THE UNEXPECTED: WINTER 2015 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS
Winter 2015 Vol. 20 No. 1
CANOEING IN THE OZARKS ALL THE WRIGHT ANGLES
THE MIDWEST ARCHITECTURE OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
Roadside Oddities
25 PITSTOPS WORTH THE DETOUR
STAYING AT AN AIR BNB
LOCALS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OPEN THEIR HOMES
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EXPLORE
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History Unlocked
Behing the deep and dark history of the country’s oldest prison
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Relax with a Glass Lagoda Ridge Winery’s peaceful paradise
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All The Wright Angles
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Taking it to the Streets
Renowned food truck-turnedrestaurant brings Filipino food to St. Louis
EXTRAS
STAY
FOOD & DRINK
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Riverfront Adventures
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More than a Pitstop
Canoeing in the Ozarks
25 roadside oddities worth a detour
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A Home Away From Home
Locals around the world open their homes to travelers
The Unexpected Photo contest winners
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Calendar
See what’s going on in the Midwest
The midwest architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright
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Editor-in-Chief MARY TOMLINSON Executive Editor ABBEY NORTHCUTT Art Director ROSE LINHARES Copy Editors ALYSSA JOHNSON, EMILY WICHMER, and HOLLY FISHER Contributors GRACE BUECKENDORF, JENNA HOLZER, HALEIGH OETTING, and FORREST WILSEY Designers SARAH BURNS, SAVANNAH EVERETT, GRETCHEN KUCERA, SARA MURILLO and RACHEL GAROZZO Adviser MARILYN YAQUINTO In Memoriam ELIZABETH KOCH (1991–2012) • WEB • Online Editor ABBEY NORTHCUTT Copy Editor ALYSSA JOHNSON Blogger NIKKI BATINICK Contributors CAROLINA BENITEZ, GRACE BUECKENDORF, JENNA HOLZER, HALEIGH OETTING, and MIA PALUMBO Videographers SHIHAN RAHMAN • ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY • Publicity Manager JULIE STASZKO TMN Advertising Manager JACOB MASEK TMN Business Manager DAVID WILSON TMN Advertising Representative JIMMY HIGGINS and ZAVIER WEST Publicity Representatives MORGAN GERVAIS and RACHEL HANNA Social Media Manager RACHEL HANNA
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EDITORIAL POLICY detours Truman State University Barnett Media Center 100 E. Normal Kirksville, MO 63501 Phone: 660.785.7438 Fax: 660.785.7601
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR DEAR READER,
Our grandest visions of the ideal travels often carry us as far away as possible, far from the familiarity of our backyard. I recently realized a few of those traveling dreams during with my time abroad in Angers, France. I spent six months bringing to life long-awaited travel dreams. In the town I stayed in, I explored over 800 years of history in the Chateau d’Angers, which housed everything from army officers to kings and queens of France. Wandering through the streets of Paris themselves were a history lesson, from the ancient catacombs to the turn-ofthe century Musée d’Orsay. Food and drink of course carried me through my journey as well. I explored new flavors through wine tasting in the vineyards of Bordeaux and through streetside crêpe stands on every corner.
editor@detoursmagazine.com tmn.truman.edu/detours
And when it came time to settle in for the evening, I found locals who would open their home to me, offering a new perspective on French life. One could naturally assume that when I returned stateside, all potential for travel and adventure disappeared. But the best travel destinations are often right under our noses in the Midwest, and we don’t have to “hop across the pond” or go nine time zones beyond our homes to experience adventure. You can step back in time with one of the oldest prisons in the United States at the Missouri State Penitentiary. You can taste high-quality wine that serves a greater purpose in the vineyards of Ladoga Winery, and experience Filipino cuisine with a spin from an award-winning chef. And when it comes time for your day to come to a close, break out of your normal lodging routine with the local homes offered through Airbnb.
detours is a copyrighted publication, produced biannually by Truman State University students. 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, mainly in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Opinions expressed in detours are not necessarily the views of staff. detours is not responsible for the full cost of an advertisement if an error occurs.
The Midwest even offers destinations not found elsewhere, from the winding rivers flowing into the Lake of the Ozarks or the ground-breaking architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright that still continues to inspire beauty today. Nothing can of course beat the Midwestern love for kitschy attractions, seen in our Top 25 Roadside Oddities. The best part of travel is often the unexpected, and as novice and expert travelers alike, we can acknowledge the potential for an amazing adventure, even in our own backyard. Near and far, embrace life’s detours,
Mary Tomlinson Editor-in-Chief
theme:
Hidden Beauty
DEADLINE: march 13 SEND PHOTOS TO photo@detoursmagazine.com
Entries must include the photographer’s name as well as the photo’s location and title. We also encourage contestants to include a short caption about the photo. ONE submisssion per photographer
Entries must include the photographer’s name, address and
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Lemp Mansion
St. Louis, Missouri
For those who want some spirits with their spooks, the historic Lemp Mansion is the place to go. The house is haunted by malevolent spirits, but still has plenty of comforts like a restaurant, brewery, and many richly decorated rooms filled with antique furniture.
Fantastic Caverns
Springfield, Missouri Deep underground lies a wonderland of colorful rock formations and seemingly endless, echoing spaces. Fantastic Caverns is open for tours and encourages exploration, preservation, and adventure for all ages.
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Blue Bunny Ice Cream Le Mars, Iowa
A creamy and chilly treat awaits travelers who make the trek to Le Mars. The Blue Bunny Ice Cream Factory has been churning out dairy delights since 1913, and the 1920s-themed ice cream parlor staff serves up scoops and sundaes for patrons of the visitor center and museum that accompany the plants.
ON THE COVER
on the cover
Take a moment for adventure (or maybe just a relaxing escape to the wilderness) with a canoe trip, a lakeside hike, or a rest on the grass to watch the sunset. Read more on PAGE 26
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EXPLORE Entrance to the Missouri State Penitentiary. The prison was in use from 1836 until 2004, and at one time was the largest prison in the United States.
IN THE SLAMMER: T
STORY BY JENNA HOLZER PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHAEL SCHUETLER & MISSOURI STATE ARCHIVES
he view from the Missouri River Bridge in Jefferson City is a scene worth noting. The state capitol is in the distance, the river assuredly flows beneath it and the city gracefully unfolds in the background. However, like many cities, its value is something you might not see at first glance. Slightly to the east of the capitol building stands a stately building with menacing guard towers. According to the penitentiary’s Museum, the Missouri State Penitentiary has a history that predates Alcatraz. It has seen a more diverse group of inmates than Alcatraz and at one point it was the largest functioning prison in the United States. The purpose of MSP was to keep convicts away from the larger outside community and to prepare them to re-enter society once they were released.
HISTORY
Shortly after Missouri received statehood during 1833, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill to build a penitentiary in Jefferson City. When the prison opened during 1836, the building was a simple structure with single man cells for approximately 800 inmates. At this time, the walls were 3 feet thick and 23 feet high. The cells found at the penitentiary when it opened were extremely small, about onethird the size of today’s inmates’ cells. The hope was the inmates would reflect on their crimes. However, this was not the case. Instead of reforming internally, many convicts made other convicts aggressive or mentally unstable. The most common crimes at the time were murder, rape, counterfeiting, slave stealing and arson.
