

Customers find delight in local specialty

A Trip to the Cosmos

Planetarium brings city stargazers indoors

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WINTER

SUMMER 2012 FIRST PLACE | SHOW YOUR SPIRIT “Midair” by Courtney Scanlan

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The theme for the Winter 2012 photo contest is Angles and Curves.

The contest is open to any and all kinds of photos. Entries must include the photographer’s name, address and telephone number as well as the location and title of the photo. We also encourage contestants to include a short caption.

The deadline for entries is October 5, 2012. The winning photo will be published in the Winter 2012 issue, and the winner will receive a free, two-year subscription to Detours.

The photo with the most “likes” on our Facebook page also will be published in the magazine, along with the other honorable mentions.

For full rules and regulations, visit www.detoursmagazine.com.

Submissions should be emailed to:

photo@detoursmagazine.com.

WINTER 2011 FIRST PLACE | ENERGY AND MOTION “The Train Bridge” by Paul Friz

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DETOURS STAFF

EDITOR

Jessica Scheetz

MANAGING EDITOR

Elizabeth Koch

PUBLICITY MANAGER

Jared D’souza

WRITERS

Dear Readers, Although many think of the Midwest as the quintessential flyover country, those of us who call it home know there always has been more to it. Hidden and little-known treasures lie tucked away in our cities and towns, all scattered throughout the Midwest’s rolling plains. For the past 15 years, Detours has brought these places to life, seeking to highlight notable places to visit in the region.

In this issue, begin by indulging in a St. Louis speciality at Park Avenue Coffee (pg. 6) and visiting Chester, Ill., to see its beloved claim to fame, Popeye the Sailor Man (pg. 10). If you have a love for music, don’t forget to stop by Vintage Vinyl, where shoppers can browse through its collection of more than 40,000 CDs and 30,000 records (pg. 44).

In Missouri, explore the unordinary by traveling to a tiger sanctuary in southern Missouri (pg. 26) and examining the Victorian era tradition of hair art at one of the only hair museums in the world (pg. 38). Then, visit Kaleidoscope to create art out of the leftover materials from Hallmark’s production processes in Kansas City, Mo (pg. 40).

Don’t forget to look at our new location finder to help pinpoint all of the stories showcased in this issue (pg. 50). Visit our website for web-exclusive content, including stories on places such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., and Oakland Mills Nature Center in Burlington, Iowa.

WEB CONTRIBUTORS

Caroline Hamera Jenna Hurty Elizabeth McBride Calli Price Burgundy Ramsey

COPY EDITORS

Chelsey Coffee Sarah Eblen Casey Henderson Jenna Hurty Tori Palumbo Katy Spence Brooke VanCleave

DESIGNERS

Chelsey Coffee Sarah Eblen Burgundy Ramsey Becca Reitz Carly Robison Rose Runser

ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY

Caroline Hamera Brad Krebs Jen Lesh Becca Reitz Alicia Stewart Gretchen Sun Taylor Wilson

Enjoy life’s detours,

Jessica Scheetz Editor-in-Chief

ON THE

COVER

WEBMASTER ADVISER

COVER PHOTO BY KARA GOODIER Decorative jars hang from the windows of Glass Workbench, a handcrafted stained glass and supplies store, in Old Town St. Charles (pg. 32).

Kathleen Barbosa Kara Goodier Scott Henson Lauren Kellett Elizabeth Koch Mia Pohlman Jessica Scheetz Katy Spence Brooke VanCleave Andi Watkins Davis

Detours Truman State University Barnett Media Center 100 E. Normal Kirksville, MO 63501 Phone: 660.785.7438 Fax: 660.785.7601 editor@detoursmagazine.com www.detoursmagazine.com

Patrick Gross James Cianciola

Detours is a copyrighted publication, produced biannually by the students of Truman State University. No material can be reproduced in any form without prior written consent of the Detours adviser and staff. The editor-in-chief is responsible for all decisions. Detours is distributed across the country, particularly in the tri-state area of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

Opinions expressed in Detours are not necessarily the views of the Detours staff.

Detours is not responsible for the full cost of an advertisement if an error occurs.

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SUMMER 2012

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

cont 46

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06

06 10 12

GOOEY GREATNESS

18 22 26 32 34 38 40 44 46 47 50

TOP 10 OF THE LAST 10

Customers find delight in local specialty

SAILOR MAN SPIRIT

ents Residents create trail to honor hometown icon

A TRIP TO THE COSMOS Planetarium brings city stargazers indoors

Staff and readers’ favorites from the past 10 issues

LANDING STRIP OF A LEGEND

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Museum commemorates local hero’s legacy

PROTECTING THE STRIPES Tiger sanctuary provides education through preservation

PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER Festivals and shops celebrate city’s historic roots

SHOW YOUR SPIRIT Photo contest winners

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WOVEN THROUGH TIME Traditional hair art inspires foundation for museum

GREETING SCRAPS Hallmark uses leftover materials to shape children’s creativity

OFF THE RECORD St. Louis music store preserves classic medium

WHAT DRIVES US Columnist discovers an unexpected connection

CALENDAR Upcoming events in the tri-state area

STORY LOCATION FINDER Tri-state map highlighting locations in this issue and online

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DETOURS | PARK AVENUE

gooey G R E AT N E S S

CUSTOMERS FIND DELIGHT IN LOCAL SPECIALTY STORY AND PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH KOCH

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Being surrounded by honks, traffic jams and people rushing past each other trying to get to work on time can seem chaotic. However, stepping off of the North 10th Street sidewalk into Park Avenue Coffee in downtown St. Louis can provide a pleasant escape. This warmly colored coffee shop not only features local coffee and homemade baked goods but also a St. Louis-exclusive treat.

Tasting the dense yellow cake-like crust stacked with cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar sprinkled on top is a treat with which many St. Louisans are familiar. This creamy dessert, gooey butter cake, is just one aspect for which the city is noted, and Park Avenue Coffee makes this rich, sweet tradition its specialty.

PARK AVENUE HISTORY

OPPOSITE: Park Avenue Coffee’s downtown location on North 10th Street has a full-window storefront, and tables and chairs are positioned along the sidewalk.

Visitors can watch busy happenings as they drink and eat inside the shop.

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In 2004, an old catering company in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of St. Louis closed in the middle of the night, leaving everything behind — even food. Dale Schotte, Park Avenue Coffee owner, had a friend who later decided to turn the vacant building into a coffee shop. Schotte, a computer network engineer at the time, agreed to help his friend with this new business endeavor by setting up the sales system and wireless Internet. As time passed, Schotte got more involved, even as much as helping to choose the shop’s color scheme. “[My friend] turned it around to just be an absolute beautiful building with all granite, new hardwood floors,” Schotte said. “I really kind of fell in love with the place just working there as a computer guy.”

He said he mentioned to his friend that if she ever wanted to sell the place, she should let him know. Two years later, Schotte received a phone call asking if he wanted to buy the business. He took a few days to think about it, ultimately deciding the timing wasn’t right. Coincidentally, Schotte’s sister, Marilyn Scull, called

him that same day to say she had left her job of 20 years.

Schotte asked her if she would like to run a coffee shop, and she agreed to the idea.

The shop’s business began to increase, making it difficult for Scull to handle the shop by herself, so Schotte stepped in to help. He assumed ownership of the Lafayette Square business July 31, 2006, and Park Avenue opened the next day. Schotte continued working as a computer engineer while running the shop until the following year.

GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Schotte and Scull began baking their mother’s gooey butter cake recipe in the Lafayette Square location when it opened.

A customer mentioned a local grocery store added apples to its gooey butter cake around the holiday season and wanted to know if Park Avenue could do the same. This led to a snowball effect of inventing new types. Now, Park Avenue has 76 flavors of gooey butter cake.

With this influx of flavors, Schotte and Scull were forced to move from the Park Avenue kitchen to a location with more space to meet the high demand. They opened a baking company using their middle names, Ann and Allen. Ann & Allen Baking Company is located in the Dogtown neighborhood of St. Louis with a staff of seven, including Scull, who bakes gooey butter cake six days a week. New cakes are delivered to the shops each day because cakes are never frozen and saved.

“We crack every egg by hand, and we buy as much local as we possibly can,” he said. “If you start out with fresh ingredients,

you end up with the best product.”

Some of the most popular flavors are “Mom’s Traditional,” triple chocolate, white chocolate raspberry, turtle, chocolate chip cookie dough and white chocolate blueberry.

Schotte and Scull proved how delicious their mother’s gooey butter cake recipe was when it was showcased in December 2010 on Food Network’s “Food Feuds,” which features regional specialties such as Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, Maryland crab cakes and New York cheesecake.

“Food Feuds” wanted to come to St. Louis to determine which business made the best gooey butter cake. Ann & Allen challenged Gooey Louie’s, where multiple gooey butter cake flavors also are sold. Each venue submitted its traditional cake and a wildcard flavor.

“Our wildcard flavor was pumpkin caramel pecan, which is a house-made caramel sauce that’s on top of our crust and then pan-roasted pecans and then pumpkin gooey butter cake filling on top of that,” Schotte said.

Ann & Allen received the title of the best gooey butter cake in St. Louis, and the word spread not only through the city but around the world, Schotte said.

Ann & Allen’s gooey butter cakes are shipped to places as far away as Korea, Kuwait and New Zealand. In 2011, around 40,000 gooey butter cakes were sold, including local supermarket and restaurant sales. He said once people try it, many of them are hooked on the sweet flavor.

“It’s just something different, something new, something they’ve never tried,” Schotte said.

Park Avenue features Ann & Allen’s 76 gooey butter cake flavors, including “Mom’s Traditional,” which is a customer favorite, said Dale Schotte, Park Avenue Coffee owner.

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DETOURS | PARK AVENUE

DOWNTOWN LOCATION

Five years after opening Park Avenue in Lafayette Square, Schotte said it made sense to add a downtown location. The North 10th Street location opened in March 2011.

“I thought downtown was a good market — it was underserved for what we do,” Schotte said. “There’s a lot of coffee establishments downtown, [but] a lot of them are in office lobbies … [and] hotel lobbies. But there’s not really any coffeehouse where you come in and just relax and chill.”

