A Slice of LIfe
Bill Lites
Day 8 (5/23/2022)
After breakfast this morning, I headed northwest 35 miles on US-68 to visit the old McCracken County Jail Museum located in Paducah, KY. As it turned out, I forgot to add the word ‘Museum’ to my search, and I ended up at the ‘New’ McCracken County Jail. No museum there! I realized my mistake and drove just a few blocks to where I intended to visit the Paducah Railroad Museum, but it was closed. So, as I was heading for the River Heritage Museum, I passed the old William Clark Farmers Market House entrance and stopped to take a photo. This historic building, in the middle of Paducah was built around 1827, when the city was platted by William Clark, and was the city’s farmers market and gathering place for many years.
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
When I arrived at the River Heritage Museum, I discovered, it is a small museum located on the banks of the Ohio River that displays artifacts and memorabilia used to help educate and preserve the history of America’s river systems. I have to admit that I have never been an avid American river history student, and really couldn’t tell you what rivers run thru what states. This museum was quite an education.
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
Just around the corner, I stopped to check out The National Quilt Museum there in Paducah. This museum has three galleries which display some 600+ fiber art quilts from local artists as well as those from around the world. The museum is also unique in that it provides workshop classes for fiber art students for all ages of children and adults. Quite an interesting and beautiful display!
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
Leaving Paducah, I headed northwest, along the Ohio River for a while, on SR-306, picked up I-24, and crossed the Ohio River (border) into Illinois. Then it was northwest another 70 miles on I-24 to visit the General John A. Logan Museum located in Murphysboro, IL. This small museum is situated in the original house built by Tom Logan in 1885, and is filled with artifacts and memorabilia covering the life and times of General John A. Logan (1826-1886). The General (at his wife Mary’s suggestion) was instrumental in the creation of our Memorial Day holiday (originally known as Decoration Day). A mister Christopher C. Buller purchased the house in 1890, where he and his wife, Anna, raised 15 children. In 1908 General Logan’s wife, Mary Logan, turned their ‘Calumet Place’ home in Washington, D.C. into a museum honoring the general, and later she donated the general’s furnishings to this museum.
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
Now I headed north 30 miles on SR-13 to visit the Old Perry County Jail Museum located in Pinckneyville, IL. This museum is housed in the original 1871 Perry County Jail, which replaced the 1833 Perry County Jail, and served as the only correctional facility in Perry County until 1987 when it was replaced by a new jail facility. The museum displays prison artifacts and memorabilia describing prison life as it was in the 19th and 20thcenturies in southern Illinois.
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
Next, I headed west 40 miles on SR-154 (a little out of my way) to visit the Spinach Can Collectables & Popeye Museum located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Chester, IL (birthplace of Elzie Segar, the creator of the ‘Popeye’ comic character). This small store-front shop and museum sells and displays a large assortment of ‘Popeye the Sailor Man’ antique artifacts (some not for sale) and collectables. The museum also hosts the annual ‘Popeye Festival’ held there in Chester each July. Popeye was my hero as a youngster!
Photo Credit; Bill Lites
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is: John 10:10
Old Things R New 