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IN THE SLAMMER
“They didn’t want you to enjoy this or for you to have anything good,” said Gary Jobe, former corrections officer and MSP tour guide. “They wanted it to be harsh and terrible in here because that was a part of the system.” MSP was founded under the Auburn system, and under this system the goal was to treat inmates so badly they would want to get out as soon as possible and never return. After the Civil War, Jefferson City became a more industrial community, and the prison provided the needed labor to build railroads, manage farmland and work in the factories. One Jefferson City entrepreneur built a shoe factory in the prison and hired prisoners at a lower wage to fulfill his orders. With the recent eradication of slavery, the prison now housed both white and African American inmates, and like the outside world the inmates were segregated in the prison. The prison had separate living quarters and separate meal times for whites and African Americans. The African Americans typically had longer sentences as well. By 1868, the penitentiary needed an expansion because of the influx in prisoners. During 1876, another expansion was added along with a building that housed the women of the prison. At this time the prison was facing three concerns. They needed to reform the felons, control them and pay for the prison. The reform method was to put the inmates in solitary confinement, the control method was to enforce harsh punishments on the inmates and to pay for the prison the Missouri Legislature leased the penitentiary to two businessmen during 1839. From then on, the prisoners worked in complete silence as blacksmiths, coal miners, shoemakers and quarrymen. “You were not allowed to talk to yourself, to your cellmates or the officers,” Jobe said. “If you instituted any kind of conversation with anyone, they would beat you.” Jobe said this was a common occurrence to enforce the harsh conditions in the prison. Throughout the Industrial Revolution and the turn of the century, the prison became self-sustaining and during 1898 the prison made a profit. The nationwide Progressive social reform movement improved life in the prison. Electricity, hot showers, new paint, fresh bedding and a new hospital greatly improved the lives of the prisoners, especially those who were elderly. The normal practice of flogging and the characteristic zebra-striped uniform were fading out slowly. The concept of the visiting room was introduced, and the money the inmates received from their visitors could be used to buy small luxuries the prison staff kept on hand.
A group of officers monitor the Missouri State Penitentiary the day after the 1954 riot. The Highway Patrol, local police, Missouri’s National Guard and the local fire station were called to help restore order during the riot.
RESIDENTS AND PRISONERS
Citizens of Jefferson City worked with and oversaw the convicts in the factories. While only a few oversaw the convicts, many of the citizens worked side-by-side with them. The wage laborers were called “square men.” Square men worked inside and outside the prison walls, depending on the industry, firm and the decade. Americans all over the country adjusted from pre-industrial system of craftsmen working in small shops to semi-skilled laborers working in factories. In Jefferson City, the mix of wage and convict labor was a controversial subject, and local residents still debate the economic and social impact of mixed wage and convict labor during the Industrial Revolution.
“You were not allowed to talk to yourself, to your cellmates or the officers,” – Gary Jobe
THE TURNING POINT
The prison felt the effects of the Great Depression, World War I and World War II. Although the prison could house 2,500 inmates comfortably, the number of inmates rose to 5,300 during 1932. A normal cell was meant to hold two to three inmates. “Between the 1890s and 1940 we were severely overcrowded and we had anywhere from six to seven inmates in a cell,” Jobe said. “We stuffed them in there like sardines.” With the extreme influx in the amount of inmates, the risk of riots skyrocketed. If a riot occurred, it normally would begin in the dining hall. The wardens regained control of the
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EXPLORE FOOD simply to find a cellmate from another race and move. Within four hours of this decree, every cell block had a racial mix of 52 percent white and 48 percent black. The cultural changes of the 1960s and 1970s improved the daily treatment of prisoners. Convicts started to receive full educational programs such as the GED and college and vocational courses. The prison now had a modern hospital, and the threat of tuberculosis had been eradicated. However, because of tougher drug laws, inflation, recession and public frustration, prisons struggled to survive during the 1980s. Services such as drug and alcohol treatment centers and mental hospitals cut services or closed altogether. Still, inmates received more civil rights.
END OF AN ERA Inmates wait in line for their first meal after the 1954 riot. During the riot, four inmates were killed and 50 were injured. penitentiary by feeding the inmates in smaller groups and responded to the consequential financial hardship of overcrowding by commissioning more pardons and lesser sentences for inmates.
REFORM
After World War II, prison reform throughout the United States began to treat the root causes of criminal activity. In the Missouri State Penitentiary, the problems found in the inmates were poor education, addiction, corruption and few job skills. To combat these issues, the prison started to offer training in five trades, radio, art, typing, bookkeeping and sign painting. The wardens encouraged the inmates to participate in competitive sports and other activities such as forming bands, publishing a newspaper and operating a radio station. Although the housing halls were segregated, the activities were not, which shows life inside of the prison might have been more progressive in some ways than the outside world. During 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson formed a federal crime commission to study crime and American prisons. Johnson recognized the faultiness of the prison system and therefore wanted to reform it. Electronic monitoring devices were introduced so parole offenders could serve their time under house arrest. At the Missouri State Penitentiary, the first thing that needed to be accomplished was racial integration. During 1973, the director of the prison stated if MSP did not integrate on its own, the federal government would intervene and do it for them. The director created a committee of inmates composed of both whites and African Americans and told them to come up with a plan for integration. The prisoner committee told the general prison population
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During the 1990s, the Missouri Department of Corrections struggled to find a balance between custody and treatment. At this time, the Missouri State Penitentiary was part of a specialized system of prisons in Missouri. The prison focused on sex offender and mental health treatment, juvenile treatment and pre-release inmates. During September 2004, the MSP officially closed its doors when the city built the new Jefferson City Correctional Center. The Missouri State Penitentiary’s facilities became too outdated to house inmates effectively with the modern system. MSP was founded during 1836 and for more than 150 years it was Missouri’s only maximumsecurity prison. It was the United States’ longest continuously operating penitentiary west of the Mississippi River. Today, citizens of Jefferson City give public tours to remember the history and significance of MSP and the employees of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau work to preserve the many buildings that make up the Missouri State Penitentiary. Katherine Reed, Communications Manager at the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the reason she thinks the prison is so popular is because of the diversity of its appeal. The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau offers historical, paranormal and overnight tours at the prison. The paranormal tours and the historical tours are especially popular, Reed said. People at every age — from elementary school to the elderly — enjoy taking tours, Reed said. Many of the tour guides were either once officers who patrolled the prison, or they are former inmates that served time at the Missouri State Penitentiary, she said. Reed also said this gives a special firsthand account of what actually occurred within the walls of the penitentiary and makes the experience of the visitor more fulfilling. Real stories from people who have lived them add a sense of reality to the tour, and people begin to understand what life was truly like there, she said.
IN THE SLAMMER
“James Earl Ray was such a racist person that he thought he would get a reward for killing King” – Gary Jobe
INFAMOUS INMATES
The 1954 Riot
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, prison riots around the United States were on the rise and many feared one would happen in Jefferson City. In 1954, the most infamous riot at the Missouri State Penitentiary occurred. Two inmates faked an illness, overtook a warden, and stole his keys. The two inmates then freed as many of their fellow inmates they could and set out for the entrance of the prison. Nearly 2,500 inmates were a part of the riot. The Missouri Highway Patrol was promptly called in and restored control by using open fire and force. “These inmates had 24 hours a day, seven days a week to think about how to cheat the system,” Jobe said.
James Earl Ray was raised in Missouri in a small farming town. Raised to be suspicious of everybody, young James Earl Ray learned to despise blacks, although he had little to no contact with them throughout his life. In 1959, Ray and an accomplice held up a grocery store. He was tried and convicted, and sentenced to 20-years at the Missouri State Penitentiary. In 1967, he escaped from the Missouri State Penitentiary through the bakery. Nearly a year later on April 4, 1968, Ray assassinated Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee.. “He was such a racist person that he thought he would get a reward for killing King,” said Jobe. Ray was caught, convicted 1st degree murder, and sentenced to 99 years in prison. After pleading guilty to a $12,000 armed robbery charge, Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd arrived at MSP in 1925. He was released in 1929, but continued armed robbery across Missouri and Oklahoma. He was known for carrying heavy artillery and also was wanted for killing law enforcement officers. By 1933, he was known as “the most dangerous man alive”. “Pretty Boy” ended up killing four police officers in Oklahoma in attempt to free a fellow conspirator. He eluded arrest for weeks before he was apprehended on a farm in Oklahoma and shot dead. Sonny Liston arrived at MSP in 1950 on an armed robbery and larceny charge. While at MSP, Liston who was illiterate and one of 17 children, learned how to box in order to fend off other inmates in prison. He learned how to fight so well that he was granted parole in order to fight professionally. “This guy was fast and strong and really knew how to fight,” said Jobe. In 1953, Liston went on to win the National Heavyweight Championship in Chicago. He would often come back to visit MSP, and he died in 1970.