He said Park Avenue is different from other coffee shops because meals are not sold, so there is no lunch or breakfast rush people need to avoid. The environment at Park Avenue is more relaxed and comfortable, and it is a place where people can hang out with friends and not have to worry about giving up a table, Schotte said. He also said after being featured on Food Network, a downtown location would make it easier for gooey-butter-cakeseeking tourists to find the business.

EXPERIENCE

Antonio Rodriguez, downtown Park Avenue barista, said the shop is never dull with customers always coming and going.

Rodriguez said his days at Park Avenue consist of coffee, lattes and lots of baking, whether it’s scones, muffins or bagels.

“It’s fun because you get to meet people,” Rodriguez said. “It’s very customer service-oriented. It’s all about talking to people and getting to know them, and getting to know the regulars is a lot of fun.”

He said the North 10th Street shop provides Park Avenue with a diverse clientele group because of its location. Customers include

all different types of people, from corporate lawyers to tourists.

Rodriguez said Park Avenue’s coffee stands out because it comes from Chauvin Coffee, a fourth generation St. Louis-based roaster that has been in business since 1930. Chauvin is a direct trade company, meaning it is in direct contact with the coffee plantations, and employees travel to the plantations to determine which coffee they want imported to St. Louis.

Park Avenue baristas know the regular customers’ names and deliver coffee to customers’ tables when it’s not too crowded, Rodriguez said, which is more personal than just yelling out a name like other coffee shops often do.

He said one of the first challenges he faced when he began working at Park Avenue was waking up early and chatting cheerfully with customers. Now, Rodriguez takes pride in knowing he can brighten someone’s day early in the morning, he said.

“One of our customers put it, ‘Baristas are day makers,’” Rodriguez said. “‘Often you’re the first person outside of someone’s family that they see in the morning.’ We’re like the morning bartenders. … It’s good to know you can affect someone’s day.”

Loyal customer Warren Sullivan said he agrees, attributing the diverse staff and cozy ambience as the reasons he and his wife have visited the downtown Park Avenue almost every morning since it opened.

Although people are sometimes caught up in the hustle and bustle of downtown St. Louis, many make a point to stop in at Park Avenue to feel at home, whether it’s to enjoy the atmosphere, grab a cup of coffee or sample a piece of the best gooey butter cake in town.

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SUMMER 2012

Customer Warren Sullivan always orders a medium-strength coffee at Park Avenue. Sullivan and his wife, Louise, have been coming to the downtown location nearly every morning since it opened in March 2011.

n a M r o l i a S t i r i p S RESIDENTS CREATE TRAIL TO HONOR HOMETOWN ICON STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIA POHLMAN

SUMMER 2012

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Popeye the Sailor Man’s iconic laugh might make people around the world crave spinach and search for the hero of hopeless situations. However, for the people of Chester, Ill., this laugh is their beloved claim to fame.

Popeye creator Elzie Segar was born in Chester, the “Home of Popeye,” on Dec. 8, 1894. At the age of 12, he began working as a projectionist in the local Opera House. While rewinding films, he projected caricatures he had painted of local townspeople onto the movie screen.

Three Popeye characters — Popeye, Olive Oyl and Wimpy — were based on local Chester residents. Popeye was based on Frank “Rocky” Fiegel, and Olive Oyl was based on Dora Paskel, local general store proprietor. The inspiration for hamburger-loving Wimpy was J. William Schuchert, Opera House owner and operator.

As a young man, Segar took a mail-order cartooning course Schuchert funded before moving to Chicago to make a living as a cartoonist. In 1919, he created the cartoon strip entitled “Thimble Theatre,” starring Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girlfriend, and

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her family. Although originally intended to make only one or two appearances, Popeye was introduced to the cartoon strip in 1929 and soon became the main character.

To commemorate the sailor man who always had a can of spinach handy, a Popeye statue was erected in 1977 at the Chester Welcome Center. In 2006, a statue of Wimpy was added with plans to add a new granite statue every year until all 21 cartoon strip characters are part of the character trail. Currently, seven character statues, including Olive Oyl, Bluto and Sea Hag, can be viewed at various places around town, such as in front of the hospital, the city gazebo and the library.

Linda Sympson, Chester Chamber of Commerce executive director, said Popeye fans from all around the world have come to Chester to visit the character trail, even as far away as England, Vietnam and some African countries. It takes around 30 minutes to walk the trail, and afterwards, fans can relax at Segar Park, dedicated to the man who started it all.

Sympson, who has lived in Chester all her life, said her favorite Popeye character is Brutus.

DETOURS | POPEYE

POPEYE FACTS • The Popeye statue in front of the Chester Welcome Center cost $10,000 to build in 1977.

• Each new granite statue costs around $40,000 to build.

• Some statues are of only one character, while others include multiple characters, such as the statue featuring Olive Oyl, Swee’ Pea and Eugene the Jeep.

A wooden Olive Oyl statue points to part of the Brooks’ collection inside Spinach Can Collectibles. The museum and store are housed in the original Opera House where Segar began cartooning.

• Bluto and Brutus are two different characters. Brutus was created in 1960 because of a mix-up as to who owned the rights to Bluto. A new character, Brutus, was created. Bluto is a slob, whereas Brutus is muscular and two heads taller than Popeye.

• Besides the cartoon strips, multiple television series and a movie have been made about Popeye and his adventures.

“He’s just cool,” she said. “He looks like a real evil, evil mean guy who actually was not. He’s somebody that as a kid I always liked.”

During the first weekend after Labor Day, Chester hosts the annual Popeye Picnic, which is dedicated to Popeye-themed festivities. During this three-day event, there are carnival rides, talent shows, fireworks and a parade.

“Ladies dress up like Olive Oyl,” Sympson said. “There’s a man who comes from Toronto who looks exactly like Popeye.”

For two Chester residents, Popeye is a passion they moved to Chester to pursue. Mike and Debbie Brooks run Spinach Can Collectibles, a Popeye museum and store. When they met as teenagers and realized they both were Popeye fans, they began dating and later married. Collecting Popeye memorabilia began as a joke that soon became a full-time interest. In 1994, they moved to Chester from Memphis, Tenn., to open the memorabilia shop in the very Opera House where Segar started cartooning.

The Brooks’s extensive collection featured in the museum includes everything from Popeye dolls and telephones to Popeye

board games and bingo markers. A special case displays Popeye collectibles from other countries.

“I always tell people if they can eat it like Popeye [by squeezing spinach out of the can], they get it free,” said Mike, while pointing to Popeye-brand spinach cans stacked up in front of the cash register.

Mike and Debbie lead the only Popeye fan club, which currently includes about 2,000 members, some of whom live as far away as Australia. Members in the fan club receive a Popeye magazine, which Mike writes and produces.

Mike said Popeye won the people’s hearts and became so popular because his debut occurred during the Great Depression.

“People needed a hero,” Mike said. “Popeye’s attitude was that he didn’t care what people thought of him. [Popeye always said,] ‘I yam what I yam.’”

“That’s me,” Debbie said. “I yam what I yam.”

It is this very Popeye spirit Chester embraces through the character trail and museum that captures the hearts of thousands of Popeye fans visiting the town each year.

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The latest addition to the character trail is the statue of Cole Oyl located outside the Chester Public Library. The statue scheduled to be added to the character trail in 2012 is Poopdeck Pappy.

C SM S PLANETARIUM BRINGS CITY STARGAZERS INDOORS

SUMMER 2012

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HENSON

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DETOURS | PLANETARIUM

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Every star in the firmament is visible and twinkling above a handful of scattered observers. A few of them lounge on their backs to take in the spectacle, while others in chairs crane their necks to find Mars or Orion the Hunter. All of the visitors have one thing in common, though — they are witnessing all of it indoors.

Attached to the St. Louis Science Center’s main building by a bridge crossing Interstate 64, the James S. McDonnell Planetarium resides in the southeast corner of St. Louis’s Forest Park. As the premier planetarium in St. Louis, it offers a celestial haven from the surrounding city’s relatively starless night sky.

Planetarium Associate Director David Ritchey said peering into the universe without the interference of light pollution, or artificial light that decreases star visibility, is what makes the McDonnell Planetarium a vital service for St. Louis.

“For kids in the city, who think that the night sky has 15 stars because that’s all they can see … when you kill the lights and bring up the stars, they’re overwhelmed,” Ritchey said.

The McDonnell Planetarium features a nearly 80-foot dome, serving as the largest cosmic projection screen in North America. Its fiber-optic star-field projector, the Carl Zeiss Model IX Universarium, is one of four in North America. It has the rare ability to make its stars twinkle,

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SUMMER 2012

ABOVE: The Carl Zeiss Model IX Universarium, one of four in North America, projects a few stars onto the planetarium’s dome. Meanwhile, another projector displays footage of astronauts working in the International Space Station.

SUMMER 2012

The planetarium building in Forest Park features an iconic hyperboloid structure many visitors associate with St. Louis.

which can be the source of both awe and some confusion among patrons, Ritchey said.

“We’ve had people come up to us and say, ‘How do you do this during the daytime?’” he said. “They think it’s the real night sky.”

Planetarium Director John Lakey said while there are a few chairs underneath the dome, the McDonnell Planetarium is unlike many other national planetariums because there is no permanent seating bolted into its floors. While the staff sets out a few chairs for those wishing to sit, many visitors prefer to view the show on their backs, he said.

McDonnell’s space shows aren’t productions visitors can find anywhere else, Ritchey said. Each is written, produced and computer animated in-house. Instead of merely presenting pre-recorded shows, however, the McDonnell Planetarium also features interactive live shows that give visitors a preview of the night sky as well as a handful of other surprises.

“We can rotate the sky, set it for 10,000 years in the future or 10,000 years in the past,” Ritchey said. “We even have the ability to project comets and meteor showers and things like that.”

Zeiss Universarium Projectionist Bill Kelly has worked at the McDonnell Planetarium since the projector arrived there

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in 2001. He had worked previously in the Planetarium’s box office, but once he heard about an opportunity to control the new machine, he said he jumped at the chance.

“I’d always been interested in astronomy as a kid,” Kelly said. “When I saw they were looking for people to help out with the new planetarium, I was really excited.”

Manning the projector’s controls while simultaneously pointing out features of the night sky to audience members during live shows isn’t a task for amateurs, he said. It requires ongoing professional development through the Planetarium’s staff as well as attending workshops in cosmology, astronomy and informal science education. He said all of this acquired knowledge allows all of the projection operators to have creative control of their live shows.

