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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > Civil War Talk > Civil War Museums > Finally seeing the Civil War sites I've missed |
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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > Civil War Talk > Civil War Museums > Finally seeing the Civil War sites I've missed |
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| Finally seeing the Civil War sites I've missed | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 02:12 pm |
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21st Post |
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susansweet Member 
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Battle of Picacho Peak California Column fought Confederates and defeated them. 1862. Kind of a long way for Dave to go if he is visiting sites in Oklahoma and Texas. This was the most western battle of the Civil War . Susan
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| You have chosen to ignore Southern Son. click Here to view this post |
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| You have chosen to ignore JDC Duncan. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 10:49 pm |
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24th Post |
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susansweet Member
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JDC just saying it is a long way to go . Don't think David has that much time this time. Glorietta Pass is on the way in Northern New Mexico too. Then there is Val Verde Susan
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| You have chosen to ignore JDC Duncan. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 06:54 pm |
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26th Post |
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David White Member 
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Joy to the World, all the boys and girls, I'm back, even though Mama Told me not to Come. SS: I've seen Picacho Peak before but a better place to go to is Ft. Bowie in Arizona where you can actually see the remains of the first Ft. Bowie built by the California Column in th winter of 1862. Quite a lot of history packed into that few sqaure miles in Apache Pass. Not to mention traces of the Butterfield Stage Road that passes through there and comes from where I was this past week in Arkansas and Missouri. There it is known as the Wire or Telegraph Road and figures quite prominently in the three major battlefields I saw up there. Quite an interesting and great trip I had last week and I have a greater appreciation for how the battles occurred, better appreciation of some generals like Blunt, greater scorn for some like Cooper and just understand it all a lot better than I did. If I had time for an essay I could tell you lots I learned but being out of the office for a week precludes that right now. All I know is the vacation got off to a fantastic start when Asbel bought me lunch on Friday. Thanks Asbel!!
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| Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 07:43 pm |
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27th Post |
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susansweet Member
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David thanks for the information on Fort Bowie. I need to get over to Arizona again and see some of these sites. I have seen the wire road in Arkansas and Missouri at Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge. Glad you had such a glorious trip . Susan
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| You have chosen to ignore JDC Duncan. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 11:19 pm |
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29th Post |
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susansweet Member
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Somehow I missed the Three Dog Night reference and I was a big fan back in the day. Saw them in concert once or twice. JDC I don't think I have ever had reason to be miffed at you. Especially not now. Just brain dead I guess with alot going on . Miss Susan AND David I want to hear all . . . .
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| Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 11:24 pm |
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30th Post |
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pamc153PA Member
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Yes, David. I've been wondering when you'd be back to let us know what a great time you had, what you saw, did, where you went. . . Pam
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| Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 11:40 pm |
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31st Post |
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ole Member 
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Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea. Joy to you and me. When you come down, David, I trust you will have a few things to relate?
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| You have chosen to ignore JDC Duncan. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10th, 2008 07:16 pm |
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33rd Post |
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David White Member
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Okay, I'll post a day at a time over the next five work days, that way I'll break it up and not get too much further behind at work. Day 1: Rolled out of Austin at 10 a.m. for Cowtown. About the time I got to Doc’s Alma Mater, the cell phone rings and it’s Asbel checking up to make sure I was on my way. Confirmed my arrival at his office by 1 p.m. Hit a little traffic and made it there by 1:10 p.m. Strangely Asbel does not look at all like his picture and is indeed much younger looking than that. We went to eat at a great Mexican Food place I had not eaten at since I was a junior captain at Carswell AFB in the mid 80s. Asbel did me dirty and picked up the tab while I was using the facilities, otherwise I had intended to do the honors. We talked about the joys of roundtable leadership, speakers and people we knew and how great the pay was at the top of the roundtable. Our conversation was so pleasant I was 30 minutes late getting to the Texas Civil War Museum. As a result, I saw all of it except for the Victorian Dress collection at the end. Asbel I will never forgive you for that, as Victorian dresses are my thing… Not! I went to two Civil War museums on this trip, the Fort Worth one and the Sweeny Museum. Both claim to be the Civil War museum with the largest collection west of the Mississippi. Well I’m here to say the Sweeny Museum is falsely advertising (maybe they both are as I think the New Orleans Confederate Museum is technically “west” of the river and may have a bigger collection than Fort Worth, it’s pretty close though). I think the Sweeny Museum may have more important items and their emphasis is the trans-Mississippi but I’ll let those museums defend their claims. The Fort Worth museum starts with about a 20 minute film that discusses Texas in the war. While listening and watching it, I concluded that Don Frazier of McMurry University had written the script. When the credits rolled my conclusion was verified. The museum is roughly divided into thirds, the first part is about the soldiers and sailors and is further subdivided into infantry, cavalry, artillery, medical and naval exhibits. Within this first part, things that were particularly memorable were a slouch hat worn by a Federal soldier at Antietam with a bullet hole through the brim, a Confederate flag captured at Franklin, stained with the blood of the Federal who used it to wrap his wounded foot. There were several personal items of