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, detoursmagazine.com
Since Missouri was a state that supported death row, 40 inmates died in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989.
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EXPLORE
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RELAX WITH A GLASS
Relax with a Glass LAGODA RIDGE WINERY’S PEACEFUL PARADISE STORIES BY HALEIGH OETTING PHOTOS BY LADOGA WINERY & HALEIGH OETTING
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n elaborate metal gate opens into a blissful area of wine-filled glasses and acres of thick, grape-laden vines. The shelves in the tasting room are lined with many labeled bottles, all with a different design. The stained glass window hanging from above reflects colored light onto the bar top. Meanwhile outside, guests lounge about in the gazebo while others converse around the fire pit. Wine slushies melt in the summer sun. Here, people take time out of their busy lives to take a breather and unwind. After all, the mission statement of Ladoga Ridge Winery is to rest and relax. Ladoga Ridge Winery is one of the many wineries located in Missouri, but the environment sets Ladoga apart from the rest. Co-owners Galen and Leinda Haddock have made it their goal to create an atmosphere where people can come and relax while enjoying a glass of wine. One customer, Jennifer Hill, spoke about the vineyard while sipping on her favorite Ladoga Ridge Winery drink. “I like the atmosphere, the outside area by the vineyards and coming here for the wine slushies during the summer time,” Hill said. Leinda Haddock mentioned how many of the customers told her visiting Ladoga was like visiting someone’s backyard. “A lot of people like the relaxation here, Leinda said. “They love the sunsets. We have beautiful sunsets here. They find it relaxing to be so close to the vineyard.” The winery also has an array of award-winning wines. All 12 have at least
The Vignoles vine at Ladoga Ridge Winery flourishes the most this year.
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“It is a resting place to indulge in some good company, good times, and good wine.”
Wine Slushie Ladoga Ridge Winery was one of the first few wineries to come up with this idea. The Haddocks had come up with a way to combine a slushy mix with one of their award-winning wines. The winery usually has two wine slushies ready for customers. The slushies are normally served in the summer time.You can also pick up a mix at their gift shop to make at home.
What it takes to Start and Run a Winery
• Putting in posts and grow tubes on each of the vines • Planting, pruning, and break up the soil • Mark where to put the vines • Put up deer fences and set up live traps. • The area must be sprayed with insecticide, pesticide, and herbicides
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one award, some topping two or three. Jim Anderson, Executive Director of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, spoke about how wines affect the state’s annual impact and his thoughts about Ladoga Ridge Winery. “Missouri is home to more than 125 wineries that make up an annual impact on the state’s economy of $1.76 billion, and Ladoga Ridge Winery is one of those award-winning wineries, nestled in a picturesque secluded setting north of Kansas City in Smithville,” Anderson said. “Ladoga Ridge Winery’s wines are handcrafted from grapes grown steps from the tasting room. It’s a great grapesto-glass experience in Missouri wine country.” The Vignoles, an American-French hybrid vine, is a hardy vine that can withstand the ever-changing weather in Missouri. Galen explained that a couple years back the vineyard suffered from a drought, but the Vignoles now flourishes. Vignoles vines are so abundant that the branches smack guests in the face as they walked down the grass aisles. Leinda emphasized they liked to keep things local. From the items in the gift shop to the furniture in the tasting room, the Haddocks really want to support their community. The family donates to several local breast cancer events. Leinda Haddock comes from a long line of cancer survivors. Ladoga Ridge Winery has a bottle of wine named “Because” that honors Leinda’s grandmother. Both of her grandmothers had breast cancer, as did several of her friends. Galen gave an insight into the behind-the-scenes work. There is a lot to do besides just making the wine. Galen talked about how he and his family had to prepare the vineyard all by themselves. Beyond maintaining the vineyard,
RELAX WITH A GLASS
The owners offer various types of wine in their tasting room.
The owners of Ladoga Ridge Winery host a Breast Cancer Awareness event each year. At the end of the event, they get pink balloons and let them go in the evening time.
Events
there is the task of running the business and marketing. “We do most everything ourselves,” Leinda said. “He takes care of the vineyard, and he makes the wine. I take care of the staff, food items, gift shop, licensing, answering emails, phone calls and landscaping.” Wine drinkers and non-wine drinkers alike can enjoy this winery together. Visitors can take a break from the everyday work world and kick back their feet. For those traveling, it is a resting place to indulge in some good company, good times, and good wine.
that Ladoga Ridge Winery Contributes to Pink Carpet Event
The proceeds go to help underinsured young women get mammograms. The Winery donates several cases of wine to this event.
Absoule Dignity
A locally owned business that preps women with items they need before and after surgery.
Spread a Little Joy
The organization acts like a Make-A-Wish foundation, but for terminally ill women.
Julia’s House Foundation
WEB EXCLUSIVE
A scholarship fund for Smithville graduating students in honor of Julia Bargman, who was a middle school coach at Smithville.
read more on our website, detoursmagazine.com
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The Midwest architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright STO RY AND P HOTO S BY F O R R E ST W ILSEY
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In Wright’s typical fashion, the Robie House uses natural stone and wood, as well as natural lighting, to synthesize architecture with the natural world
ALL THE WRIGHT ANGLES
M
uch of Frank Lloyd Wright’s history is available in the many biographies and Wright’s own autobiography, but his career is built into every brick and window of his buildings. With more than 1,000 architectural works designed, 532 Frank Lloyd Wright works were built, and more than 400 are still around today. Although Wright did achieve international fame, many of his works exist in the Midwest. As a man who consistently professed his love for nature, Wright’s works have been considered to be an excellent combination of form and function, emphasizing the marriage of the natural world with his own architectural complexities. His art is best summed up in his own words. “A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines,” Wright said. Wright began his architectural career at the turn of the 20th century, when artists and designers were looking at experimenting with previous architectural styles. The expansion of this modernist movement to architecture comes from Louis Sullivan’s concept of “form follows function,” which included a trimming of unnecessary detail in order to create buildings that were simpler and evoked natural qualities inherent in the design. Frank Lloyd Wright began his design career at Joseph Lyman Silsbee’s architectural firm, but with an aspiration to work on more progressive designs, he sought work with none other than Louis Sullivan.