“We talk about similar topics, but maybe one of us is more interested in the planets, and they’ll focus their talk about what planets are up that night, and others might be more interested in deep sky objects like nebulae,” Kelly said.

The Planetarium’s space shows aren’t the only attractions under its dome, however. On the Planetarium’s lower level are several miniature airplane exhibits provided by the McDonnell Douglas and Boeing corporations; two space capsules from the

DETOURS | PLANETARIUM

kids in the city, ... when “youFor kill the lights and bring up the stars, they’re overwhelmed.

”

DAVID RITCHEY PLANETARIUM ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

A retired Blue Angels F/A-18B Hornet’s nose points at the McDonnell planetarium. It was installed in 2011.

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early space program; and displays of retro pop-culture items, like space-themed children’s toys from the 1960s.

A spaceship-like elevator, complete with blinking lights and video monitors playing shuttle takeoffs, brings visitors to the second floor where the projector and dome are located. Surrounding the dome itself are two levels of exhibits designed to offer a glimpse into the lives of astronauts working in the International Space Station. Here, visitors can check out how astronauts shower, exercise and use the restroom.

Perched on a space station training bike next to his son, Hank McNally, of St. Louis, said he regularly brings his son Elijah to the Planetarium for some stargazing instruction.

“Hopefully, I’ll take him back up to the farm up in Bowling Green, [Mo.,] that a friend of mine has, so he can actually see the Milky Way for himself,” McNally said.

The McDonnell Planetarium has had a long history of educating visitors, like Elijah, about the stars. Built by the City of St. Louis in 1963, the Planetarium pre-dates the Science Center of which it currently is a part. Lakey said, at the time, the Planetarium’s debut was part of a national trend of planetarium openings — a reaction to the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957. Then, the Planetarium’s dome was 60

SUMMER 2012

Display cases on the planetarium’s main floor contain miniature airplanes, helicopters and spacecraft, which the McDonnell Douglas and Boeing corporations donated.

feet in diameter, and most of the shows’ special effects were created using hand-built slide projectors.

The building’s design, featuring a white roof resembling a flattened nuclear cooling tower, was the work of architect Gyo Obata, who was inspired by the mathematical principle known as the hyperbola of rotation. It has since become an iconic piece of architecture in St. Louis, Lakey said.

“Ever since it was built in ’63 … everyone who’s come through Forest Park knows the shape of the building,” he said.

While interest in the U.S. space program was a growing fad in the ’60s and ’70s, Lakey said by the following decade, the public’s fascination with space began to wane. Because of this lack of interest, the City closed the Planetarium in 1982, Lakey said. However, when the Academy of Science-St. Louis sought to establish the St. Louis Science Center a year later, it bought the building

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from the City for $1.

The McDonnell Planetarium then reopened as the St. Louis Science Center in 1985, housing a range of exhibits that represented multiple scientific endeavors, including biology, geology, chemistry and anthropology. These surrounded the Planetarium’s viewing chamber, renamed the “Star Theater,” until the Science Center received its own building directly across I-64 from the Planetarium in 1991.

After that, the building once again became devoted strictly to space and aviation education.

It’s education of this nature, Ritchey said, that has been the Planetarium’s most important function throughout the years.

“To have this opportunity here, it allows [the public] the ability to truly appreciate the beauty and wonder of the night sky, and it’s our role to get them involved,” Ritchey said.

SUMMER CONSTELLATION GUIDE Lynx Camelopardalis Cepheus Ursa Minor Cygnus

Pegasus

Ursa Major Hercules

Equuleus

Leo

Delphinus

Coma Berenices Sagitta

Corona Borealis Virgo

Capricornus Scutum

Libra

Corvus

Lupus Sagittarius

Camelopardalis Capricornus Cepheus Coma Berenices Corona Borealis Corvus Cygnus

The Giraffe The Goat-Fish A King of Ethiopia Berenice’s Hair The Northern Crown The Crow The Swan

Delphinus Equuleus Hercules Leo Libra Lupus Lynx

The Dolphin The Little Horse The Kneeler The Smaller Lion The Scales The Wolf The Lynx

Pegasus Sagitta Sagittarius Scutum Ursa Major Ursa Minor Virgo

The Flying Horse The Arrow The Archer The Shield The Great Bear The Lesser Bear The Virgin

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LAUMEIER SCULPTURE PARK St. Louis, Mo. Walled by trees, flowers, rolling grass and sky, Laumeier Sculpture Park sprawls across 105 acres, allowing each of its pieces to be showcased in a gallery of its own. Since few maps are located throughout the park, visitors can roam freely. One way the park phases out older works is by allowing nature to run its course through weathering.

WRIGLEY FIELD Chicago, Ill.

SUMMER 2012

Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill., and Cubs fans have seen great players such as Sammy Sosa, Ernie Banks and Ryne Sandberg throughout the field’s existence. Considered one of the oldest baseball stadiums in the world, its ivy-covered brick outfield wall and the main entrance’s iconic red marquee are just a few of its well-known trademarks. Fans can see much of the Chicago skyline from their seats and, directly behind right field, Lake Michigan.

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of the

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TOP

1

LAST

Throughout the years, Detours writers have featured a variety of attractions in the tri-state area and beyond, including states such as Connecticut, Kansas and Nebraska.

To honor those mentioned, Detours asked its readers and staff to select the top 10 locations showcased in the past 10 issues, beginning with the Winter 2007 issue and ending with Winter 2011.

TOWN’S GERMAN HISTORY Maeystown, Ill. Founded by German immigrants in 1852, Maeystown features 60 historical buildings throughout the village, including the stone St. John United Church of Christ and the Corner George Inn. The town is listed on the state registry of historical sites and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.

WHITE SQUIRRELS Olney, Ill. Although several towns across the United States are home to white squirrels, Olney, Ill., residents claim the town is the original “Home of the White Squirrels.” For three consecutive Saturdays every October, Olney residents hold an annual squirrel count.

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DETOURS | TOP 10

RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT Branson, Mo. Robert Leroy Ripley started traveling around the world at age 24, gradually collecting artifacts along the way. Four years later, he began writing a column for the New York Globe about facts and feats, prompting the famous question: “Believe it or not?” When Ripley died, his artifacts were left behind to various museums, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Branson, Mo.

CROWN CANDY St. Louis, Mo. Crown Candy in St. Louis is known for its two homemade specialties — ice cream and candy. In addition to the homemade chocolate, the store offers an extensive candy selection, including treats such as licorice, gummy bears and jawbreakers. Crown Candy also offers tubs of its homemade ice cream to go, and candies are sold by the pound.

SKYVIEW DRIVE-IN

SUMMER 2012

Belleville, Ill. Since the late 1940s, Skyview Drive-In has been a fixture of Belleville, Ill., a town 30 minutes outside St. Louis. It has remained largely untouched in its 60 years of operation, including the brightly lit neon “Skyview Drive-In” sign outside the entrance and the concession stand.

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DETOURS | TOP 10

CITY OF FOUNTAINS Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City is known by many names — home of the Royals, Chiefs and barbecue.

With almost 300 fountains dotting its sidewalks, streets and gardens, it also is known as the city of fountains, falling shortly behind Rome, Italy. The city’s collection began in the 19th century out of necessity when drinking troughs were needed for horses and other animals.

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL St. Louis, Mo. For one month each spring, a temporary stage in Forest Park fills with elaborately dressed characters for St. Louis’s annual Shakespeare Festival. The idea began in 1997 when there was a desire to perform professional Shakespeare theater outdoors for a diverse audience, free of charge.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD During the early 19th century, Alton, Ill., became one of the main stopping points for slaves on the run in the Midwest. There were seven different underground railroad lines at any given time throughout the city, including stops in Enos Apartments, the Union Baptist Church, the Old Rock House and former-senator Lyman Trumbulll’s house.

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Alton, Ill.

MUSEUM COMMEMORATES LOCAL HERO’S LEGACY STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN BARBOSA

DETOURS | EARHART

family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, because her father lost his job.

After her grandparents died, the house remained privately owned until 1984. The Ninety-Nines, a women’s aviation group, then approached Atchison physician Eugene Bribach about purchasing the house because of his interest in history and his personal wealth, Foudray said. Bribach agreed to buy the house for the group if the women helped to turn it into a museum. After some minor structural repairs, the museum later opened in 1984.

Major house restorations began in 1996, such as restoring the grain of the woodwork and replacing the carpet and wallpaper to reflect the time period.

“Before the restoration, there were dull gray carpets on the floor, and the woodwork was white,” Foudray said. “It didn’t look as Victorian as it needed to be, so we refinished the floors, replaced the lights and restained the woodwork dark. It just turned out very nice, and people are very impressed when they come here because the restoration was such a success.”

Now, visitors can see Earhart’s birth room in its

ABOVE: This is the closest replica to Earhart’s Lockheed Model 10 Electra, the plane she was flying when she disappeared. Earhart was on her way to Howland Island as part of her attempt to fly around the world.

LEFT: Amelia Earhart’s birth home was constructed in 1861. The front yard is where Earhart showed an early interest in adventure, museum manager Jan Coyle said.

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A

Amelia Earhart was born in a Victorian house on the edge of a bluff beside the Missouri River. Built in 1861, this white two-story house in Atchison, Kan., still stands more than a century later, allowing visitors at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum to open the front door and see where the life of this iconic woman began. Walking through the halls lined with pictures of Earhart, seeing replica planes suspended as if they were flying and placing a hand on Earhart’s handprint can leave visitors feeling like they know Earhart not only as a pilot but also as a person.

When Earhart’s mother, Amy Otis Earhart, became pregnant, she went to stay with her parents in Atchison because of previous pregnancy complications. Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, in a second-story bedroom in her grandparent’s home.

As a child, Earhart’s parents wanted her to have an education, so they sent her to Atchison College Preparatory Academy, said Louise Foudray, museum resident caretaker and adviser. Earhart lived with her grandparents during the school term instead of with her parents in Kansas City, Kan. When Earhart was 10, her

Earhart’s birth room features a spool bed covered with time-period quilts along with the scarves and luggage Earhart designed. The wall separating this room and the adjoining room were destroyed while the house was owned privately after Earhart’s grandparents died.

the museum is really “greatI think because it shows people she was interested in more than flying and shows her as a total person.

”

SUMMER 2012

JAN COYLE MUSEUM MANAGER

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restored form, replicating the time period as closely as possible. The room features a spool bed similar to the one in which she was born and quilts from the same era.

