Views from the Big Country: Shows and a Battlefield

Thursday, September 12

Thankfully, the humidity has dropped. It's still unusually warm, but much more pleasant with the lower humidity.

We went to two shows today. The first, the Cat's Pajamas, was performed at the Andy Williams Moon River Theatre. This is a energetic a Capella vocal group. They create the full sound of a band using only their voices. They sang songs from the past 60 years to current hits. Great show!

The grounds of the Moon River Theatre are simply beautiful...

The second show we saw was the Hamner Barber Variety Show, held at the Hamner Barber Theatre. This variety show featured illusions, dance and comedy. It was a fun show.

Friday, September 13

A great day to golf, not as hot and lower humidity. While the boys, David and Ron, were hitting the links Coop and I went for a swim in Table Rock Lake. He had a blast!!

No, it's not the Loch Ness Monster, it's only Coop having fun!

Tonight we went to see "Take it to the Limit" a Tribute to the Eagles. The show is held at the Tribute Theatre, which is a rather appropriate name. Most of the tribute shows (Journey, Reba, the Eagles to name a few) are held here. This Theatre is designed to look and feel like a small club, which makes viewing and hearing the show a more up close and personal experience. Between songs, videos of the Eagles performing and speaking in various venues were shown. The youngest member of the Tribute group, Drew, is only 27. He wasn't even born at the height of the Eagles popularity. Drew is a phenomenal guitar player.

Tuesday, September 17

Good news, good news! The heat and humidity are back! Oh, joy!!

After a quick trip to Springfield, we stopped at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. The battlefield is about ten miles southwest of Springfield.

At the time the battle was fought, August 10, 1861, Missouri was a divided (border) state.

The Battle of Wilson's Creek opened the Civil War in Missouri. For the next three and a half years, the state saw fierce fighting, mostly guerrilla warfare.

John Ray watched from his porch as the battle raged in his cornfield. John, his wife and their nine children, along with an enslaved woman (Aunt Rhoda), her two children and a mail carrier took shelter in their home's cellar. Along with being a farmer, John Ray was also the Post Master for the area.

Ray House

View of the battlefield from the front porch of the Ray's home

Anna, one of the Ray's children

Post Office within the Ray home

Cellar where the Ray Family, Aunt Rhoda, her two children and a mail carrier took shelter

Even though John Ray was a slaveholder, he was a Unionist. The widow, Mrs. Steele, brought Aunt Rhoda and her children to the marriage when she wed Mr. Ray. As women could not own property at that time, Aunt Rhoda and her children became the property of Mr. Ray.

Aunt Rhoda

Brig. General Nathaniel Lyon commanded the Union forces at Wilson's Creek. He had the dubious distinction of being the first general (on either side) to be killed in battle during the Civil War. As the Union forces retreated, they inadvertently let Brig. General Lyon's body lying on the battlefield. As a sign of respect to his rank, Confederate Soldiers brought his remains back to the Ray's home, where it was laid on a bed (a place of honor), until such time as arrangements could be made to have his remains transported to his home.

Original bed where General Lyon was laid

Fireplace is original to the Ray home

tick bed

not my favorite type of mattress!

Another view of the Ray House. This tree is the largest in the area and was most likely here during the Civil War

Lightening rod installed by the National Park Service to protect the tree

When the fighting ceased, the Ray family and all emerged from the cellar to find that their home had been turned into a Confederate Hospital. Surgeons and doctors arrived from Springfield to operate and treat the wounded. However, the day-to-day care of the wounded fell to the Ray family and Aunt Rhoda. Their crops and farm animals had been destroyed during the fighting. Life for them would never be the same.

Upon leaving the battlefield, we stopped for lunch at Lambert's, Home of the Throwed (not thrown) Roll. Great food, great fun and lots of throwed rolls. This is a "must" eatery when in the Springfield/Branson area.