His later works consisted of a deviation from his usual Prairie style home to a Usonian type of architecture. Prairie style homes generally consisted of broad eaves, an emphasis on horizontal integration with the landscape around it, solid architecture and evident craftsmanship, but less décor than was common in other styles of homes. Usonian homes were more modest than these Prairie style homes, with an emphasis on the integration of nature, often using large windows that gave an open view of the outdoors. Missouri alone has five buildings, including the Community Christian Church in Kansas City and Russell W. Kraus House in Kirkwood. Of the 10 buildings in Iowa, only the G. C. Stockman House in Mason City and the Lowell Walter Residence in Quasqueton are open to visitors. The Russell W. Kraus House in Kirkwood, Missouri is a Wright design open by appointment only. The layout of the building has a very large, angled porch that has a clear view of the park surrounding the house. The inside consists of two parallelograms lapping in an offset, cross-like fashion that integrates the gravel drive and carport with the rest of the home. Being one of the few houses designed by Wright in Missouri, it is a popular attraction. Situated in Ebsworth Park, the house is an excellent example of Wright’s innovative designs for middle-class families. It has simple, elegant architecture that
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accentuates views of the outdoors in the 10.5acre park in which it was originally built. Kay Dusenbery, Chairman of the Board of the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park, has gained much insight into Wright’s architectural styles from showcasing the house for tours and maintaining its historical value. “The house is neat because of Wright’s use of a geometric module to build houses,” Dusenbery said. “This house actually is actually made of two overlapping parallelograms, such that they make an L-shape with the house, so it isn’t like a typical square block or rectangle house. There are only two structural right angles in the house, which makes for a really different approach to living.” For a more geometrically common Wright design, the G. C. Stockman House in Mason City, Iowa is situated on a small plot of land with trees lining the back of the property, nearing Willow Creek that cuts through town. For a full day in Mason City, the Stockman House has since been converted into a museum that showcases Wright’s style from the beginning of the 20th century and is open regularly Thursday, Friday and Saturday for
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scheduled tours every hour from 10-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Many other accessible Wright homes are situated in Oak Park, Illinois, where Wright originally worked in various architectural firms. As a result, a majority of the 130 buildings in Illinois attributed to Wright are in the greater Chicago area. Although many of them are not regularly open to the public, famous homes such as the Bach House, Robie House and even his own personal Wright Home and Studio are accessible in the Chicago and Oak Park areas. For those wanting to keep away from the big city, the Laurent House in Rockford, Illinois is available twice every month for viewing, and the Dana-Thomas House in Illinois’ capital, Springfield, is regularly available to the public. The Laurent House, open by appointment, also offers a few intimate details about Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal life, as he grew to be very good friends with the owners of the house. Further north still, situated in the Chicago area is Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, where Wright’s career began. Laura Dodd,
Director of Operations and Guest Experience for the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, provides an informative experience through his homes in Oak Park and Chicago. Many of these homes were developed as a variation on Wright’s traditional form of homes, and the studio at the Wright home shows his experimentation with form in detail. Some of the notable houses in the area include the Robie House, which, according the University of Chicago’s architectural program, is often considered one of the best examples of Prairie-style architecture. “It was situated on a city lot, so it was a relatively small piece of land, but the house did an excellent job of filling up that property” Dodd said. “Over 500 linear feet of planter boxes built into the house bring nature into the design, which is highly characteristic of Wright’s work. It also is one of the few sites nominated for UNESCO world-heritage status, in conjunction with Wright’s Unity Temple’s nomination.” The Emil Bach House in northern Chicago is a post-Prairie but pre-Usonian house that displays the transitions between these phases, with many house designs showing Prairie-style themes with the affordability of a Usonian style. With less than 2,000 square feet, it offers the form and function of being on a busy street but offers more privacy through extensive use of plants that grow as part of the design of the building. It also marks Wright’s movement away from the extensive use of glass, but maintains architecture and nature should be designed to emphasize each other, making the house appear to be organic.
ALL THE WRIGHT ANGLES
The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio has been carefully preserved to detail one of Wright’s first masterpieces – his own house. His old studio, where he spent a large portion of his time working on his designs, is accurately displayed for visitors to see. The home has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976. Yet all of the house designs appeared in some way at Frank Lloyd Wright’s own home and studio. Situated in Oak Park, the house has Wright’s original design studio, where he drew up many of the homes for which he became famous. Many of the design characteristics found in his notable homes like the Robie and Emil-Bach houses can be seen in the design of his own home and studio. “I think one of our greatest treasures is the Wright Home and Studio,” Dodd said. “It’s the birthplace of all of his work. It was the first home he built, and he lived in it. The neighborhood surrounding it is a Frank Lloyd Wright historic neighborhood. The earliest houses he built are here in this neighborhood, and you can see his design and style developing around that house. You get to tour the home where he lived and see the studio where he worked, as well as some of the
homes in the neighborhood.” Frank Lloyd Wright’s artistry provides some of the most well-known works of architecture across the Midwest, and they are easy to visit and explore. Once a year, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust develops an exhibitional walkthrough of three existing Wright homes in the Oak Park area as well as five other homes that display some architectural relationship to Frank Lloyd Wright. The Wright Plus House Walk will take place May 21, 2016, giving any curious Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado an adventure worth exploring. Each house’s design leaves an impression on those who go in search of Wright’s talent, and with as many different works as his, Wright’s career makes for one of the best adventures in the Midwest.
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FOOD & DRINK
Taking it to the Streets
Renowned food truck足-turned-足restaurant brings Filipino food to St. Louis STORIES AND PHOTOS BY GRACE BUECKENDORF
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TAKING TO THE STREETS MINGOITWILDLIFE REFUGE
What began as two men, a truck and a vision has transformed into a nationally recognized celebration of Filipino food and what it means to be a small business competing among an army of corporations. Truly a guerrilla operation, Guerrilla Streetfood, a Filipino-inspired food truck, catering business and restaurant based out of St. Louis, has fought to become a fan favorite both across St. Louis and the world.
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n the beginning, the company consisted only of entrepreneur Joel Crespo, chef Brian Hardesty and a truck. Among the first five food trucks in St. Louis, Crespo and Hardesty wanted their concept to draw customers for the food, not just the food truck trend. “Who knows if in five years if food trucks are still going to be a thing,” Crespo said. “We have to offer something people can’t get anywhere else.” That’s when Hardesty suggested that the duo make Filipino food. Since they wanted to stand out from existing food trucks and restaurants, Crespo said this was a perfect fit. At the time of the food truck’s conception, he said there weren’t any outlets for Filipino food. Although Crespo comes from a Filipino background, Hardesty said he had no prior experience preparing Filipino food. He said menu production for the truck involved a lot of trial and error. “I had basically been screwing around in my home kitchen with certain recipes that Joel and I would taste,” Hardesty said. “I started getting hardcore about it and started learning recipes by going to Filipino parties and trying food there ... so I would have a base to play off of. And then I’d take that and make it my own, while hopefully holding true to Filipino-inspired cuisine.” While people were skeptical of the food at the beginning, Hardesty said he thinks he and Crespo educated a lot of people about Filipino food and gained a loyal fanbase willing to get excited about their new dishes.
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DESTINATION FOOD & DRINK Their food soon garnered national attention, with the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” covering their story just over a year after their opening. Show host Guy Fieri came to talk to Crespo and Hardesty about their blue crab ceviche, a seasoned crab dish served with watermelon slices, and one-inch punch, a fruit and coconut milk infusion. As Fieri said in the show, “These dudes are rocking it ... The greatest part of [the crab ceviche] is how well the watermelon pairs with it.” “[‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’] is international,” Crespo said. “Because of that appearance, which airs multiple times a year every year, we get emails from Dubai, we get people visiting us with British accents. We get emails from people in the Philippines saying, ‘Way to represent ... hope to one day come to your restaurant,’ and some of them do.”
“...we get emails from Dubai, we get people visiting us with British accents. We get emails from people in the Philippines saying, ‘Way to represent ...” While their “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” episode brought in travelers from around the globe, the creative interpretation of Filipino cuisine brings them back - the food has won award after award, bringing hungry travelers in to taste this food that the Munchies named Best Food Truck in America. The national awards are memorable and fun, but Hardesty’s favorite award hits more of a local note. He said his favorite award was from Ian Froeb at the Riverfront Times, who called his Wandering Pig, a slow roasted pork dish seasoned with sriracha, calamansi and fried garlic, served over jasmine rice and topped with a one hour egg, the Best St. Louis Dish in 2012. “That was our own creation,” Hardesty said. “It was Filipino-inspired, but it was a completely original dish, still on our menu, super popular and when we found out that was decided to be the best dish in St. Louis, over all restaurants, not just food trucks, that kind of blew my mind.”
Ligaya Figueras, former Exectutive of Sauce Magazine, takes notes on the Guerrilla Streetfood items she tried before brick-and-mortar opening during July.
The Ted Drewes Frozen Custard sign lights up the night along the highway.