Across the hall is Earhart’s childhood bedroom, containing her original dresser with an inscription from her grandmother on the back. In the corner hangs a replica of the dress Earhart designed and wore in a parade in 1935 — the last time she was in Atchison. Museum manager Jan Coyle said these two items, the dress and Earhart’s dresser, are some of her favorite artifacts because they both are related closely to Earhart.

Coyle said Earhart showed an early interest in adventure in the home’s front yard. Although the fence Earhart used to crawl under to play baseball now is gone and erosion has worn away the caves where Earhart used to explore, visitors still can see the front yard where Earhart built a roller coaster-inspired ramp.

“The roller coaster, shed roof and the big window in her room are where I think she got the thought she wanted to fly,” said Foudray, museum resident caretaker and adviser.

Coyle said employees strive to give visitors a taste of Earhart’s sense of adventure and a better picture of who she was. Items like her childhood bathing suit and pictures of her

DETOURS | EARHART

and a birthday cake. In addition, to honor Earhart’s legacy of breaking barriers, the town awards one woman with the Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award.

Of all her accomplishments, Earhart primarily is known for her career as a pilot. The museum has a large painting on the second floor of Earhart with her first plane, the Kinner Canary. Earhart bought the bright yellow plane with the money her mother, Amy, earned from selling Earhart’s birth home.

Visitors can see replicas of two of Earhart’s planes, the Lockheed Vega 5B and the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, hanging in the museum. The red Vega is the plane in which she broke most of her records, and the Electra is the plane Earhart was flying when she disappeared. Earhart disappeared July 2, 1937, at the age of 39 on her way to Howland Island as part of her attempt to fly around the world.

Despite her disappearance, Pregont said the town of Atchison and the museum continue to keep Earhart’s spirit alive by preserving the inspiration she still gives to people.

“We get so many people who have young girls that are supposed to do a report on a female inspiration,” Pregont said. “Amelia was a fantastic role model.”

Guests start their tour of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in the parlor room and walk into the open sitting room. This space features the original red furniture that was in the house during Earhart’s childhood.

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as a nurse and as a counselor who taught English as a second language display Earhart’s varying interests.

“I think the museum is really great because it shows people she was interested in more than flying and shows her as a total person,” Coyle said.

Earhart endorsed products, designed clothing and luggage, and worked for Purdue University as an aeronautical engineer to promote women in aviation. The museum has scarves, a dress and a set of luggage she designed.

Jacque Pregont, Atchison native and museum visitor, said having the museum in her hometown means she has a personal connection to Earhart.

“There is no better way to experience history,” Pregont said. “[Her] story is in there, and Amelia’s house is our piece of history.”

Pregont said events like the Amelia Earhart Festival bring a sense of pride to the town and keep Earhart’s memory alive. The festival began in 1997 to celebrate what would have been Earhart’s 100th birthday and has continued each year since. On the third weekend of July, the town is flooded with nearly 50,000 people. The celebration includes fireworks

PROTECTING THE

TIGER SANCTUARY PROVIDES EDUCATION THROUGH PRESERVATION STORY AND PHOTOS BY JESSICA SCHEETZ

I SUMMER 2012

It’s just another day at work for Judy McGee. She smiles as she grabs the blue, plastic bucket filled with raw pork, chicken and beef. Being within a foot of a tiger can be terrifying for some, but for McGee, one of the founders of the National Tiger Sanctuary in Saddlebrooke, Mo., it’s part of her job description.

McGee said she and co-founder Keith Kinkade were introduced to the business when they began working for a tiger sanctuary in Arkansas. In May 2001, shortly after acquiring eight tigers the Department of Agriculture had confiscated from a circus breeder, the sanctuary discovered one of the females was pregnant with five cubs.

Because female tigers typically have litters of only

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two to three tiger cubs at a time, she started showing signs of stress, which, McGee said, usually lead toward the mother killing her young. Because of this, McGee said she and Kinkade decided to leave Arkansas and start a sanctuary of their own with the five cubs.

“Because we had volunteered at a number of sanctuaries to try to help, we discovered they weren’t operating the way that we thought it should be done,” McGee said. “We realized probably the only way to get that done was to do it ourselves, so we gave up what we were doing and started.”

McGee said she partnered with DePaul University in Chicago after leaving the Arkansas sanctuary. The university allowed McGee and Kinkade to use the land

OPPOSITE: T.J. is one of the sanctuary’s five initial tigers. Unlike the typical black stripes found on most tigers, white tigers have brown stripes, a result of a mutation that occurs naturally in one in every 10,000 Bengal tiger births.

DETOURS | TIGERS

Tiger Bio:

TINA

Tina has had a long life. A private individual owned her and another male tiger named Ike. After an incident with Ike at the owner’s home, they both were given away to a sanctuary in Texas. The sanctuary in turn donated both Ike and Tina to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas in 2003. Ike passed away, and Tina was left alone. After numerous tigers were confiscated and brought to the zoo, the zoo no longer could afford to keep all the tigers it had. Tina came to live at the National Tiger Sanctuary on Aug. 14, 2011. Unfortunately, she is declawed on all four paws and is missing part of her tail from an African wild dog or a lion attack. She was spayed prior to her time with the sanctuary. She is adjusting very well and loves to talk to people.

SUMMER 2012

*According to www.nationaltigersanctuary.org

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it owned 40 miles north of Cape Girardeau, Mo., to raise the cubs.

After the adoption of the first five tigers, McGee said the sanctuary continued to grow, eventually encompassing the 14 cats that now call the National Tiger Sanctuary home. Although tigers are the sanctuary’s primary mission, three other cats — a mountain lion, a black leopard and an African lion — live there as well.

“I think what we’ve tried to do is make these tigers as happy and comfortable as they can be for being in captivity,” McGee said.

“We’ve made them pretty much equal to people.”

McGee said visitors often have similar misconceptions — they think all tigers are the same. She said that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“They’re as individual as people are,” McGee said. “They need someone to relate their problems to the public, and that’s what we try to do here.”

The sanctuary offers three types of tours: the 45-minute Awareness Tour, which allows visitors to learn about the cats and their histories; the Feeding Tour, which allows visitors to shadow the sanctuary’s caretakers as they feed the animals; and the Behind the Scenes Tour, which allows guests to assist in preparing the food and feeding the animals.

As visitors begin their tour, McGee and the sanctuary’s volunteers inform them of the many problems facing tigers today, including a wild population that has dwindled to less than 3,500.

She said cultural obsessions, such as those associated with white tigers, have led to the virtual extinction of some purebred tiger

DETOURS | TIGERS

Lion Bio:

MERLIN Merlin was a show cat at the Kirby VanBurch Magic Show in Branson, Mo. When VanBurch and the trainers realized Merlin did not like performing, they decided to find him a place to live comfortably. Kirby and his manager visited the National Tiger Sanctuary and thought it would be the perfect place for him to live. When Merlin arrived, he was a bit nervous because he never had lived outside. He had to get accustomed to the great outdoors. It was difficult at first, but he now loves his open space and likes to sit in the warm rain. *According to www.nationaltigersanctuary.org

They need someone to “relate their problems to

the public, and that’s what we try to do here.

”

JUDY MCGEE CO-FOUNDER

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species. Initially, this fascination came from the desire to view them at magic shows, zoos and elsewhere. Although the cause for the white tiger’s coat occurs naturally in one in every 10,000 Bengal tiger births, McGee said those left are the result of excessive inbreeding and crossbreeding between two tiger subspecies, Bengal and Siberian.

Unless humans learn to relate better to tigers, she said it is possible the species could become extinct — both in captivity and in the wild.

“These tigers are the ambassadors,” McGee said. “They’re the ones dealing with the public and, really, the end result is that it’s going to be the public that’s going to change their lives for the better.”

Visitors can get as close as three feet away from the cats, an aspect, McGee said, that many tourists can’t find anywhere else.

“We try to draw a personal relationship between people and the cats,” she said. “We give them more compassion, awareness and understanding of the true plight of what’s going on.”

Steve Wieczor, National Tiger Sanctuary volunteer, said the sanctuary advocates against breeding tigers for profit, primarily because it only would contribute to the problems the sanctuary is trying to eliminate.

He said the sanctuary is one of the few USDA-approved facilities where the public can feed the animals. Interactions such as these allow the public to see the animals in a different light, since visitors can hear a bone crack in half as the cats eat.

“One of the nice things here is that this isn’t like your regular attraction,” Wieczor said. “Virtually every person leaves here and

Tiger Bio:

DEE

The USDA confiscated Dee’s parents from a circus owner in May 2001.

Because of the stress of the move, Dee’s mother was mentally unable to take care of the cubs. Keith Kinkade and Judy McGee became her caretakers in July 2001. Since Dee was the strongest and healthiest of the cubs, she matured faster than her brothers and was the first to run and play. She slept on blankets and played with stuffed animals and never destroyed any of them. When she was a year old, she taught herself to blow bubbles in her pool. When she turned 18 months old, she no longer wanted to play with her brothers. Dee would sit in her house and cry, so she got her own room, and she kept it spotless. To this day, she will lick anything that seems dirty to her. *According to www.nationaltigersanctuary.org

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says, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen those tigers that close up.’”

Wieczor and the other sanctuary volunteers are required to follow as many as seven tours before they can lead guests around the grounds on their own.

First-time visitor Ann Redmond, a Baton Rouge, La., resident, said the companionship built between the staff and animals adds an interesting twist to the sanctuary.

“The people that work there have developed really strong relationships with the animals, and obviously they have interacted with them and played with them,” she said. “It’s just fascinating to see these huge animals responding to their human companions.”

The sanctuary grants visitors a better understanding of the animals’ natural tendencies by providing the public with a different perspective — a perspective visitors might not be able to acquire in any other setting, Redmond said.

“You have no sense of how big or powerful they are,” she said.

“You hear about people that adopt them and keep them as pets, but when you see them up close and personal, you gain a new respect for the fact that they are wild but magnificent animals.”

Shortly after relocating to Saddlebrooke in May 2011, the sanctuary introduced “Cat of the Month,” a program that highlights a different cat each month for a one-year adoption.

After an individual adopts the cat, the sanctuary then sends him or her an adoption package, which includes a photo of the cat, an adoption certificate, a card of that cat’s personality, a National Tiger Sanctuary t-shirt and window decal, and an ornament on the

DETOURS | TIGERS

sanctuary’s “Family Tree.”

