Once again, you’re going to need to sit down and grab something comforting to drink! This is going to be a long picture post!
Just outside Springfield, MO, we stopped for breakfast! The menu was beyond healthy! An excellent start!What’s the most visited tourist attraction in MO? The Gateway Arch in St Louis? Nope! It’s the very first Bass Pro Shop in Springfield! It’s huge! That green ceiling building in the background has everything you could imagine for an outdoor adventure including services for travel and lodging! To get some measure of how large the place is, please watch the following video!The entry! It’s a remarkable visual feast!E made a new friend!The Hunting Hall is enormous! Guns, Archery, Knives, Clothing! Everything you’d need to enjoy a trip!A whole section for antiques and high-end equipment!
There are water features everywhere! Waterfalls and nature scenes! A huge fish tank! And petting areas for kids…this one with turtles!
The store even has a full acquarium! It’s $45 per adult to visit! I hope it’s amazing but we chose not to enter!Everybody who works in the store was kind and helpful! This fella thought that we should press on that-a-way!We hooked back up with Route 66 in Springfield, MO! Halltown is supposedly an amazing town for antiquing!One of the most famous gas stations on Route 66! Gay Parita!If only gas was that cheap!There is a lot of memorabilia on the gas station site!A reminder of where we’ve been and where we’re going!Sadly the couple that kept this paradise so nicely passed away a few years ago! This is a theme that we’ve found on Route 66! The older generation is passing on! In many cases the next generation is shutting things down! Some municipalities are taking over but too many of these towns are on the decline!A reminder to stay mission focused!Route 66 has officially been de-commissioned so the roads are falling into dis-repair! But this bridge from the 1920’s is still going strong!There is a lot of Civil War history in this great town! But it’s the post War history that makes this place special! Between 1880-1920, this was one of the richest cities in America! Their mining operations created numerous millionaires! Specifically, their limestone quarries produced stone that built the Capitol building in Washington DC!But we first, we need to show you Red Oak II!The vision of an artist to create an outdoor art exhibit!Lowell Davis! He moved houses and building to create an art installation that also houses people! Yes, people live here!Some quirky art!A water fountain made with bathroom plumbing materials including shower heads and faucets!It was a very hot and humid day! We needed water badly! But the General Store was closed!Iron Horse vs Iron Horse!Outdoor movie theater!Restored gas station!Town Hall!The Court House! Seriously! That’s pretty epic!This home and the homes and church that follow were all built in the 1880s through the 1920s by the local wealthy families! They’re all a bit different but built with local materials (notably stone)! I wish we could go inside because we’re certain that the insides are as stunning as the outsides!Last one to share! There are many more but some didn’t photograph well or have fallen into disrepair! There is a turn by turn guide and was well worth the effort! Hope you enjoyed it!
We met in San Francisco in December 2013 and were married on Valentine's Day 2016. After two years of marriage, we've decided to trade in corporate life for a global travel adventure and our continued commitment to making a positive difference in the world. Follow our adventure.
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One thought on “Day 28 – Branson, MO – Carthage, MO”
as always…great pics! love the architecture, automobile throw backs, and your imaginations!
Wearehere 
as always…great pics! love the architecture, automobile throw backs, and your imaginations!
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