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TAKING MINGOITWILDLIFE TO THE STREETS REFUGE
Guests enjoy their Filipino fare at the South Grand Guerrilla Streetfood location. The instore menu offers an expanded menu, featuring food truck favortites alongside items that have sporadically been offered as specials on the truck.
With their growth and popularity, the Guerrilla streetfood duo opened a brick-and-mortar in July at 3559 Arsenal St. in the South Grand neighborhood, offering an immobile alternative to the truck. Reception of the restaurant has been, as Crespo put it, awesome. “We’re in a great crossroads of South City neighborhoods and everyone in those neighborhoods are people who like to support local businesses,” Crespo said. While both Crespo and Hardesty say they hope expansion beyond St. Louis is in their (very distant) future, for now they are focusing on their St. Louis location and the original food truck. To find them, check their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or pay their brickand-mortar a visit.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS Munchies: People’s Choice Food Awards.Put on by tablespoon.com each year, this national award recognizes the best chefs, restaurants and food in the U.S. Crab ceviche: Lump crab meat, red onion, sweet peppers, calamansi, vinaigrette, greens, fried garlic, sriracha and watermelon slices. One-inch Punch: House made fruit punch of black currant juice, pineapple juice and coconut milk. Brick-and-mortar: A storefront location for a restaurant with a permanent address. Guerrilla: A member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger, regular forces.
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, detoursmagazine.com
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Though the Lake of the Ozarks is a popular spot for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts, secluded areas dotting the edge of the main lake offer peace to anyone willing to venture there. The rocky outcropping shown is the outlet of an underground spring, which pumps clear cave water into the lake.
RIVERFRONT ADVENTURES
riverfront adventures CANOEING THE OZARKS
STORIES AND PHOTOS BY FORREST WILSEY
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he Midwest is speckled with hidden treasures. Small parks, hidden ravines and peaceful glades are all humble characteristics of the spaces between major cities. Some of the best spots to see are unknown to the typical outdoorsman. Yet some of the best spots are also in the most wellknown places. The Lake of the Ozarks State Park was established during 1931 as a man-made lake resulting from the creation of the Bagnell Dam. The Lake of the Ozarks is an expansive body of water in South Central Missouri. The United States National Park Services originally owned the lake until World War II, when they donated it to the state of Missouri. Today, with more than 1,100 miles of shoreline, 17,000 acres of areas to explore and three easily accessible caves, the area is a popular location for a variety of outdoor activities, especially canoeing and kayaking.
Almost 85 miles of water exist as a result of the increased water level from the Bagnell Dam, providing one of the largest water spots for any type of boat or canoe. Additionally, with some of the highest points of elevation in Missouri and a large network of limestone outcroppings, the Ozarks area is home to a wide variety of landscapes that are rarely seen anywhere else in the state. Many of the opportunities to explore the lake waters are offered by private companies along the edge of the Lake of the Ozarks. Cedar Camp, one such private company that offers canoe and kayak expeditions along the Little Niangua River, specializes in river trips that are full of new sights and that are, above all else, safe. Tammy Sharley, a lodge worker at Cedar Camp, prepares guests for their stay and registers canoe and kayak trips on the Little Niangua River. “Our most common float trip is a 4-mile float on canoes and kayaks,� Sharley said.
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It generally takes three to four hours, and it has a few caves along the way. The longest trip is a 10- or 13-mile trip, which can be a really long trip, especially when the water level is down. We have plenty of caves around the area, and a lot of them are easy to get to from the water, so you can really break up the trip.” While the towns surrounding the state park are dotted with private companies ready to accommodate tourists for land and water exploration, the Lake of the Ozarks State Park has a marina of its own, equipped with kayaks and canoes that are readily available to be set out on the lake. Although hiking is an excellent way to see many of the natural areas, especially the higher elevation locations and the caverns, a trip in a small boat allows for easy control and accessibility to view some of the harderto-find springs and tributaries that exist as offshoots of the main lake. As a result, canoe trips are a popular method of taking in the full view of the Lake of the Ozarks. Renee Black, a gatehouse keeper at the Lake of the Ozarks, works on maintaining campgrounds and making sure that guests have everything they need for their stay. Keeping the guests entertained, on the other hand, often involves a wide variety of activities. “Swimming, boating, fishing and bowfishing are pretty popular,” Black said. “People will bring their own boats, tubes, canoes and kayaks for the river. Most people check out the marina down on the lakeside and rent out canoes and kayaks. You can see a lot of
new places from the water.” Many of the views worth seeing on the lake are away from the shoreline. In cases such as these, canoes and kayaks easily allow visitors a chance to see some of the rarer sights along the lake. Waterfalls cover the rocky crags that line the lake edge, ranging from a trickle to a cascade. Where these waterfalls meet the lake water, the pools are crystal clear. In other areas, wells of clear groundwater exist as a result of cave outlets joining with the lake. Millennia of erosive processes have allowed these cave systems to join to the lake, though in many cases these outlets are tiny, only clearing the water for a few square meters. Bill Bryan, Director of Missouri State Parks, is quite familiar with what makes each park different, and thus what value each area has as a separate park. “There are two main water trails at Lake of the Ozarks, and we recently established a 13-mile water trail at Ha Ha Tonka State Park on the Little Niangua River,” Bryan said. “You can see a lot of countryside from them. There are also a lot of types of wildlife in the glades that you wouldn’t be able to normally see on a foot trail or from jet boat. This includes deer, herons and some of our lake fish if you can spot them. The motor boats can be fun, but I think it’s important to take the time and consider experiencing the water and sights differently. That’s why the lengthy canoeing trips are so popular.” The water trails are similar to hiking trails in principle. They are long stretches of water with a well-defined starting point and end point. Many private companies will drop off guests with their equipment and canoes at one
Many of the views worth seeing on the lake are away from the shoreline.
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point and pick them up a few hours later near a designated end point, often miles downriver. Some of these trips can take an entire day, but they are often rewarding. The Lake of the Ozarks is home to a large number of deer, plenty of waterfowl, elegant herons and a variety of fish that are indigenous to the Ozarks area. Canoes also offer a way to explore long stretches of the lakes, though canoe tours and rafting trips are done primarily on rivers a few miles outside of the main Lake of the Ozarks area. Some of these river tours — like those offered by Cedar Camp — can be done as float trips, which offer the alternative of a relaxed pace in addition to different views of the land. Many of these rivers, like the Little Niangua River, have the added benefit of being very clean and able to support a large variety of life in its waters. Float trips of all types are excellent ways to offer entirely new perspectives on what the river systems in the Lake of the Ozarks look like. From a trail looking in at the river, it is easy to take such a sight for granted, but after interacting with the wildlife along the water’s edge and within the water systems, a new appreciation develops for the immense diversity of life the water supports. These new perspectives allow any avid adventurer or even casual travelers the opportunity to take a step back from the busyness of life in the cities. Whether the trip is only a few miles or a watery half-marathon, canoe trips allow for a chance to slow down and take in the sights the natural world has to offer from a different point of view, and that is the value of canoeing the Ozarks.
RIVERFRONTLYCEUM ADVENTURES THEATRE
The Little Niangua River, as well as other offshoots, are ornamented in fallen trees and water plants. The culmination of the ecosystem’s natural events creates an ever-changing environment full of diverse forms of life.
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A HOME AWAY FROM HOME Locals around the world open their homes to travelers STORY AND PHOTOS BY: MARY TOMLINSON
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A HOME AWAY FROM THEATRE HOME LYCEUM
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he definition of “vacation lodging” used to be confined to corporate hotel chains, resorts and the occasional bed and breakfast or boutique hotel. But starting in 2008, Airbnb has widened that definition to include castles, treehouses, igloos, loft apartments – anything a local host wants to open for guests. The concept of Airbnb centers around local residents across the world listing their home on the Airbnb website, and travelers book their lodging through the website. The experience can be more hands-off, where the guest just picks up the key from the host and enjoys the entire space, or it can be very intimate, where the traveler stays in a room inside the home. The hope is that host-guest relationship will lead to insightful interactions and cultural exchanges that would have been impossible otherwise. Of course, a phenomenon like Airbnb – like any travel phenomenon – is best experienced in person. My first interaction led me to Washington Ave., a modern street in downtown St. Louis that houses the apartment of Joe and Brenda.