Redmond said after learning about all of the troubled cats’ histories during the Awareness Tour, she felt compelled to support the sanctuary’s mission. She decided to adopt four cats as Christmas gifts — one for each of her children and her son-in-law.

“I tried to match the animal to the kid,” she said. “They all just loved it. They thought it was the greatest thing.”

For the sanctuary’s cats, Saddlebrooke, Mo., and the Ozark Mountains are home, but for co-founders Judy McGee and Keith Kinkade, it’s a haven for protecting the stripes.

About the Sanctuary • The partnership with DePaul University in Chicago was the inspiration for the names of the sanctuary’s five initial cubs.

• Dee, Paul and Vincent were named after the university.

• T.J. was named after the DePaul president at the time.

people that work there “haveThe developed really strong

relationships with the animals, and obviously they have interacted with them and played with them.

”

ANN REDMOND FIRST-TIME VISITOR

• Max was named after a priest at the university.

• The sanctuary employees worked with Congress to pass the Large Carnivore Act on Jan. 1, 2012. The act requires people possessing, breeding or transporting large carnivores to apply for a permit with the Department of Agriculture.

• Two of the sanctuary’s tigers, Mariah and Sierra, were rescued from another “sanctuary.” They were sharing an 8-by-8foot dog pen and consequently were unable to stand up on their hind legs because of the 6-foot roof enclosure. Mariah and Sierra have regained their strength during their time at the sanctuary.

• Banshee, a Missouri mountain lion, was scared of most men after she was forced to wrestle with them while in her former owner’s care. Since then, McGee said Banshee has improved tremendously.

• The sanctuary moved to a leased plot of land in Bloomsdale, Mo., after its partnership with DePaul ended. In May 2011, McGee and Kinkade moved once again to the sanctuary’s present-day location in Saddlebrooke, Mo.

• More tigers exist in captivity than in the wild.

Steve Wieczor, National Tiger Sanctuary volunteer, and other employees show visitors a tiger’s clay paw imprint as part of the informational tour.

As visitors place their hands up to the imprint, Wieczor informs them it’s only a six-month-old tiger’s paw.

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• McGee and Kinkade live on the same premises as the sanctuary. There are always at least five individuals on call for the cats at all times.

it all together FESTIVALS AND SHOPS CELEBRATE CITY’S HISTORIC ROOTS STORY AND PHOTOS BY KARA GOODIER

Decorative jars hang in the window of Glass Workbench, a handcrafted stained glass and supplies store, in Old Town St. Charles.

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DETOURS | OLD TOWN

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The stained glass window of Glass Workbench stands out among Highland Games, and participate in events like the caber toss. the rough brick walls and shuttered windows of the Historic Frequent festival attendee Ellen Huppert said she finds the Main Street shops in St. Charles, Mo. Hues of red, blue, green athletes fascinating to watch. and brown on the stained glass window create a ship, reminiscent “Overall, it makes for an interesting experience, especially of the many westbound explorers that departed from this town. for someone like myself who has always been interested in Opened in 1975, Glass Workbench is a handcrafted stained Celtic culture,” Huppert said. “Seeing that my family traces back glass and supplies store that showcases more than 500 different to Scotland, it’s a celebration of my own heritage.” colors and textures of stained glass. While some of the store’s However, the largest festival of the year, drawing in more pieces are made locally, the majority of the pieces come from than 300,000 visitors during the third weekend of August, is places outside the St. Louis area, and classes are offered for Festival of the Little Hills. The event features demonstrations, those that want to learn the art. live music and more than 300 craft booths. Along the Similar to the pieces displayed in the shop, Old Town St. cobblestone streets, shoppers can browse through all manners of Charles also becomes a mix-and-match window showcasing the crafts, art, home goods and jewelry. history-laden area. Glass Workbench owner Jean Dryden said Accompanying these festivals are annual reenactments the translucent quality of watercolor paintings is like that of the that immerse visitors in the history of Old Town. Such stained glass windows and art found in Glass Workbench. reenactments have included Time Travelers, a look at the “The bright, vibrant colors of stained glass work reflect the 1800 to 1820 St. Charles settlement; an 1860s Civil War beauty and history of the area, river and shops,” Dryden said. encampment, where visitors can witness cannon volleys More than 125 specialty shops and training troops; and Deutsch on Historic Main Street sell items Country Days, which portrays the such as spices, clothing, tea, and 1830 to 1840 German immigrant candles. Visitors can munch on baked village. goods from Grandma’s Cookies, stay “The lives of these people at a colonial inn or peruse through were always challenging, and I the Poor Man’s Art Gallery. love to know how people overcame If visitors want to try on oldincredible obstacles to survive and time clothing of their own, the thrive,” said Ava Schaeffer, a regular antique photo shop Tintypery offers historical reenactment participant.

JEAN DRYDEN the opportunity. Tintypery has been During Deutsch Country Days, GLASS WORKBENCH OWNER on Historic Main Street for almost Schaeffer and her family act as 40 years, making it one of the oldest old-time photo studios docents for the Huber Haus. Her husband welcomes guests and in the world, owner Amanda Strupp said. Some main genres talks about the construction techniques of the time while her of pictures offered are cowboys, saloon girls, prairie family, daughters churn butter, spin wool and demonstrate sad-ironing. southern and Civil War. Schaeffer herself cooks over an open hearth while explaining the “We have lots and lots of costumes that we can mix and keeping room’s implements and features. match to get the perfect picture for every customer,” Strupp said.

Schaeffer said it takes a lot of preparation to be a For a different hands-on experience, visitors can attend a reenactor. After researching the history of the area, a character variety of celebrations, including Historical Children’s Festival, that would fit into the life of the community must be chosen Lewis & Clark Heritage Days, Missouri River Irishfest, St. and developed, Schaeffer said. She makes all of the garments Charles Oktoberfest, Riverfest and Christmas Traditions Festival. authentically, which requires a much different technique than During one such festival, called Missouri MOSAICS the garments made today.

Festival for the Arts, a panel of judges selects artists that “The Lewis and Clark era dress is made completely by exhibit and sell original works for cash prizes. The pieces hand from patterns copied off of museum pieces,” Schaeffer include numerous mediums, such as painting, sculpture, wood, said. “I make all of our undergarments as well as caps, bonnets, metalwork and wearable art. and my husband’s suit and waistcoat. We even made the thread Missouri Tartan Day Festivities, the annual Scottish buttons and cording for tying the garments.” festival, exhibits everything from kilted men and bagpipes to Whether browsing stained glass pieces at Glass traditional Scottish dancing and ceremonies. There is a parade Workbench, taking old-fashioned photos at Tintypery or with representatives from different Scottish clans, and bands play listening to the pipers at Missouri Tartan Day Festivities, “kilt rock” music while vendors sell jewelry and food along the everyone can create their own mix-and-match experience of the river. Athletes compete in the traditional Scottish competition, the shops and events in Old Town.

The bright, vibrant “colors of stained glass

work reflect the beauty and history of the area, river and shops.

”

BELOW: More than 125 speciality shops line Historic Main Street, including Tintypery, Riverside Sweets and the Poor Man’s Art Gallery.

Show Your Spirit PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

FIRST PLACE “Midair”

by Courtney Scanlan Kirksville, Mo.

DETOURS | CONTEST

HONORABLE MENTION “I Believe I Can Fly”

by Julie Nunn Milstadt, Ill.

HONORABLE MENTION “Awe in G Minor”

by Zachary Schwaller Schmeekle Nature Reserve Stevens Point, Wis.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS ABOVE: “In for the Evening”

by Katelyn Cottrel Maui, Hawaii RIGHT: “Powering Through to Pasadena”

by Sarah Witman Spartan Stadium East Lansing, Mich.

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DETOURS | CONTEST

FACEBOOK FAN FAVORITE “Tokyo Underground-Territory of BAAL”

by Evan Benner Tokyo, Japan

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Woven Through Time TRADITIONAL HAIR ART INSPIRES FOUNDATION FOR MUSEUM STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDI WATKINS DAVIS

I

In a case along the wall of Leila’s Hair Museum in Independence, Mo., is a small, German hair wreath from 1852. Its golden frame has been dulled and scratched by time, but the hairs that form the wreath still are intact. Each hair flower has its own intricate, handmade design set off by a blue-cloth background.

“My husband says it is the most expensive piece because it started all this,” museum owner Leila Cohoon said.

Cohoon, a hairdresser by profession, said when she found the hair wreath by chance in an antique shop in 1956, she had no intention of ever opening a museum. In fact, she didn’t know anything about hair art at the time, she said.

After buying the wreath, Cohoon collected hair art for 30 years as a hobby, finding pieces in antique stores, at garage

sales, during auctions and even overseas. In 1986, Cohoon opened Leila’s Hair Museum in a small room at the front of her cosmetology school, later moving to its current location in a building of its own.

“I had too many of these in the closet and under the bed, and I couldn’t hide them from my husband anymore,” Cohoon said.

“I had to have a place to put them.”

The museum now houses more than 2,000 pieces of hair jewelry and more than 500 hair wreaths, not to mention hair hats, hair postcards and hair paintings.

Most families in the Victorian era used hair wreaths to document their genealogy, similar to the way photographs are used today, Cohoon said. The wreaths were shaped like a horseshoe so new hair could be added as the family grew.

“I finally got enough of [the wreaths] that had the genealogy with them to realize that’s what they were doing,” she said. “How else would you keep track of the family?”

Hair wreaths also were used to honor deceased relatives and express friendship or affection. Museum visitors can view the wreaths, many of which have family members’ names and pictures, and learn the history that goes along with each one.

Although many of the stories and hair are several hundred years old, with some even dating back to the 1500s, the collection is changing constantly, Cohoon said. In addition to famous actors, artists and politicians’ locks of hair, new hair wreaths and pieces of hair jewelry are added every year.

An entire wall in the first room of the museum is dedicated to the hair of famous individuals. Elvis Presley, Ronald Reagan,

husband says it is the “mostMyexpensive piece because it started all this. ” SUMMER 2012

LEILA COHOON MUSEUM OWNER

The musem’s painted baby pictures have real hair on the children’s heads. Mothers bought the pictures during the Victorian era and put their children’s hair on the portraits.

