I planned a stop at the Truman Library and Museum in Independence.I did not plan on how long I would stay there. The museum was not too large and was well laid out. I liked the way it focused on the question of what factors influenced Truman as he made four of the most momentous decisions of his presidency. (1) to recognize Israel as a Jewish State; (2) to drop the atomic bombs; (3) to integrate the US Armed Forces; (4) to fire General Douglas MacArthur. The exhibits encouraged viewers to think about the competing demands and political forces that pressured the president in each situation. And it encouraged different viewpoints. It included quotes from subsequent historians arguing that contrary decisions could have/should have been made. In regard to the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the museum has a "guest book" where viewers are encouraged to indicate what they would have done as president.
By the time I came out of the museum, about 3:30, it was raining harder and I decided not to try to see Kansas City. I called it quits for the day. The forecast for the next 3-4 days is for sunshine. I'd rather see Kansas in the sun.
Tomorrow I plan to visit the childhood hometown of Dwight Eisenhower: Abilene, Kansas. I had not really thought before about how Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower shared the experience of growing up on midwestern farms less than 150 miles from each other.
When I last drove across the US (in 1966) many, many farms in the flat plains of the midwest had old farm windmills that pumped their well water. These were still ubiquitous then. No longer. They are gone. Today it surprised me when I actually saw one, rusted and broken but still erect, standing next to a collapsed barn and what appeared to be the remnants of a house. Those windmills had probably been sold to the farmers before rural electrification. Once electricity had made its way to even the most remote hamlets and farms, as long as the windmills still worked, they kept pumping water. But over time as each needed repair or replacement, the farmers probably opted for electric pumps instead.
As I drove through the small town of California Missouri today, I arrived at a railroad crossing just as the crossing gates descended, the red lights began to flash and the warning bell began to ring. How long has it been since I had experienced that? Decades. As the freight train went through, I could see that many of the cars were cattle cars, headed probably to Kansas City. I think the last cattle car I had seen was on a Lionel miniature train set in the 1950s. Of course they must still be out here somewhere ... how else would we get hamburger and steaks at Shaws or MarketBasket or Hannaford? But we certainly don't have cattle cars in New Hampshire. Maybe Peter Burling could add that to his railroad wish list?
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