INDUSTRIAL LOFT ON WASHINGTON AVENUE: THE HIP FRIENDS YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE
Top: Laura Lynn’s treehouse is easily accessible by stairs, and is surrounded by a campfire space for communal gatherings. Left: A hammock nestled among flowers offers peace and quiet on the property of the Airbnb treehouse I stayed in for a night.
professors, a biochemistry graduate student, and New Zealanders in America for the first time. Joe expected to host mostly Midwesterners, but has seen quite the wide variety in their little time as hosts. I witnessed firsthand some colorful travelers stay with Joe and Brenda – literally colorful, they had purple and green hair. I joined the two couples for dinner at Rosalita’s, one of Joe and Brenda’s favorite Washington Avenue joints. Tessa and Vinton, the bright Oklahomans, had just returned from the City Museum, one of many recommendations from Joe and Brenda. Though I asked the hosts logistical questions about their experiences with Airbnb, the real answers were unfolding right in front of me. Joe and Vinton bonded over earning Yelp “Elite Reviewer” status and Joe told tales of the delicious and free food offered at the Yelp Elite events, while Tessa shared European travel tips with Brenda and recommended her aunt as a tour guide. While Tessa and Vinton broke off to explore the apartment’s rooftop and take pictures of the panoramic view, Joe shared his overall perspective on his Airbnb experience.
When Joe and Brenda started hosting during November 2014, they joined to earn extra travel money for a future European vacation. With an extra bedroom in the apartment and an easygoing friendliness about them, they seem like a natural choice to begin listing on Airbnb.
“It’s been nice because every night that we have a guest stay in our apartment, they’re essentially paying for a night of our lodging when we travel,” Joe said. “But it’s also just been a lot of fun, we’ve been really lucky and met some very cool people. We could have had anyone book Fourth of July weekend, but we had the New Zealanders book with us, and they were down for anything and everything we did that weekend. After hosting, you realize that deep down, everyone’s the same; they just want someone they can relate to and hang with.”
After only eight months of hosting, their skills as hosts have been tested with university
In the few hours that I spent getting a sneak peek of Tessa and Vinton’s stay, I saw the walls
After hosting, you realize that deep down, everyone’s the same; they just want someone they can relate to and hang with.
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come down between strangers and bridges built between fellow travelers. The interactions between the guests and hosts were as open as the floor plan in Joe and Brenda’s urban loft. Tess and Vinton were there to explore a city, and Joe and Brenda were there to share it. From my vantage point, both held up their end of the deal well.
Laura Lynn, the owner of the 70 acre property, designed and built the treehouse with a local carpenter. A water garden and landscape designer who has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Laura felt called to this space as a grand canvas to create a haven for visitors to be restored by the natural surroundings.
TREE HOUSE IN THE PINES: AN AWAKENING RETREAT
“In order to create the vision of my heart, I needed a grand amount of property,” Laura said. “The Land had to have special little spaces with lots of different feels. Each new friend finds a place that nurtures their soul. [With the Land and the Tree House,] I want people to have a home they go back to for comfort and healing in their memories; a place that brings peace as they remember the beauty
An hour outside downtown St. Louis, a different type of Airbnb destination is open for guests. Nestled in a grove of pine trees is a childhood fantasy that has come to life: a twostory treehouse, floating above the pi ne needles.
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and connection to nature and loving details of the Tree House. We need places to rest and heal in our mind, heart, and body. My hope is this is one of the gifts guests receive.” I visited this canvas of hers firsthand on a mild July day. After Laura showed me around the property while sharing the history of the land, I was free to explore the land by myself. I hiked on a lush green trail past the tranquil pond and went deep into the woods, where nothing but leaves and nature’s quiet buzzing surrounded me. The end of the trail led to a peaceful clearing where I could sit and just “be.” While sitting, a doe and her fawn sprinted out from the trees, then ran the other way as soon as they saw me. The mother was quick to leave, but the fawn took a few moments to curiously
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
A hidden country property in the middle of Missouri might not seem like a destination, but through Airbnb, I discovered Laura Lynn’s nature retreat destination and magical, restorative treehouse
During my stay, I fed the goats, chickens, ducks and turkeys living freely on the property.
peer at me with its big beautiful eyes. I was completely immersed in the magic of Laura Lynn’s property. A few hours later, the enchantment began when I settled into the treehouse for the night. A climb up the stairs took me into an open space with a living room, kitchenette and a ladder leading upstairs to a loft space. Surrounding me were vases of freshly cut wildflowers, coffee table books on treehouse building and spiritual awareness, two giant shoe chairs, tree trunks coming through the floor and plenty of natural light as the sun was setting. The only interruption during my evening was when Laura’s pet goat came up the stairs into the treehouse, but goat intrusion aside, my stay was lovely.
A hidden country property in the countryside of Missouri might not seem like a destination, but through Airbnb, I discovered Laura Lynn’s nature retreat destination and magical, restorative treehouse. Though it is unconventional to enter the home of a stranger on a vacation, Airbnb offers a way to reach outside the normal lodging options and explore a location through the eyes of a generous host. Throughout Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, there are over 7,000 listings available, and during your next round of Midwestern travels, any one of them could be your next home away from home.
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PITSTO 25 roadside oddities worth a detour STORIES AND PHOTOS BY: ABBEY NORTHCUT
Everyone has seen at least one on a road trip — the giant ear of corn, the gift shop that promises fried everything or the billboard plastered with vaguely unsettling faces. These sights are everywhere in the Midwest, but some destinations merit more than just a passing glance from a speeding car. Here are 25 places worth visiting for those with a sense of humor and a love for the bizarre.
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The spire of the Community of Christ Temple cuts a striking figure in the Independence sky.
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Dan’s Emerald Forest
In Overland, a miniature world draws attention in the form of an elaborate train set. Dan Schmidt carefully maintains this display year-round, switching out different scenes to represent the seasons and life events, such as weddings or parades. Though the trains run all year, the display really picks up duringthe month of December. Schmidt’s yard is illuminated with strings of lights, and Schmidt himself greets travelers with mugs of hot cocoa and candy canes.
Red Oak II
The confusing name makes sense once visitors speak with Lowell Davis, the artist behind this sprawling installation piece. Davis purchased and transplanted the entire town of Red Oak, moving all of the town structures twenty-three miles to a spot near Carthage. He then revitalized and restored the buildings and homes of this former ghost town, and now holds church services and concerts on the weekends, among other events. “I don’t believe that an artist should be restricted to use only paint or clay,” Davis says on his website. “To me, Red Oak II is a combination of a painting and a sculpture, and it is just made from things that someone else threw away.”
Community of Christ Temple
There are hundreds of churches in the Midwest, but this one is distinct because of its architecture. The huge, mirrored, twisted tower immediately is discernable from the rest of the Independence skyline. Visitors to the temple — open to the public for both guided and audio tours, as well as a daily prayer for peace at 1:00 — are advised to sit down before looking up at the spire from within to avoid falling over. The glowing white interior brings to mind the inside of a whorled seashell, towering at more than 300 feet. Besides the main draw, the church also is home to several meditation gardens.
Cave Vineyard
This is the ideal spot for wine tasters who truly want to go underground. The St. Genevieve winery staff helps travelers choose a bottle before inviting them into Saltpeter Cave, formerly used as a mine, to enjoy their wine. Most of the wines produced here are award-winning, and there is a large selection along with beers and biscotti for dipping. Visitors can relax in the cool of the cave while listening to the sounds of birdsong and a nearby stream.