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DETOURS | HAIR MUSEUM

Abraham Lincoln and Marilyn Monroe are just a few of the celebrities whose hair can be found there.

Cases of jewelry line the walls and fill the middle of the largest showroom. There are necklaces, rings, watch chains, bracelets, cufflinks, earrings, brooches and more — all made from hair. Cohoon said she often wears pieces of hair jewelry while giving tours.

“No one ever sees me without at least one piece on,” she said.

“I started because no one had ever seen that before.”

Cohoon can recreate 26 of the 30 methods used to create the museum’s wreaths and jewelry, which she said she discovered by examining and sometimes deconstructing existing pieces. She also teaches classes at the museum on how to construct hair art and jewelry using many of the techniques.

Visitors come from all around the world to see the hair art and learn to make it, Cohoon said. The guest book just inside the front door holds the names of people from all 50 states and 19 countries.

First-time visitor Lisa Blankenship, from Lee’s Summit, Mo., came to the museum after a friend suggested she might like it.

Blankenship said she was excited to see something different and didn’t let the odd nature of the museum keep her in the lobby.

“I don’t really think of it as morbid or strange,” Blankenship

said. “I think it’s just the material they had at the time. You always have hair. It was creative of someone to think of a way to use it.”

Cohoon said some people aren’t as comfortable with the idea of using hair for art because of the misconception that the hair used in hair art is taken from the deceased. Hair often was collected from brushes or haircuts, but sometimes the artist used his or her own hair to make wreaths or jewelry. Visitors to the museum are put at ease after learning more about the history, she said.

“I think it’s my enthusiasm that comes across for it that, before they leave, they’re looking at it completely different,” Cohoon said. “It’s history.”

Employee Linda Gouldsmith said she enjoys giving tours of the museum and explaining the facts and history to visitors.

“Most people really like it because they haven’t heard about it — it’s like a lost part of history,” Gouldsmith said. “[But] I’ve had people sit out here in the lobby while the rest of the group goes on tour.”

Cohoon said every piece in the museum is her favorite piece because of the work she’s put into restoring them.

“I sat down, I studied it, I tried to figure out how they were made,” Cohoon said. “It’s the only part of that person that is still here that I can touch. That makes it very special.”

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Beads, like in the above pictured flower, were used to decorate the centers of flowers in hair wreaths. Yarn, jewels and hair also were used as center pieces.

g n i t e e r G 40

s p a r c S

DETOURS | KALEIDOSCOPE

HALLMARK USES LEFTOVER MATERIALS TO SHAPE CHILDREN’S CREATIVITY

STORY BY BROOKE VANCLEAVE AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS DUH

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Children decorate squares of cardboard with markers before placing them in the Puzzle Machine. The machine then turns the designs into original puzzle creations for children to take home.

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The Hallmark Corporation has been an established part of the Midwest for more than a century, producing greeting cards from its Kansas City, Mo., headquarters since 1910. When the company began having problems with high volumes of paper waste, Hallmark employees developed a creative solution.

In 1969, former Hallmark president Don Hall decided to use the leftover scraps as raw materials for art. He started Kaleidoscope as a traveling exhibit in which Hallmark set up art workshops at schools. It became a permanent exhibit near Kansas City’s Crown Center in 1975.

When guests walk through the doors of Kaleidoscope, they are introduced to a colorful and imaginative world designed to engage all the senses, said Ron Worley, media and program coordinator. Several worktables are set up around a large room, inviting children to play and create many different craft projects. Some stations allow visitors to paint or color preformed shapes of paper. In other areas, children can cut, glue and fold objects into whatever shapes they want. Buttons on the interior of a large plastic submarine play songs and noises that can be crafted into individual symphonies. In the Outer Space Room, the smell of melted crayon wax fills the air, and black lights cause grins and shoestrings to appear neon blue.

“The main goal of Kaleidoscope is to nurse children’s creativity,” Worley said. “During the family sessions, you go

It’s endearing to see the “children work side by side.

Every day has its energy, and it comes through the children.

”

LINDA AVERY KALEIDOSCOPE EXHIBIT MANAGER

SUMMER 2012

RIGHT: A girl exits the large, blue submarine, which is filled with musical buttons and neon lights to engage the senses.

where you want and make what you want. There is no wrong way to make artwork.”

Worley said the oldest and most popular workstation is the Puzzle Machine, where visitors crank a large handle to turn their decorated square of cardboard into a puzzle, which they then can take home. The Puzzle Machine is a Kaleidoscope original. It is more than 40 years old, and Worley said it has played an essential role at the museum from the beginning.

Many generations of young artists have passed through Kaleidoscope’s doors since its creation. Worley said grandparents who once attended as elementary school students now bring their grandchildren back to share the same experience. He said they even remember making puzzles in the Puzzle Machine when they were young.

In 2011, about 185,000 visitors came to Kaleidoscope, which exhibit manager Linda Avery said was a five percent increase from the previous year. The museum caters to student field trips during the week as well as family group sessions all year long. Family sessions are on a first-come, first-served basis and usually last about 40 minutes. Although the museum initially was created for children, many adults often leave with their own pieces of artwork, too.

Avery said her favorite part about working at Kaleidoscope is seeing children take the same materials and turn them into something completely different every day.

“It’s endearing to see the children work side by side,” Avery said. “Every day has its energy, and it comes through the children.”

Avery said Kaleidoscope is a public service, meaning the museum always has been, and always will be, a free gift for the community. Hallmark donates all of the materials and equipment necessary to meet the visitors’ needs. For instance, a retired shrinkwrap machine from the Hallmark production line now serves as a drying conveyor for wet paintings at the watercolor station.

Many artists collaborate with Kaleidoscope employees to

42

contribute new ideas and exhibits like the Glow Doodle wall, which a former Massachusetts Institute of Technology student developed. On this wall, children can create pictures using light from a special hand-held wand.

Worley said the success of the museum often relies on volunteers, some of whom have worked with the Kaleidoscope family for many years, to perform tasks like cutting out shapes and organizing work stations. Worley said the oldest volunteer is 102-year-old Virginia who has volunteered at the museum for more than 30 years.

Charlene Huff, of Pittsburg, Mo., and her two young daughters are no strangers to Kaleidoscope. Huff’s father lives in the Kansas City area, and she said her family likes to come to the museum when they visit him.

“I’ve probably been here about five times,” Huff said as she pasted a red heart to a paper bookmark. “All the things provided are so fun for the children and gives them the ability to be creative.”

Worley said Kaleidoscope is always changing, which is why guests can make return visits and have a new experience each time.

A work area with butcher paper and pipe cleaners one day might have markers and cardstock the next. It depends on what Hallmark has available to give away each week.

Although anyone can participate in making crafts, there is one stipulation. All children must be accompanied by an adult, and all adults must be accompanied by a child, according to Kaleidoscope’s website. Above all, Worley and Avery said the most important part of Kaleidoscope is to provide a fun and educational environment where children can create whatever they want, so visitors are encouraged to make the children’s experience enjoyable first and foremost.

As children constantly evolve and adapt to the world around them, Kaleidoscope seeks to give them the opportunity to explore their imagination and creativity.

DETOURS | KALEIDOSCOPE

ABOVE: A young visitor turns the crank on the Puzzle Machine and watches as it cuts her art into puzzle shapes. The Puzzle Machine is Kaleidoscope’s oldest and most popular feature.

43

SUMMER 2012

LEFT: Children are welcome to use any materials they can find to create their art and have the whole area of the museum at their disposal. This young artist decided to construct her craft on the floor.

Off theRecord ST. LOUIS MUSIC STORE PRESERVES CLASSIC MEDIUM

STORY AND PHOTOS BY LAUREN KELLETT

SUMMER 2012

T

Thirty-three-year-old, dreadlocked Vick Davis has been going to Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis since he could drive. As a professional disc jockey that has worked for the radio, battled with other local musicians and opened for larger acts across St. Louis, Vintage Vinyl employee Davis said he knows he works at the city’s most popular record store.

“It was the one place that kept the vinyl, all the vinyl — hip-hop, rock, reggae — that I wanted,” Davis said. “I always wanted to be here.”

The walls are plastered with promotional posters for local and national artists, and the front counter is covered with faded band and pop culture stickers. Local artist Steve Keene’s portraits of famous musicians — such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison — line the tops of the walls for customers to purchase. CDs, DVDs and, naturally, vinyl records fill the 7,000 square foot one-room store.

In 1979, owners Lew Prince and Tom Ray started selling records out of a cart at Soulard Farmers Market in downtown St. Louis. They rented out a small shop on Delmar Boulevard in 1980, but Lew said their

44

DETOURS | VINTAGE VINYL

like that I can buy old “orI new bands on vinyl.

ROBERT VARNER VINTAGE VINYL CUSTOMER

”

The marquee is changed weekly to advertise special services, the latest releases and upcoming in-store concerts.

This cutout is used to decorate the “Dub” section that features special three-disc sets by King Tubby, “Father of Dub.”

45

SUMMER 2012

love for vinyl eventually became too much for the tiny building. In 1991, Lew and Ray moved to a larger building down the street.

Vintage Vinyl’s collection of about 30,000 records sets it apart from other record stores. Customers have the option of buying anything from rare Pink Floyd releases to the newest Radiohead album on vinyl. An entire rack named “Wow, that’s on vinyl?!” features contemporary artists who have released albums in record form. Sam Prince, Lew’s son and employee, said vinyl sales have increased significantly within the past few years.

“Vinyl is slowly catching back up with CDs,” Sam said. “Vinyl has gone from older people to people our age who have finally figured out that it is a piece of art and a beautiful recording. I take pride in having all these milk crates full of vinyl in my house.”

For customers who prefer CDs, Vintage Vinyl carries more than 40,000, one of the widest CD selections in St. Louis.

Thoroughly searching through all six of the wall-to-wall tables of music could take hours, partly because 1,500 new CDs are added to the collection each week.

While records are what Vintage Vinyl is known for, the store does more than just sell music. Vintage Vinyl hosts about 130 free shows each year. The owners started booking shows and meet-and-greets around 1999, all free of charge. These concerts have ranged anywhere from audiences of 50 to crowds of 500. Some notable past guests include Incubus, The Urge, Marilyn Manson, Linkin Park, Bright Eyes, Evanescence, Black Eyed Peas, Chingy and Umphrey’s McGee. “The shows are awesome because they feel very intimate,” customer Alex Jefferson said. “You’re like four feet from the stage and surrounded by tons of people, which makes it way cooler. The setup is nice, and afterwards, you’re in the mood to buy new music and already in the perfect place.”

