A National Monument and a Touch of Arkansas

Tuesday, September 23

We decided to take a ride to the small town of Diamond (near Carthage/Joplin) to view the George Washington Carver National Monument.

This a beautiful Visitors Center, with three levels of exhibits including a lab which school children and others may use to perform experiments similar to the ones that George Washington Carver performed.

Not Just The Peanut Man...

George Washington Carver was so much more than the "peanut man".  As a young boy George was known as "the plant doctor".  While growing up n a 19th century farm, he learned about plants while tending his secret garden.  George Washington Carver was a man of many talents.  He was a renowned agricultural scientist, educator and humanitarian.

As it was such a beautiful day, we decided to walk the Carver Trail.  It was led by Ranger Diane...

When Moses and Susan Carver moved to southwest Missouri, they built a small 12'x12' cabin.  Eventually this cabin was also inhabited by an enslaved girl named Mary.  Mary gave birth to George Washington Carver towards the end of, or shortly after the end of the Civil War.  

Bill of sale for Mary to Moses Carver

Approximate area where the Carver home stood. A log layout was built after the establishment of the park.

George was born into slavery.  At the end of the Civil War, bushwhackers (outlaws) kidnapped Mary and George.  George, who was only a few weeks old was found by a Union Soldier and returned to Moses Carver.  Mary, it is believed, was taken to Arkansas.  Aunt Susan and Uncle Moses, as George called them, raised him as their own.  He never saw his mother again.  

We continued down the trail and stopped for a bit at the statue of young George.  Diane gave us some background of his childhood.

Our next stop on the trail was the 1881 Moses Carver house.  George never lived here, but he did come back and visit.  This home was built after a tornado demolished several buildings, including the birth home of George, on the farm.

Taking a break with Cooper

We then continued to the Carver Family Cemetery.  This cemetery is pre-Civil War. Susan and Moses Carver are buried here along with other members of their family and others who lived in the Diamond Community.  George Washington Carver is not buried here.  He is buried at Tuskegee University, where he taught agriculture for 47 years.

Carver Family Cemetery

Charity was the wife of Moses' brother, George 

Tall prairie grass behind the cemetery. This prairie grass will grow to seven feet tall

Our walk continued through the tall prairie grass back to the Visitors Center.  Along the way we saw many wildflowers mixed amongst the prairie grass...

We really enjoyed our visit to this national monument.  We highly recommend it to anyone when visiting this area.

Wednesday, September 25

Today was a beautiful day.  We decided to take advantage of the weather and explore more of the Ozarks.  We headed into Arkansas...

 Our destination was Lost Valley (which is neither lost nor a valley) in the Boxley Valley near Ponca, Arkansas.  We made a few stops along the way...

Our first stop was at the the National Buffalo River at Pruitt Landing.  Pruitt Landing is between Harrison and Jasper on Arkansas Scenic Hwy 7.

In order to preserve the Buffalo River as a free-flowing stream, Congress designated it as America's first national river in 1972.  The river originates in the Boston Mountains.

Heading to the water.  Cooper is on a mission!!

Ahhh, he can finally cool off!

The Ozarks river bluffs, up to 500 feet high, are sandstone, limestone and dolomite...

From there we traveled through Jasper, population 498, along winding, curving roads...

to Scenic Point, which overlooks the Grand Canyon of Arkansas...

that's as high up as I'm going!!!

Views from the top of Scenic Point...

Down the road a piece we stopped at the Cliff House Motel and Restaurant for lunch.  The Cliff House is so named because it sits on the overlook of the Grand Canyon of Arkansas...

porch on back of the Cliff House

View from back porch of Cliff House

After a delicious lunch of a smoked turkey sandwich for me and the Ozark Feature for Ron (pinto beans, cole slaw, sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and a hot water corn bread muffin) we continued to Lost Valley. When in this area, this is a "must" visit.  Not only is the food great, the view is fantastic.

By this time, we were ready for a hike! We headed to Lost Valley...

We hiked a mile down the trail through the woods, along a dry river bed to a cave.  We've not had much rain here at all.  It was a moderate hike, beautiful scenery. The cave was amazing.  This area reminds us of Hocking Hills in Ohio...

hmmm, this looks like a...

no, Ron. It's not a throne!!!

Heading into the cave...

He made it!!!

Whatever was I thinking??? I should have listened to you Becky and used a walking stick!

Wherever we go, Coop always meets a new friend...

Box Turtle

We had a wonderful day.  We plan on going back to Scenic Overlook and the Cliff House sometime towards the end of October to view the Autumn colors.



We absolutely love this area.  And, we love "working" at the Dewey Short Visitors Center.  Not only is the Visitors Center located in a beautiful setting, we have tons of fun...

Table Rock Lake and Table Rock Dam

View of Table Rock Dam and Table Rock Lake from the third floor observation platform of the Dewey Short Visitors Center



We never know what Becky will do next...

Becky pulling up Empress Paulownia leaves for Sheryl to use

Introducing Hester The Great Blue Heron.  The latest addition to our family...

The Ozarks have a way of getting into your skin.  We are truly blessed that we are able to travel as we do, and spend time in so many beautiful areas of our country.