I've been to Kokomo, Indiana many times over the years to visit my aunt and uncle, but I never really took the time to learn the history of the city. A pleasant visit to the local history museum with the girls today revealed that Kokomo truly is a "City of Firsts."
The museum is located in the grand and beautifully restored Seiberling Mansion.
Immediately the girls tried to imagine what life was like here over 100 years ago.
An enthusiastic museum docent greeted us and gave the girls scavenger hunts to complete.
Did you know that the first automobile was made in Kokomo? That's right, Elwood Haynes designed the first "horseless carriage," and together with Elmer and Edgar Apperson built the first automobile in 1893.
The girls located some of the scavenger hunt items in the nursery.
Have you ever heard of "Hair Wreaths?" I hadn't and I was stunned. They weren't invented in Kokomo, but the museum has a good collection of them. During the Victorian era women often had a jar on their dressing table to deposit hair from their brush, to be saved for creation of a hair wreath.
Some hair wreaths were made from just one person's hair, but often they were woven together with the hair from many family members. You can read more about hair wreaths here.
A fun new exhibit featured "then and now" photos from around town. Kokomo isn't my hometown, and I had no idea where most of the photos were taken, but I was still fascinated.
The girls loved the "then and now" exhibit, too.
I've heard that the midwest has some really big insects, but I didn't realize HOW BIG until we found this praying mantis in the middle of town.
Behind the girls in the photo above, just blocks from the giant mantis, is the new "Storybook" gas station and convenience store. We didn't go inside, but admired the exterior.
While Uncle continued to nap and Grammy and my aunt battled through another game of Scrabble, the girls and I continued on our tour of Kokomo. We wondered if the "teacher supply store" in the mostly vacant downtown business district was still in business. It had just opened when we visited 3 years ago. Amazingly it was still there, and even more remarkable was that the owner recognized and remembered us! My guess is that she doesn't get much business to have remembered us from a 10 minute visit 3 years ago. I bought the girls workbooks (K wanted to practice Algebra, and A needed some reading comprehension and spelling drills), fun pencils, and some "BeanBoozled" Jelly beans to share with their friends that we'd meet up with again in Chicago.
Just before 4pm my aunt called and told me it was time to head to dinner. I picked up my aunt, uncle, and mom from the house and drove us all an hour northwest to the town of Monticello, where we had dinner at the Sportsman Inn. It's a really old place, and wildly popular. People even arrive by the boatload to eat there!
We ate indoors, instead of on the deck you see above, but still had a wonderful view of the river, which was abuzz with speedboats and jet skis.
My uncle and aunt, with the river behind them.
The Sportsman served American food, but it wasn't the typical white bread processed stuff I dread. I was delighted to have the option of a sweet potato instead of fries, and the beans appeared fresh instead of foodservice frozen. There was plenty of deep fried stuff available, though, including deep fried dill pickles, which the girls and I loved!
It was another great day in the midwest, and the trip so far was turning out very well. I was still coughing a bit and struggling with my breathing at times, but was sleeping upwards of 8 - 9 hours a night, and I was really focusing on going with the flow and not stressing about anything. It was so nice now that the girls were older, and when it was time to go, I could tell them to get ready, and they knew exactly what to do. I was still responsible for logistics, driving, reservations, laundry-on-the-go, schedules, documentary photography, and some meals, but overall travel was much easier these days since the girls were independent.
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