When our kids were young, a friend of mine
and I would find ways to entertain them every summer while they were out of
school. Poverty prevented lavish
vacations but we still wanted to give them something that they could look back
on as adults and say, “Remember when we…”
We would pick a place where we could drive
there and back on one tank of gas. With coolers of drinks and picnic food,
every Wednesday in the summer we would pile into my minivan and head out.
Abilene, Kansas was one of our many summer Wednesday
field trips—mostly because I knew of this place my grandparents would stop that
had the best homemade ice cream place on the planet when we we’d venture to
Wichita to visit my aunt. Not sure if my
friend and I ever found that ice cream place on our trip but we did find the
Russell Stovers candy factory, Old Abilene and Ike Eisenhower Boyhood Home
and…his Presidential Library.
Since I hadn’t been to Abilene for years, I
was so young traveling with my grandparents that direction, I wasn’t aware
there was a presidential library so near.
I was pretty excited to discover a place like that to take my kids. Not all kids get to see that sort of
thing…which really highlights my geekness.
I’d never been to anything presidential so to
find this extravagant library in this little town in Kansas was pretty
cool. From the beautiful construction to
the shiny floors to the sound as we walked into the building, everything reeked
importance and I watched my kids to make sure they didn’t leave too many
fingerprints.
Across the grounds, was, and still is,
Eisenhower’s boyhood home, a welcoming Victorian. I’m partial to Victorian homes, though I’d
take some walls out to expand the tiny rooms. Why did they feel the need to
have so many tiny rooms anyway? Doesn’t
matter really, it’s an impressive house just the same.
The website says:
Built by the Eisenhower
Foundation, with funds raised through public gifts, the Museum is constructed
of Kansas limestone, quarried from Onaga Stone in Onaga, Kansas. Originally
dedicated on Veterans Day in 1954, the Museum was built to honor all veterans of
World War II and Abilene's hometown hero, General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
If you have the chance and a couple hours, and you’re in
Abilene, it’s well worth the stop.
Here’s more info:
And for the record, every so often the kids will say,
“Hey Mom, remember when we…”
Bonus!
More info on Old Abilene Town here: http://oldabilenecowtown.com/ I was excited to see its still running to a degree. I can still hear my Grampa telling us we were going to go to Old Abilene. He didn't let me get anything from the gift shop often...except for once. I still have that...wish I still had my Grampa! Hallelujah he would say!
(All Info downloaded from sites listed in post.)
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