Along the Mississippi

I had been driving for about two hours from Chicagoland westbound on I-80 when I exited Illinois and entered Iowa, crossing the Mississippi River, a significant geographical marker in the United States.

About an hour later, I arrived in West Branch, which has a measure of prominence because it is the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, the first US president born west of the Mississippi River, which is made known by the signs on the side of I-80 announcing the location of the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.

I have traveled on I-80 a few times in my life, especially with my more recent trips to St. Augustine Mission in Nebraska, so I have seen those signs a few times now, having a desire to one day exit there to see those sites.  Now, my chance finally came to depart I-80 at Exit 254 and head into West Branch to visit.

The sun had long set by the time I arrived on the night of Friday, August 9, 2019.  As I drove through West Branch, I was excited with the anticipation of what I would get to experience there.  I set the tone well by booking AirBnb accommodations in town, which allowed me the chance to get to know the town itself.  Once I settled into my accommodations, I decided to walk around a little to get myself oriented, which made me more ready and eager for the sightseeing of the following day.

Then, August 10 arrived, and a very special day to be in West Branch because it is Herbert Hoover's birthday, so I could really party like it was 1874 all over again.

That morning, I went to Jack and Jill, a grocery store in the center of town, to get myself some breakfast, which included biscuits and gravy, a Saturday special at the store's deli.

By 10 AM, I was at the Hoover Presidential Museum, which is in the photo below.

I was in time for the hourly showing of the approximately 30-minute film on his life.  It covered his life extensively, framing it with scenes from his funeral proceedings in West Branch in October 1964.  Much content from the film was incorporated into the exhibits.

It was amazing to see how his Quaker upbringing in West Branch left an indelible mark on him, even though he moved away at the age of 10.

Above and below are photos showing the exhibit on Mr. Hoover's childhood years in West Branch.

Once he completed college studies at Stanford, his life became rather adventurous, once he found work with a British-based mining company, which is represented in the exhibit in the photo below.

Over the next two decades, he traveled thousands of miles all over the world, and his work with mines made him a multimillionaire.

When World War I commenced, he shifted the focus of his life's work away from making millions to spearheading relief efforts.  Throughout the war, he helped provide lots of food to people in need.  Sacks with flour were sent to Europe, but they could be used by the Germans to make more ammunition, so they had to be carefully guarded once emptied.  People turned the sacks into artistic creations, and some had messages expressing their gratitude for the relief provisions and sent them back to the US.  Many of those sacks are on display at the museum, like the ones in the three photos below.

Herbert Hoover excelled at providing for the people of Europe during and even after the war.  His efforts gained him enough renown that he became US Secretary of Commerce.

Exhibit display on Herbert Hoover as Secretary of Commerce, with a statue of him appearing in the middle

He totally transformed the role of that department to increase its involvement in the life of average Americans, by standardizing all aspects of life, including healthcare, transportation, communications, and even the products people used in everyday life, as shown in the display appearing in the photo below.

Included in this part of the exhibit is a display of the TV equipment used when he made the first TV broadcast in the 1920's, which you can see in the photo below.

I was intrigued to see how much influence he made on the lifestyle of average Americans through his work to establish standards in so many different areas.

His work as Secretary of Commerce set him up for a run for the presidency, and he won the 1928 election in a landslide, only to have his opponent Franklin D. Roosevelt win over him in a landslide in the next election in 1932.  President Hoover came into the presidency with great promise, but his plans were significantly parlayed just months later when the Stock Market crashed on October 29, 1929, because of problems that surfaced after remaining under the radar throughout the 1920's, particularly with agriculture and reckless financial behavior.

President Hoover was blamed for exacerbating the Great Depression that followed the stock market crash, but he took steps to alleviate the crisis, although he was modest and didn't publicize his efforts.  So the public got the impression he wasn't doing anything to help, and that led to Franklin Roosevelt's victory in the 1932 election.

Despite the dire circumstances dooming his presidency, Mr. Hoover made quite a comeback in his retirement years, establishing himself as a respected elder statesman, and even participating in efforts to more efficient organize government agencies.  (In fact, he had had the longest retirement of any president, 31 years, until eclipsed by Jimmy Carter back in 2012.)

The museum has a model of the office in his Waldorf Towers suite, as you can see in the photo below, where he engaged in much correspondence, even having 5 secretaries.

And he offered his insights on the state of the nation, as seen in a clip of a TV interview he did, which is shown on a TV monitor in the office suite.

Right by the office suite is a piece of the Berlin Wall, which is in the photo below, testifying to his influence in the sociopolitical situation in Europe.

Around 1 PM, I took a break from viewing the exhibits and went into town for lunch.  First, though, I went to visit the West Branch Public Library, a delightful spot.  I was especially intrigued to see cake pans available for check-out there, which the lone staff person on duty told me is an "Iowa thing" in that state's public libraries.