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Hall of Waters
Water is serious business in Excelsior Springs. This building, decked out in a combination of Art Deco and ancient Mayan style, honored the importance of spring water found in the surrounding area. The townspeople believed that pure, clean mineral water was the source of health when this hall was built during 1937. Though it now is used mostly for offices, it once housed an enormous swimming pool, a hydrotherapy facility, a bottling company and the world’s longest “water bar.”
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant
This Kansas City eatery in Crown Center is high-tech in an old-fashioned way. The waiters and waitresses aren’t the ones serving the tables — that honor goes to the model train running around the ceiling of the restaurant. After diners order via a telephone in each booth, the kitchen puts out the orders and puts them onto the train. When the train reaches the proper table, it unloads the meals onto a metal tray, which then descends to the table below. Fritz’s atmosphere is intended more for children, but adults may enjoy the mechanical décor and American fare just as much.
The Cheshire Novelty Suites
For those who want to take a rest after their travels, this is one of the most luxurious hotels in St. Louis. However, elegance and expense translate to unusual design. The Cheshire has several deluxe packages for their novelty suites, which are based on literature and popular culture. For the book lover, try the nautical motifs of the Treasure Island suite. If stylish intrigue is more interesting, the James Bond suite comes with brightly colored film posters, mod furniture and a direct route to the pool.
Cole County Historical Society
Jefferson City’s local Historical Society has a very specific fashion show in its museum. The inaugural gowns of all of Missouri’s first ladies are on display in the DeLong Room, from the pseudo-Victorian gowns of the early first ladies to such modern dresses as those of Carolyn Reid Bond, former wife of Governor Kit Bond. The outfits rotate every few months to preserve them, and the Historical Society staff holds an annual fundraiser and fashion show highlighting the gowns.
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant in the heart of Crown Center, offers American fare on rails
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The Kaskaskia Dragon
This monster of Vandalia, though made of metal, has one important feature in common with dragons of legend — it breathes real fire. For a dollar per ten seconds, travelers can insert a token to watch the beast spit flames at the child-sized knight statue. Gold, dragon-stamped tokens are sold at the hardware store down the street or the liquor store across the highway.
Raven’s Grin Inn
This historic home in downtown Mt. Carroll has quite a few surprises in store for the casual attendee. This is a year-round haunted house, rated by Haunted Illinois as one of the best. Visitors first embark on a winding guided tour through Raven’s Grin filled with the actual history of the building. After seeing lush, detailed paintings and architecture that goes against all common sense, patrons are invited into the Bad Dreams Bedroom slide, which plummets them from the top floor to an underground cellar. A special package, called Hide and Seek, allows guests to explore the house at their leisure to play the childhood game with friends.
Home of the White Squirrels
Olney is famous for these snowy critters, which run rampant in the parks and woods of the town. An annual count of the population, now steady at about 200, takes place during a few weeks in October. There are many theories about the squirrels’ origin, including alegend that a hunter found two pure-white babies squirrels in a wooded nest and brought them home to his children. Humorously enough, Olney also has a friendly rivalry with the Missouri town of Marionville, which claims to be the “original” home of the white squirrel.
Scale Model of the Solar System
The vastness of space is represented on a 99,000,000:1 scale just outside of Peoria’s Riverfront Museum. The model has all eight planets, five dwarf planets, and several comets scattered throughout the surrounding area, all in small towers with descriptions of each heavenly body. The first three planets from the sun — Mercury, Venus, and Earth — make for a brisk stroll along the river. Pluto, however, lies a whopping 40 miles from the trail’s start at the Sun Plaza.
Hyde Park Parakeets
Parakeets are native to South America, but a whole colony of them has settled in Chicago. Monk parakeets escaped from the surrounding urban areas and began to breed and build stick nests in the pines of Hyde Park, some of which can be around six feet long and hold dozens of mating pairs. The tiny, bright green birds have survived tough Chicago winters for more than forty years and are considered good luck by local residents.
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Opera in Focus
This charming theater in Rolling Hills could be a game-changer for puppets. The expert team of puppeteers behind Opera in Focus, conceived by William B. Fosser in 1993, performs hour-long scenes from classic operas such as Aida, Carmen and Turandot. The puppets also act out songs from musicals like West Side Story and Annie Get Your Gun. The stage is only five feet wide by two feet deep, but the skillfully executed performances call to mind the grandeur of life-size opera.
Henry’s Ra66it Ranch
This rabbit ranch on Route 66 has a bit of a double meaning—the titular rabbits refer not only to the small, furry creatures, but also the Volkswagen Rabbit tribute to the famous Cadillac Ranch structure in Amarillo, Texas. Some of the rabbits are as large as small dogs, and some enjoy doing tricks, being picked up and even giving autographs. Owner Rich Henry is devoted to the rabbits, even making a “Tomb of the Unknown Rabbit” for furry victims of highway traffic.
Gold Pyramid House
Jim Onan created this enormous, expensive structure in 1977 with the funds from his successful garage business. The 17,000 square foot home is complete with gold plating, a three-car pyramid garage, an event space for private gatherings, a gift shop and a giant statue of Ramses II. This is the largest gold-plated structure by size in the world and is open for group tours.
Fin Inn
The name is not just for show. Enormous fish tanks surround diners as they order in this Grafton restaurant. The tanks are teeming with hundreds of native Mississippi and Missouri river fish, kept by the staff at the Fin Inn. There are turtles as well, like the 100-pound Loggerhead. This particular specimen is more than 100 years old. The menu is American food, including — naturally — lots of river fish dishes.
Enjoy dinner and a show with the curious fish of the Fin Inn.
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Brooklyn’s Community of Flags waves gently in the breeze.
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Community of Flags
Brooklyn is a small community with few people but many flags. The plaza holding them was established during 1994, with one from every U.S. state, one for each specialized branch of the Armed services, and several from international places and countries lining the streets in the downtown area. The flags are right next to the historical society and library, and there is a flag shop downtown where travelers can find out more about the various designs from the knowledgeable shopkeepers.
Matchstick Marvels
Pat Acton cuts the heads off of millions of matchsticks, covers the sticks in millions of gallons of glue, and spends hundreds of hours piecing them together in elaborate dioramas of spacecraft, battleships, dinosaurs and more. Visitors can see his work—some of which is life size— at his museum in Gladbrook. Acton has been putting these models together since 1977, and his skill shows in the intricate construction of Hogwarts, Notre Dame and the World Trade Center.
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Grotto of Redemption
This shrine, composed of nine smaller stations, is covered in mineral deposits and fossils, and the inside resembles that of an underwater cave. The walls, statues and walkways are all lined with precious stones such as pearl, quartz, malachite and petrified wood. Father Doberstein, a priest, started construction on the grotto during 1912 and continued to work on it until his death. Workers are still polishing the details on the shrine today, and it now covers the area of a city block. There is a nearby museum that also has precious stones and other historical artifacts on display.
Fort Custer Maze
This rickety piece of the past offers a challenge for more active travelers in Clear Lake. Set out for a good leg stretch through miles of wooden towers, with surprises and detours around each bend. Get ready for steep steps, rickety bridges and confounding passageways — this maze is a lot more challenging than it looks, and the staff moves walls to change the maze every day during the summer. Be sure to bring water, as there is little airflow inside the wooden walls.
American Gothic House
Artist Grant Wood painted this famous scene in 1930. Though the couple in the painting didn’t live in the house behind them, the house actually exists (with a few artistic differences) and still stands in Eldon. There is a small museum dedicated to the history and cultural impact of the painting, and photo ops are encouraged. The museum even offers several of the couple’s outfits for visitors to use in their pictures! Another draw is the garden of wildflowers that surround the house, some of which grow to four feet tall in the late summer.
