Arkansas...The Natural State!

So far we have driven 2,100 miles and gone through 8 states! But I need to get caught up on our stops along the way! After we left Tennessee, it did not take long to cross over into Arkansas.

The first place we went to was Little Rock. We made a quick stop at the Bill Clinton Presidential Library. It was quite an impressive structure! There was a whole museum, but we chose to just take pictures and then move onto our next stop. There was a pretty cool patriotic car parked out in front of the library.




We left the library and went to Central High School. This was the sight of the first integrated school in the 1950s. There were 9 brave African American students who paved the way for a major change in history. They were called the "Little Rock Nine." Blacks and whites used to go to separate schools, but that all changed in Little Rock. The high school is still open as a functioning school. I was able to stand on the same steps where the 9 students were escorted by soldiers sent from President Eisenhower to protect them from the angry mob of white students and parents. Across the street is a gas station that they renovated so that it looks like it did in the 1950s. There is also a free exhibit to go through that is maintained by the National Park Service.





I listened to the video clips in the exhibit and read the display boards. I can not imagine what those students must have gone through. Thank goodness their bravery helped bring about a change in education.


This display said, "I got up every morning, polished my saddle shoes and went off to war." That was a quote from one of the girls who was part of the "Little Rock 9."

We left Little Rock and drove to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is famous for its...hot springs! We tried to get there in time to go for a soak in a hot springs pool, but we were too late. I did learn that Hot Springs is the hometown of Bill Clinton. I took a picture of the oldest bathhouse that still operates today. In Hot Springs, there is Bathhouse Row. It's long stretch of bathhouses. These bathhouses are still there today, but the National Park Service is restoring many of them. They are all in these giant old buildings. Apparently, at one time people thought that the extreme heat of the hot springs could help with medical conditions such as arthritis and polio.


We finished off Arkansas by driving through the worst rain storm that I have ever gone through in my life! We were winding through mountainous areas, and the rain was coming down so hard there were times when I could not even see the road! Plus, lightning was striking literally right next to the car! Luckily the rain finally stopped and it was back to blue skies. Here I am after we had finally arrived in Oklahoma. We wanted to make it to Oklahoma City, but decided to take a break from driving and spend the night in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Have you ever heard of that place? Me neither! It's not exactly a big town, in fact, the only place we could find to eat was the Western Sizzlin' across from our hotel. But we were pretty lucky to be staying in the "newest place in town!"





As I write this update, my youngest brother is flying over the Atlantic Ocean heading to Amsterdam. He is taking some law classes there for the next month. I can't help but think how we are going to be in completely opposite places having very different experiences! But at least he is keeping up the family tradition of traveling to new places! Good luck Phil...have a great time!