I then got lunch at Herb n Lou's Pizza on Downey Street, which is in the photo below, a fitting spot to eat in West Branch on Mr. Hoover's birthday.

Around 2 PM, I went back to view the rest of the exhibit on his life, followed by a temporary exhibit displaying some of the many items they collected during their travels around the world, including artwork, furniture, old books, and dishes.

Above is a replica of the Monroe Desk

Seen here are books in the Hoovers' collection, including a translation they did of De Re Metallica, by Georgius Agricola, a book on mining and metals.

Here are dishes that they collected.  They also collected an extensive amount of Chinese dishes.

I thank the fellow visitor who got this photo of me posing by a cut-out of Herbert Hoover.

Once I was done at the museum, I walked around the historic area to view the buildings from the time of Mr. Hoover's childhood, including the small cottage where he was born, the Quaker meeting house, his father Jesse's blacksmith shop, and the Quaker schoolhouse.

Above is the outside of the Hoover birth cottage.  The three photos below show various views of the inside. I thank the fellow visitor who photographed me below.

Above is the exterior of the Quaker meetinghouse, and below is a view of the interior.

Above is the exterior of the blacksmith shop owned by Herbert Hoover's father Jesse, and below is the interior.

Above is the Quaker schoolhouse exterior, and below is the interior.  Signage there indicated that Herbert may have not attended school here, but his siblings did.

Here is another view of the neighborhood by the Hoover birth cottage at Penn and Downey Streets.

The buildings certainly created the atmosphere of the world in which he was born and raised before moving west.

I also went into town to view the West Branch Heritage Museum.  A man working at the antique store across the street let me in and showed me around.  There were lots of household items on display from a bygone era.  I was particularly fascinated to see a child's carriage from the 1876 Centennial Exposition World's Fair in Philadelphia.

Kitchen supplies on display in the West Branch Heritage Museum

Piano

Child's carriage from 1876 Centennial Exposition

View of the inside of the West Branch Heritage Museum

I then walked a short distance to Main Street Sweets.  One item on their menu is the Polar Bear, which is like a thick shake, similar to Dairy Queen's Blizzard, named after the former local high school's mascot, which apparently is now simply the bear.  The Polar Bear of the Month was Happy Birthday Hoover, with birthday cake ice cream flavor.  That got my attention and so I ordered it, and then enjoyed it very much--please see photo below.

I then walked over to the restored prairie area west of the museum and library, a gorgeously scenic place, evoking the natural scenery of Iowa, as you can see in the photo below.

I also went to see the gravesite of Mr. and Mrs. Hoover.  The gravestones are very simple, reflecting the Quaker simplicity in which Mr. Hoover was raised.

Herbert Hoover's grave is on the left, and Lou Hoover's grave is on the right.  Below is another view of the gravesite.

It's amazing to think that from a humble, simple Quaker lifestyle in the small town of West Branch, Herbert Hoover blazed a path that took him all over the world, gaining immense wealth, and making an enormous impact on so many lives, especially as evidenced in the many artistic sackcloth and other gifts given to him that are on display at the museum.

I concluded my sightseeing in West Branch, and then made way to the next part of my weekend trip.  I went west on I-80 to Iowa City, and then got on southbound US 218.  By 7:30, I had arrived at West Point, IA, where I was eager to savor a bit of the annual West Point Sweet Corn Festival.  I got myself a nice ear of roasted corn to eat, and I also bought a beef pot roast-style sandwich from the people of St. Mary's, the local Roman Catholic parish.

Above is the scene of the West Point Sweet Corn Festival in City Square Park, and below is the ear of sweet corn I got, given out for free.

I then continued southward, and after leaving US 218 and pickign up Iowa 27, I crossed the Des Moines River into Missouri.  I had more reason to celebrate, being in Missouri on its Statehood Day, with the momentum building for its Bicentennial in two years.  And it was a fitting follow-up to visit the first state west of the Mississippi River, born on the same day as Herbert Hoover, the first president born west of the Mississippi.

I drove south until reaching Canton, MO.  I went east and found a park spot along the Mississippi River.  I looked out and took in the view.  Just north of me was Meyer, IL, the westernmost point of Illinois (#47), a notable spot to admire as I behold the geographical breadth of Illinois.

Canton, MO, appears on the left side of the photo, and Illinois is the piece of land toward the right.  Just to the right of the center of the photo is a structure located at Meyer, IL.

I continued south on US 61 until reaching US 24, and then it was a short distance east to Quincy, where I booked lodgings for the night at the Microtel.  As I crossed the Mississippi on eastbound US 24 on the Quincy Memorial Bridge (#49), to my left was the westbound Quincy Bayview Bridge (#50), all lit up in fine colors.

Above is the bridge lit up at night and below is the bridge in the daylight.