Papajohn Park
This sculpture park is a welcome patch of deep green in Des Moines’ downtown. The garden features sculptures from many different artists, each cutting a striking figure in the skyscraper surroundings. Vitiors can follow a winding walking path that branches past all of the sculptures. The giant head made from letters of the alphabet is the central piece, while the enormous rectangular prism of rainbow panes of glass and the spindly, dark bronze “Pondering Rabbit” are other highlights.
Fenelon Place Elevator
Mall escalators pale in comparison to this ascent, which takes travelers from the bottom of a 189-foot bluff from the shops in Cable Car Square to the view of Fenelon Place. J.K. Graves, the elevator’s designer, originally proposed the idea so he could take a half-hour nap after lunch. This railway is one of the steepest in the world, and the view of the Mississippi River, the Dubuque shopping district and three states at the top truly makes the trip a scenic one.
Maasdam Sculpture
Near a Lynneville cornfield, with wings unfurled like a great bird, stands L.J. Maasdam’s wagon wheel art. The artist was 90 years old when he welded this piece, which his children had to re-weld multiple times before it could stand on its own during 1994. There are small benches and a picnic table made of the same metal wagon wheels nearby if travelers would like to sit and marvel at the 60foot sculpture. Maasdam’s family also offers seasonal tours of their sorghum factory down the road.
Surrounded by wildflowers, the American Gothic House makes a pretty picture.
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THE UNEXPECTED PHOTO CONTEST
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PHOTO CONTEST FOOD TRUCKS
CONTEST
WINNER
SARA MURILLO “AS ABOVE SO BELOW” Kirksville, Missouri
winter 2015
43 detours
EXTRAS
HONORABLE
MENTIONS ND
PLACE
ANNA LANG “TRANQUIL MOUNTAIN TOWN” Hallstatt, Austria
detours 44 winter 2015
PHOTO CONTEST
RD
PLACE KATIE WORTHAM “SEROTONIN”- St. Charles, Missouri
TH
PLACE WILLIAM GENAZZI “BROKEN”- Xi’an, China
winter 2015
45 detours
EXTRAS
TH
PLACE
HANNAH RUNEZ “PURA VIDA”- Guanacaste, Costa Rica
HONORABLE MENTION
EMILY PULLEY “UNTITLED”- Kirksville, Missouri detours 46 winter 2015
PHOTO CONTEST
FAVORITE
SHANNON GILES “RED ROCK FALLS”- Glacier National Park, Montana winter 2015
47 detours
EXTRAS
JANUARY events 6th Annual Beer & BBQ Festival Springfield, MO
A World of Music
1 2
MISSOURI ILLINIOS
All-you-can eat BBQ, craft beer and music to start the year.
IOWA
St. Louis, MO
Celebrate the history of musical instrument from around the world.
5 6 7 8 9 3 4 American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood
North of the Northern Lights
Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony
Champaign, IL
Cedar Falls, IA
Kansas City, MO
Artifacts from explorations to the Arctic Circle housed at the Spurlock Museum.
A musical journey into Bach’s beloved baroque symphonies.
The world’s largest sketch comedy festival brings in comedy ensembles.
WinterFest
St. Louis Modern
Children’s Museum Workshop Decatur, IL
Spectrum Art Class Kansas City, MO
Exhibition of Midwestern muralist and his visual storytelling.
Ghost Tour
15th Annual Sketch Comedy Festival Chicago, IL
Living with Pots
Cedar Rapids, IA
16th Annual Eagle Days Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Over 2,000 Midwestern Midwestern works at Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
Bagnell Dam access hosts eagle viewing with hot chocolate and family activities.
Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival Cherokee, IL
Second Saturday Art Walk Springfield, MO
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Ingleside, IL
Snow sculpting and cross-country skiing with live music and treats.
St. Louis, MO
At the St. Louis Art Museum, explore the city’s history of modernist designs.
Springfield, MO
Hear spooky tales while touring Pythian Castle.
Kids and families learn about science topics all while having fun.
At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, delve into the concept of the spectrum.
Pub crawls featuring live music at every stop.
Galleries and restaurants open their doors for a cultural afternoon stroll.
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Spring Awakening
Blues Hockey Game
Lincolnshire, IL
St. Louis, MO
A play infused with folk and alternative music at the Marriott Theatre.
Pre-party at Ballpark Village then to Scotttrade Center for the game.
The Magical Music of John Williams Kansas City, MO
Symphony at the Kauffman Center with scores from Star Wars and more.
Swan Lake Waukegan, IL
Masters Trout Championship Branson, MO
The classic played out by Russian ballet stars at the Genesee Theatre.
A fishing tournament where the catch of the day means trophies.
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Vocalosity Des Moines, IA
Hear the talents of 12 a capella singers at the Des Moines Civic Center.
31 detours 48 winter 2015
Nature on Tap Chicago, IL
Adults-only access to the Nature Museum, combining nature and drinks.
Chicago Restaurant Week Chicago, IL
Jazz at the Bistro Concert Series St. Louis, MO
Taste the best of Chicago’s foodie scene at over 250 restaurants.
Local band plays in the style of St. Louis and New Orleans jazz music.
Hockey Game Des Moines, IA
Show your spirit at and take home a free bobblehead.
FEBRUARY events
CALENDAR CALENDAR
1 2 3 4 5 6 Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs
Deportable Aliens
St. Louis, MO
Chicago, IL
My Funny Valentine
Weekly Wine Tastings
12 Angry Men
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA
Join two comedians for observations on life and love.
Evaluate different wines and mingle with wine enthusiasts.
The classic play tackling the power of persuasion.
The National NorwegianAmerican Museum
Newsies
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Dressing Dowton
Reiman Gardens Orchid Fest Ames, IA
Exotic orchids on display for viewing and purchasing.
13 12 11 10 9 7 8 Peek into the world of espionage in American history.
Mexican artist gives a voice to immigration in America.
Van Gogh’s Bedrooms
Blackhawks Hockey Game
Kansas City, MO Peek into the world of espionage in American history.
Chicago, IL
Decorah, IA
Des Moines, IA
Elegant costumes Downton Abbey offer historical perspective.
Free admission to the Vesterheim, honoring Norwegian heritage.
Singing and dancing newsboys with an agenda take the stage.
Vance Joy
Third Thursday Kansas City, MO
Sheldon Folk Series
Chocolate Festival
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Chicago, IL
An exclusive exhibit at the Art Institute focusing on Van Gogh’s private spaces.
Chicago, IL
Take in a game to cheer on the Stanley Cup winning team.
Kansas City, MO
Australian singersongwriter brings his alternative sounds to the Midwest.
Nelson-Aktins Museum of Art offers live music and local artist showcases.
St. Louis, MO
Ruthie Foster blends folk, blues, soul and gospel for a musical evening.
Homewood, IL
Local chocolatiers share their creations and recipes.
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Tala Madani St. Louis, MO
At the Contemporary Art Museum, take in boundary-pushing representations.
One Book, Two Book Children’s Literature Festival Iowa City, IA
28 29 A magical literary escape for young travelers.
Varsity Impov and Open Mic Comedy
Adaptive Climbing Fridays
Night Visions Gala
Springfield, MO
Des Moines, IA
St. Louis, MO
Show off your comedy chops at the Billiards Blue Room.
Go to new heights with Climb Iowa’s experienced rock climbing staff.
The sculptures of Laumeier Park set the scene for a winter gala.
MISSOURI ILLINIOS IOWA
winter 2015
49 detours
DOCK-HOPPING
We’re a summer vacation’s best friend. An easier trip to just about anywhere starts with a fast flight to St. Louis for convenient connections. It’s affordable and parking is free at most airports, too.
Kirksville Kirksville
Quincy Quincy
St. Louis
St. Louis
Ft. Leonard Wood
Marion Marion Owensboro Cape Girardeau Owensboro Cape Girardeau
Ft. Leonard Wood
Enjoy the ride.
capeair.com
800-CAPE-AIR winter 2013
55 detours