Many of these performances showcase local musicians. Local hip-hop artist Black Spade has made an appearance at the shop, and his strictly vinyl albums are featured in the “Local Music” section.

As an independently owned neighborhood store, featuring these local artists is very important to Lew and Ray. Like professional disc jockey Davis, most of the employees are musicians themselves. The owners hire employees not only because of their talent but based off of their musical knowledge. During the interview process, each employee is required to match 120 various artists to their proper genre.

Employees use this knowledge to write the notes and critiques attached to various albums throughout the shop. Customers like Robert Varner said this type of customer-friendly atmosphere is what brings in such a diverse demographic of shoppers.

“I visit the store every time I’m in the area to browse the massive record selection,” Varner said. “I like that I can buy old or new bands on vinyl.”

Vintage Vinyl has been a St. Louis establishment for more than 31 years. In a digital age when music is available at the click of a mouse, Vintage Vinyl serves as a relic, allowing customers to experience the feeling of owning a tangible copy of a favorite artist’s latest release or hearing the warm fuzz of a good album turning on the record player.

WHAT US COLUMNIST DISCOVERS AN UNEXPECTED CONNECTION STORY BY KATY SPENCE AND PHOTO BY ERICA BROOKS

SUMMER 2012

I

I’ve always had a great respect for writers. As an aspiring writer myself, I truly admire those who can choose the perfect words and successfully communicate a feeling that neither others nor I have known how to express.

It leaves me breathless, really.

So when I found myself sitting along Shepherd of the Hills Expressway in Branson, Mo., at midnight, waiting to watch classic car after classic car pass by, I began to ponder my life choices and how they landed me in a tie-dyed lawn chair.

Cars never have impressed me much. If it runs and isn’t an ugly color, it’s good enough for me. For those who frequent events like Cruisin’ Branson Lights, however, cars are life.

During the second weekend of August each year, the already popular tourist town fills with thousands of cars and car enthusiasts for a midnight cruise as spectators crowd the sidewalks with lawn chairs, coolers and beer.

For a bookworm like myself, it was admittedly out of my comfort zone.

The August night wasn’t cold, but the humidity in the air stuck to spectators, giving us a chill we hadn’t experienced in months. I felt my hair begin to frizz as I sat amid car enthusiasts, wishing I’d remembered to bring a book.

Cheers erupted as the first car made its way down the strip.

The engine’s rev echoed, causing my companions to stretch their necks as they searched for the first car. The excitement in the air was contagious, and in spite of myself, I found my own head craning to catch a glimpse.

My initial excitement faded as a red car drove by. I gave it no more thought than to determine that it was pretty. A man on the other side of the road seemed to think so as well.

“That Thunderbird’s a beaut,” he yelled to the driver. “What year is she?”

The driver thanked the man and shouted a year, but the car

46

behind it had already caught my attention — iridescent purple and bright orange flames. Classy.

Someone shouted for the driver to rev his engine, and he noisily complied.

A comment went above my head about the evolving shape of taillights as cars began to blur into an endless stream of color — blue, red, black, black, yellow, black. Why are classic cars always black?

Employing a creative writing class exercise to break the tedium, I began describing my surroundings in my head, trying to avoid clichés.

“The cool blades of grass…” Cliché. “The night sky above…”

No. “The ominous presence of approaching strangers…” Wait, someone’s actually coming.

A few individuals joined my group and struck up a conversation about Coupes and Corvairs. The way strangers instantly can connect because of cars never ceases to surprise me. It’s as if this shared hobby makes them friends who just haven’t met yet.

As I sat listening to engines, cheers and excited chatter of those around me, a realization formed in my mind.

These self-proclaimed gear heads and motor mouths might not hold the same appreciation for words as I do, but they piece each vehicle together as carefully and lovingly as a writer pens a sentence. Instead of words, however, they use gears, and instead of ink-stained fingertips, they come away with greasy fingernails.

Just as a writer remembers each metaphor he or she has crafted, a true car enthusiast knows the origin of each dent, scratch or chip.

Suddenly, the cars seemed shinier and the humidity less oppressive as I regarded the parade of cars with new eyes and new interest.

“Hey, is that a Corvette?” I eagerly asked as a dark green car drove by.

“No, it’s a ’64 Chevelle.”

Well, one step at a time.

DETOURS | CALENDAR

EVENTS IN

ILLINOIS JUNE

MAY Annual Iris Walk May 1-31 • Wayne City Walk through acres of irises in bloom, enjoy the scenery or take beautiful photos. For more information, call 618895-2022.

Brick Streets and Country Charm Quilt Show May 4-5 • Mount Carroll Quilts and family heirlooms, machine and hand quilted, will be displayed at this fundraiser for the historic Mt. Carroll Township Public Library restoration project. For more information, call 800-244-9594.

Long Grove Chocolate Fest May 4-6 • Long Grove

Experience chocolate tasting, chocolate demonstrations and wine pairings. This event also includes live entertainment and shopping. For more information, call 847-634-0888.

Largest Yard Sale May 11-12 • Belleville Explore others’ wares and find new treasures at this massive yard sale. For more information, call 618-6442142.

St. Jacob Strawberry Festival May 20 • St. Jacob Celebrate strawberries at this festival with strawberry desserts, food and children’s activities. For more information, call 618-644-2142.

21st Annual Champagne British Car Festival June 1-3 • Bloomington Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Aston Martin, the event features 130 cars including Jaguars, Lotuses and Aston Martins on the David Davis Mansion grounds.

For more information, call 309-828-1084.

Social June 21 • Freeport The Stephenson County museum hosts its annual celebration in which visitors can eat different types of food, ice cream and pie. Later, take a tour of the museum, listen to music or look at antique cars. For more information, call 815-232-8419

Dadfest June 15-16 • Belleville Children’s events include pony and camel rides along with carnival rides. The whole family can experience live music, free food samples and a barbecue contest. For more information, call 618-233-0513.

Carlyle Lake Fireworks Spectacular June 30 • Carlyle This event lasts all day and includes a volleyball tournament, sandcastle building contest and fireworks in the evening that can be viewed from all around the lake, even by boat. For more information, call 618-594-2484.

57th Annual Ice Cream

JULY Living History: Independence Day at the Fort July 7 • Elizabeth Take a step back into the 1830s frontier life by interacting at the Apple River Settlement. There will be holiday celebrations, including the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

For more information, call 815-858-2028. or visit www. appleriverfort.com.

Taste of Chicago

July 11-15 • Chicago Taste of Chicago is one of the city’s biggest events, featuring great food and music, blue skies and Lake Michigan. There are more than 300 menu items from more than 70 restaurants and food vendors at the event.

For more information, call 1-877-244-2246 or visit www. choosechicago.com.

Great Kaskaskia River Duck Race July 14 • Carlyle

Truckloads of plastic ducks are dumped into the Kaskaskia River. Watch in excitement to see which duck wins! Visitors can adopt a duck for $5 at Carlyle Lake Visitors Center and local banks. For more information, call 618-594-2484.

Massiac Marines Living History July 14 • Metropolis Reenactors from the French and Indian War time period explain personal belongings of

the French people and host interpretive programs at Fort Massiac State Park. For more information, call 618-524-4712.

Findlay Walleye Festival July 27-29 • Findlay This event celebrates the Walleye, a fish found in Lake Shelbyville. Fish is served fresh daily at this festival, which also includes children’s activities, live entertainment, an ice cream social and fireworks. For more information, call 217-756-3248.

AUGUST

Archaeology Day Aug. 4 • Collinsville Go on dig tours or learn about ancient artifacts at the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site.

For more information, call 618-346-5160 or visit www.

cahokiamounds.org.

Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Aug. 8-12 • Mendota Get your fill of free sweet corn and take a look at more than 200 vendors, a parade and a beer garden with live entertainment. For more information, call 815-539-6507.

Sycamore Steam Show and Threshing Bee Aug. 9-12 • Sycamore See threshing and plowing using

steam engines and gas tractors.

Children also can ride miniature trains. For more information, call 815-895-9388.

Nebo Vin Fiz Day Aug. 11 • Nebo Join in on games, activities, a pageant and food to celebrate the first transcontinental flight

by Cal Rodgers in his plane, the Vin Fiz. For more information, call 217-214-3700.

Chicago Air and Water Show

Aug. 18-19 • Chicago More than 2 million people come to the city to see the largest and oldest free air and water show in the U.S. For more information, call 312-7443316.

2012 Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival Aug 24-26 • Lincoln Watch hot air balloons launch and evening balloons glow.

There also is food and an arts and crafts show. For more information, call 217-735-2385.

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SUMMER 2012

Lollapalooza Aug. 3-5 • Chicago Be blown away by 70 acts on five stages at this worldrenowned music festival. For more information, visit www. lollapalooza.com or call 312744-3370.

EVENTS IN

IOWA MAY Tulip Time Festival May 3-5 • Pella Embrace Dutch heritage with tulips, traditional dancing and parades at this three-day festival. For more information, call 641-628-4311 or visit pellatuliptime.com.

Maifest May 5-6 • Amana Partake in traditional German culture, dance around the maipole or try a snack from the Taste of Amana Food Fair.

For more information, call 800-579-2294.

Main Street BBQ May 12 • Fort Madison Try some delectable barbecue at the cook-off in this historically rich town. For more information, call 319-372-2792.

Burn the Floor

JUNE

May 13 • Cedar Falls Previously performing on Broadway, this international dance group is coming to Iowa to perform reinvented ballroom dancing. For more information, call 319-273-4849.

Taste of Czech and Slovak Cuisine May 18 • Cedar Rapids Try a new type of cuisine from across the world at this festival that will make your mouth water. For more information, call 319-362-8500.

Old Bradford Battle Reenactment May 19-20 • Nashua Visit with Civil War reenactors in traditional dress and uniforms. A pancake breakfast also is offered Sunday. For more information, call 641435-2567.

Beckster Fest June 1-3 • Amana This polka music festival features eight different bands in two separate buildings, both with wooden flooring. For more information, call 877499-7133.

Snake Alley Festival of Film June 7-9 • Burlington Short films from around the world are showcased for a weekend at the Capitol Theater during this weekend.

