Independence, Missouri

Pioneer Woman

Yesterday was another scorcher, but we had the wanderlust anyway.  We headed into Independence, Missouri, to visit the National Frontier Trails Museum.  An excellent movie there provided lots of information about how the West moved as the United States grew.  Exhibits depicted the travels of Louis and Clark and the travails of the pioneers that traveled west.  The Pioneer Woman statue is in a courtyard of the museum. She is carrying a pail in her right hand and a baby on her left shoulder

Independence Depot

This completely restored railroad depot stands on the grounds of the museum.

We took the Truman Trolley from the museum parking lot past several historic sites.  You can ride all day, getting off and on at the various stops, for one dollar - probably the best deal in Independence.  We were on the last run of the trolley loop for the day, so we just stayed aboard and listened to our tour guide point out the sites.

Image via Wikipedia

Truman Home

We passed several sites having to do with Harry Truman, including the house he and Bess lived in, the church where they were married, the place he bought gas for his car, and the Truman Library.

A splinter group of Mormons stayed in Independence when the larger group headed to Utah.  A plot of land across the street from their very impressive church is believed by over 2 million people to be the place where Christ will return to earth to call the saints home.  (Sorry - no picture.)