The next morning, I had the hotel's breakfast and finished just as it started to get crowded.  I then went to 9:30 Mass at St. Francis Solanus Parish.  I was eager to attend Mass there because it's where Father Bob, weekend Mass assistant priest at Ascension, went to church when growing up in Quincy.  Its two primary priests are Franciscans, including another Father Bob.  There was an exuberant spirit in the filled church that was so light-filled in its decor.

Above is the interior of St. Francis Solanus Parish by the altar, and below is the exterior.

I then went back to the Microtel to check out, and then was underway with sightseeing in Quincy.  First, I went to visit the Lincoln-Douglas debate site at Washington Park (#51), the final debate site I had left to see.  Featured is a bas relief sculpture by Lorado Taft (#52), which is in the photo below.

In the above sculpture, Abraham Lincoln is standing by the podium, and Stephen Douglas appears to the left of the podium.  I thank the fellow visitor who got the photograph of me below.

View of the debate site looking across from the east side of 5th Street

I walked around looking at the interpretative Looking for Lincoln signs strewn about, which provided lots of historical context on what life was like in Quincy in the mid-19th Century, as well as other notable individuals.

Then I walked around in downtown Quincy to see sites from the life of Father Augustus Tolton (#53), the first African-American ordained a priest in the US, who, after escaping from slavery in Missouri, grew up in Quincy.  The places I went to were of the various churches that had some part in his life, including St. Boniface Parish (#54), St. Peter Parish (#55), and St. Joseph Parish (#56).  He also spent time as a student at Quincy University in town (#57).

Above is a plaque at St. Boniface Parish, which is in the photo below. 

Quincy City Hall (#58) sits on the site of St. Peter Church.  Below is a plaque that appears on the north side of City Hall along Maine Street.  In the photo above, toward the left, is a September 11 memorial (#59) with a piece of an antenna tower from the World Trade Center #1.  The antenna tower supported a TV broadcast antennae manufactured in Quincy by Harris Corporation.

This plaque for the site of St. Joseph's Church is at 7th and Jersey.  This parish was Father Tolton's first assignment after his ordination.

On June 11, 2019, Pope Francis moved Father Tolton a step closer to canonization by declaring him "venerable", so I was glad to have the chance to visit some of the sites related to his life, particularly those places that shaped his faith journey and where he put faith into action.  His life is truly a great example of overcoming great discrimination and embracing the call of holiness to be a righteous influence on the surrounding world.  His story is a truly great encouragement for us as we continue striving on toward a more just world.

Then I drove to the Mississippi River waterfront (#60) to get photos, astride the western edge of Illinois, a fitting place to go before commencing my journey eastward.

Looking directly west, with both bridges appearing

Looking toward the north, at the Quincy Bayview Bridge and beyond

I used my camera's timer to take this photo.  The view is looking south, and behind me is the Quincy Memorial Bridge.

On my way out of town, I stopped for lunch at Maid-Rite, getting their classic loose beef sandwich.

As I drove east on Broadway, I saw St. Peter's Cemetery (#61), and I impulsively pulled off the road to visit Father Tolton's grave (#62), which is in the photo below.

Then I was on toward I-172, and then onto I-72, headed due east toward Springfield.

There, I went first to the Historic Union Station (#63) to view an exhibit on the Sesquicentennial of the Transcontinental Railroad.  The legislation for that railroad was actually signed by President Lincoln in 1862.  It was great to see an exhibit about one of the monumental achievements in US history.

Above is a close-up of a model of the Golden Spike Ceremony.  Below is a view of the whole display, which includes scenery in the Western United States.

From there, I went to visit the Old State Capitol.  I had visited this site a while ago as a child, and then made a brief visit there back in December.  This visit gave me a great opportunity to soak in the building even more, particularly some of the historical details like the portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette in the Senate chamber and a desk Abraham Lincoln used to write one of his speeches (#64).  And this visit was a great way to connect with another chapter of Illinois history, particularly in the early years when Springfield was the state capital city.

Inside the State Library

As I found out when I inquired of the staff on duty, the portrait above the presider's spot in the old Illinois Senate chamber is of the Marquis de Lafayette, which compliments well the portrait of George Washington in the old House chamber, as they hearken back to the founding of the United States.

Here's a desk Abraham Lincoln used to write one of his speeches, which I believe may have been his first inaugural address.  It was in an office across the street from the Old State Capitol, and the person who used the office offered Mr. Lincoln a quiet place to write.  The desk is now in the old Illinois House chamber.

Indeed, I enjoyed soaking what central Illinois has to offer as a distinct piece of this state in its own right during the latter part of this weekend.

I thank the passerby who kindly photographed me by the Old Illinois State Capitol as I soaked in some Illinois history.

Futhermore, from my visits to West Branch and cities in Illinois, I could see how each region of the US is special in its own way, and has much to contribute to the whole of the United States, particularly within the central region astride the Mississippi.  It was incredible to come into contact with famous people's beginnings and behold how they journeyed to greatness.  There was also much to appreciate about the land itself, especially how the Mississippi River gives the region astride it a distinct sense of vibrant culture.