For more information, call 319-750-4124 or visit www. snakealleyfestivaloffilm.com.

Lewis & Clark Festival June 8-10 • Onawa This 18th annual event features 1800s period dress, vendors, speakers and more. For more information, call 712-433-1505.

America’s River Festival June 8-12 • Dubuque Try a famous DockDog, or relax by listening to national musical acts. For more information, call 800-798-8844.

The Central Iowa Celtic Festival and Highland Games June 16 • Urbandale Storytelling, music and dancing accompany highland athletics at Living History Farms. For more information, call 515278-8302.

Lazy River Beer and Wine Festival June 23 • Marquette Sit back and relax along the Marquette River while enjoying live entertainment and locally handcrafted beer and wine. For more information, call 563873-2509.

JULY Rooftop Jazz and Blues July 7 • Waterloo Visitors can experience live music along with food and beverages on the rooftop decks at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. For more information, call 319-291-4490.

Whittemore Garden Tour July 12 • Whittemore

Take a tour of the local gardens and enjoy the beautiful plants.

For more information, call 515884-2265.

28th Annual Moonlight Chase July 14 • Eldridge Thousands flock to this town to take a run under the night sky on a fourmile path lit by luminaries.

Enjoy live entertainment and refreshments along the route.

For more information, call 563-285-9965 or visit www. moonlightchase.com.

Lake View Water Carnival July 20-22 • Lake View This festival brings boat races, food, parades and rides together for a fun family-filled

weekend. For more information, call 712-657-2634.

Coralville Lake Turkey Vulture Festival July 28 • Iowa City Keep your eyes peeled for a turkey or vulture at this festival showcasing children’s face paintings and crafts. For more information, call 319-338-3543 or visit www.coralvillelake.org.

AUGUST

SUMMER 2012

Sweet Corn Serenade Aug. 2 • Oskaloosa Eat fresh sweet corn and desserts during this festival that includes a craft show, music and children’s activities. For more information, call 641-673-7629.

Perseids Meteor Shower Aug. 10 • Honey Creek Bring lawn chairs or blankets to lay back and watch the Perseids Meteor Shower. Binoculars are recommended. For more information, call 712-545-3283.

48

Pirate Festival Aug. 10-12 • Clear Lake Living history, merchants, demonstrations and exhibits provide nautical family fun for everyone. There also is a costume contest. For more information, call 641-357-2159.

24th Annual Rollin’ on the River Blues Fest Aug. 17-18 • Keokuk Visit Victory Park along the banks of the Mississippi River, and take in the sounds of blues music. For more information,

call 319-524-5599.

Real Maple Syrup Pancake Feed Aug. 18 • Hancock Grilled pancakes are served after tapping the trees, collecting the sap and boiling it down. For more information, call 712-741-5465.

White Eagle Multicultural Pow Wow Aug. 24-26 • Waukee Four different ethnic groups will present dance, music, song and

stories. For more information, call 515-897-2254 or visit www. whiteeaglepowwow.org.

37th National Old Time Country, Folk and Bluegrass Music Festival and Pioneer Expo of Arts and Crafts Aug. 27-Sept. 2 • Le Mars Be part of the largest and oldest rural music, arts and crafts festival featuring more than 650 performers on seven stages. For more information, call 7122149-5989.

DETOURS | CALENDAR

EVENTS IN

MISSOURI MAY A Civil War Commemoration May 5 • St. Joseph Various musical acts come together for this celebration to remember the Civil War. For more information, call 816233-7701.

Moonlight on the Boardwalk May 5 • East Prairie Learn about the creatures of the night while walking through forests and swamps. For more

information, call 573-649-3149.

Dutch Oven Cooking May 12 • Cape Girardeau Learn how to cook in the outdoors at this beginnerlevel course. Registration is required. For more information, call 573-290-5218.

Annual Jaycee Crawfish Boil and Music Festival May 19 • Sikeston Relax with music, food and beverages at this laid-back

outdoor festival. Children younger than 13 years are not permitted. For more information, call 573-471-6263.

Armed Forces Day Scavenger Hunt at Jefferson Barracks May 19 • St. Louis Reveal hidden gems throughout the grounds of Jefferson Barracks through this scavenger hunt. Advanced registration is required and all participants must be at

JUNE 17th Annual Oran Car Show June 2 • Oran This well-known show in the area awards 52 different class trophies, including “Best of Show,” “Best of Show Motorcycle,” “Best Paint” and “Chamber’s Choice.” For more information, call 573-820-1669.

Art in the Park June 2-3 • Columbia See art from 110 vendors from around the country. Art forms include paintings, ceramics, photography, fiber arts and jewelry. For more information, call 573-443-8838 or visit www.visitmo.com/art-in-thepark-2012.

Canine Cannonball at Lake of the Ozarks June 8-10 • Osage Beach See how far dogs can jump in

least 18 years old. For more information, call 314-544-6224.

11th Annual Evening Shade Farms Herb Days May 26-27 • Osceola Browse artisan handmade soap, trees and shrubs and watch different demonstrations.

The Foot Stomping Bear Creek Folk Band also will provide live entertainment.

For more information, call 417-282-6985 or visit www. eveningshadefarms.com.

JULY

canine jumping competitions, including “Big Air,” “Extreme Vertical” and “Speed Retrieve.”

For more information, visit www.dockdogs.com or call 573-348-9797.

Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival June 15-16 • St. Joseph Listen to different jazz acts and musicians from across the state of Missouri. For more information, call 816-279-8893. or visit www.visitmo.com/ coleman-hawkins-jazz-festival.

Raptor Awareness Program June 23 • Danville The World Bird Sanctuary allows visitors to get an upclose look at birds of prey, such as falcons, owls and vultures. For more information, call 573-564-3476.

57th Annual National Tom Sawyer Days July 4-7 • Hannibal Family-fun activities include the National Fence Painting Championship, a frog jumping contest and Mississippi Mud volleyball, along with live entertainment and a Fourth of July fireworks display. For more information, call 573-221-2477.

Cajun Concert on the Hill July 6-8 • Hermann Visiting from Louisiana, Ed Gary and the Louisiana Cajun Aces will perform at the Stone Hill Winery accompanied by authentic Cajun dancers.

Partake in delectable Cajun cuisine as well. For more information, call 573-835-2420.

25th Annual BinghamWaggoner Antique &

Craft Fair July 14 • Independence More than 150 antique dealers from four different states will be in attendance. For more information, call 816-461-3491.

AquaPalooza July 21 • Osage Beach The largest family boating event at the Lake of the Ozarks includes live music, activities and prizes. For more information, call 573-365-5382.

Photo Tours of Onondaga Cave July 21 • Leasburg Aspiring photographers are encouraged to attend this tour that has extra time allotted to take photographs.

Make reservations in advance and dress in warm clothing and walking shoes. For more information, call 573-245-6576.

AUGUST

Cowboy Up! Arts Festival Aug. 11 • Sikeston

The day begins with a rodeo parade through downtown Sikeston. Then explore exhibits at the Sikeston Depot Museum and Art Gallery and at the Legion Square, or take a pony ride. For more information, call 573-481-9967 .

Glasgow Jamboree and Mid-Missouri Heritage Ways Festival Aug. 11 • Glasgow

Festival volunteers dressed in 17th century clothing give demonstrations of how daily activities such as cooking and weaving were done in the 1800s. For more information, call 660-338-2576.

Jour de Fete Aug. 11-12 • Ste. Genevieve Annual arts and crafts fair at the first European settlement west of the Mississippi. The event

also features food, music, special exhibits and wine tastings. For more information, call 800-3737007.

Kansas City Irish Fest Aug. 31-Sept. 2 • Kansas City Enjoy seven different stages featuring Irish music, Celtic rock and Irish comedians. The festival also offers traditional Irish food.

For more information, visit www.kcirishfest.com.

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SUMMER 2012

Missouri State Fair Aug. 9-19 • Sedalia Celebrate the 110th Missouri State fair by seeing live entertainment, eating food and learning from informational booths. Competitive exhibits also are at the fair along with livestock shows. For more information, call 660-530-5600.

STORY LOCATION

FINDER Use this map to pinpoint the locations featured in this issue. The numbers correspond to the locations below, and the parentheses indicate where the stories can be found, in the magazine or on the website, www.detoursmagazine.com. Those in the “Other” category were not included on the map because of space restrictions.

4

Illinois

15

6

11-13 14

10

1 2

16-21

Missouri

5

3

22

23 8-9

ILLINOIS Alton 1 - Underground Railroad (pg. 21)

St. Charles 14 - Old Town St. Charles (pg. 32)

Belleville 2 - Skyview Drive-In (pg. 20)

St. Joseph 15 - Patee House Museum and Jesse James House (Online exclusive)

Chester 3 - Popeye Character Trail (pg. 10)

Maeystown 5 - Maeystown (pg. 19)

St. Louis 16 - Crown Candy (pg. 20) 17 - James S. McDonnell Planetarium (pg. 12) 18 - Laumeier Sculpture Park (pg. 18) 19 - Park Avenue Coffee (pg. 6) 20 - Shakespeare Festival (pg. 21) 21 - Vintage Vinyl (pg. 44)

Olney 6 - White squirrels (pg. 19)

St. Mary 22 - White Cliff Manor Bed and Breakfast (Online exclusive)

Chicago 4 - Wrigley Field (pg. 18)

MISSOURI

SUMMER 2012

Branson 8 - Cruisin’ Branson Lights (pg. 46) 9 - Ripley’s Believe It or Not (pg. 18)

50

MISSOURI (cont’d)

Saddlebrooke 23 - National Tiger Sanctuary (pg. 26)

OTHER

Independence 10 - Leila’s Hair Museum (pg. 38)

Atchison, Kan. 17 - Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum (pg. 22)

Kansas City 11 - City of Fountains (pg. 21) 12 - Kaleidoscope (pg. 40) 13 - Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City (Online exclusive)

Burlington, Iowa 17 - Oakland Mills Nature Center (Online exclusive) Cooperstown, N.Y. 17 - National Baseball Hall of Fame (Online exclusive)

Kirksville MISSOURI’S NORTH STAR Remember Kirksville? Remember the home of the RonzaTM and the home of the secondbest hamburger? Remember the lake?

Remember all the good times here?

Come back to Kirksville and see what is new!

K

KIRKSVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.visitkirksville.com • (660) 665-3766