some of the more minor generals and officers on both sides, names we would all recognize. Also of interest was some of JEB Stuart’s strawberry blonde hair, cut from his head by Flora after his death along with a note card to her children telling them how she cut it from their “dear father’s head” after his death. Overall the uniforms and accoutrements on display all seem to be identified with their owners and have a personal story to accompany them. In most cases they are in near pristine condition and I had to do a double take in some cases thinking the blouses or hats were reproductions instead of authentic. Everything in the museum is authentic and nothing is reproduction by way of example. The second part is artifacts from the UDC Texas Division collection. These included a Davis Guard medal, the point of the flagstaff of the 4th Texas with a Minnie Ball hole in it, Items that belonged to Jefferson Davis, the flag of Waul’s Texas Legion and about six more beautiful flags. Overall this is a hodge podge of CW artifacts collected by the UDC over the years. The third section is the Victorian Dress collection which I reached as they announced the museum was closing. A cursory look told me there were some impressive outfits. It was interesting enough I wish I could have looked a little longer but as I said I am not a clothes horse of the 19th, 20th or 21st centuries. After a light dinner in Fort Worth (I was still stuffed from the late lunch) I pushed on to McAlester, OK arriving about 9:30 p.m. Along the way, I must have seen a half a dozen Indian casinos, I should have stopped and played as it might have been a more profitable venture than leaving my retirement funds in an IRA or 401K. I made reservations ahead of time for my hotels stays using a AAA tour book. Normally if it’s just me and I arrive late, all I need is a clean bed to sleep, so I’ll book the cheapest place in the tour book, as seldom will they list a total disaster. So my choice was the Happy Days Hotel. I didn’t make the connection until I got there and rolled into my parking place marked with freshly painted pink lines. Out front was a fifties style diner with two 50s pink Cadillacs. The hotel appeared to be an old Microtel that had been converted into a shrine to the 50s. In the lobby was a life size Elvis in his army uniform next to a little room with Elvis, Marilyn and James Dean memorabilia. The room said it was reserved for Elvis. A jukebox in the lobby was on continuous shuffle with 50s hits. The halls had more memorabilia and 45 records on the walls. Each room was themed to either Elvis, Marilyn, James Dean or the Happy Days TV show. I slept with Elvis that night in a bed with a pink and white bedspread. Three of his pictures were on the wall, one showed teenage girls grabbing at his leg at an outdoor concert. The light switches were all Elvis themed. A clock on the wall rhythmically ticked with Elvis on the face. Even the bathroom was themed with an Elvis shower curtain. I decided if I were to die that night, I’d jump out of bed and go sit on the toilet of the Elvis room. The only thing missing would be a Peanut Butter and Nanner sandwich. To be continued… Last edited on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 07:23 pm by David White |
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10th, 2008 07:24 pm |
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34th Post |
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susansweet Member
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David you have my attention now. Making a list of things to see. The museum sounds great and I would have liked the Victorian Dresses also. UDC has a rule that anything donated to them cannot be sold or given away. So sometimes they have strange things in their museums. I would love to see the Happy Days motel although not being an Elvis fan would have rather stayed in the James Dean Room. Can't wait for the next episode. will tune in tomorrow for more. Susan
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10th, 2008 07:34 pm |
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35th Post |
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ashbel Member
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David You can pick up the tab the next time I am in Austin. I am sure there is a suitable fancy restaurant with a nice wine list. Glad you enjoyed the Texas Civil War Museum in Fort Worth. I agree it is well worth the time. Lots to see. Sorry you missed the Victorian dresses. It is not my favorite part either. However, the last time I was there Cindy gave us a tour and pointed out the numerous hats that were made from stuffed birds. I was not aware of this 19th century fashion statement.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10th, 2008 09:51 pm |
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36th Post |
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susansweet Member
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Ashbel I ran into this fashion statement when I got a children's book The Lady that Wore a Bird in Her Hat. It had a history behind the story included . Apparently the fashion was becoming so popular many birds were endangered, almost becoming extinct !! You never know where you will find history. Susan
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11th, 2008 12:34 am |
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37th Post |
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Captain Crow Progressive Southerner 
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 from 1890's Indian territory....
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11th, 2008 12:44 am |
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38th Post |
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susansweet Member
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Book is actually called She is wearing a dead bird on her head. Here is the review Proper Boston ladies Harriet Hemenway and her cousin Minna Hall are absolutely incensed by the latest style: ladies' hats topped with not just feathers but whole birds (``from egrets to pheasants to owls to warblers... even pigeons!''). The fad dovetails with the women's suffrage movement: ``Fashion was killing birds as well as killing women's chances to have the right to vote and be listened to. For who would listen to a woman with a dead bird on her head?'' Harriet and Minna found the Massachusetts Audubon Society; take their crusade to sportsmen, socialites and schoolchildren; lobby for laws to protect wildfowl; and even help bust an illegal feather warehouse. Catrow (The Cataract of Lodore; Ridiculous Rhymes from A to Z, reviewed below) contributes flamboyant caricatures of the behatted Bostonians in convincing period costume, and his watercolors of birds mimic John James Audubon's own naturalistic paintings. Despite Lasky's and Catrow's enthusiasm, however, Harriet and Minna in their zealotry seem just as exaggerated and one-dimensional as their fashionably feathered foes. Ages 5-9. (Oct.)
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11th, 2008 01:31 am |
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39th Post |
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Doc C Member 
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Mister AG Try a little tenderness, great song. Otis's version is better though. Doc C
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11th, 2008 12:06 pm |
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40th Post |
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ashbel Member
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Susan Thank you. One learns more every day. Now that you have explained it I do recall reading something about the birds of fashion. However, it never connected until I saw them at the museum. Seeing is believing and understanding.
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