GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER EXPEDITION!

This is the sign you will see as you make the turn into the George Washington Carver National Monument ( www.nps.gov/GWCA ), near the small community of Diamond, Missouri:

 

The GWC (George Washington Carver) Museum building, and other sites at the National Monument, are located on the property that originally belonged to Moses Carver, near the town of Diamond, Missouri.  The town gets its name because the plot of land where it is located was (roughly) the shape of a diamond. 

Once inside the building, you will see this engraved plaque, that quotes the Congressional Hearings that established the monument.  The establishment of this particular U.S. National Monument is significant for many reasons, including the fact that it was the first National Monument ever established to honor an African American. 

There is also a bulletin board near the entrance that gives the most up to date info on visiting the facility:

The museum tells about his history, includes many exhibits, and so I was very thankful to be given a tour by the museum's director, who was very helpful in pointing out the most significant artifacts that we could concentrate on seeing, during our somewhat brief visit here.  

As you might expect, this is a fantastic destination for school field trips.  The many interactive exhibits, artifacts, items of nature (hidden in drawers and behind doors) and "touchable" objects, help keep up the interest of those with short attention spans.

The Jesup Agricultural Wagon is considered one of GWC's greatest contributions to the Cooperative Extension program at the Tuskegee Institute.  Developed in 1906, it was a mobile classroom that allowed Carver to teach farmers and sharecroppers how to grow crops, such as sweet potatoes, peanuts, soybeans, and pecans.  These crops were being encouraged at the time, because the soil in the South had been depleted from the over-planting of cotton.  A photo of the wagon is below:

 

The benefits of the Cooperative Extension mobile teaching methods in Alabama, were adopted by other states, including my state of Arkansas. My grandparents who farmed in north central Arkansas had raised cotton at one time, but then tried their hand at raising peanuts (Most likely, after learning about their benefits from the Cooperative Extension service's County Agent).  My Uncle Warren G used to tell the story that Cousin Don ran away from our grandparents farm one time when he was a kid, because of his disdain for harvesting the peanut crop my grandparents were growing.  However, this early farming experience must have had a positive effect on Cousin Don, because now, one might consider his California backyard as "God's Little Workshop" (A phrase coined by George Washington Carver) !  He is raising peaches, apples, figs, avocados, and a variety of vegetables!  It is interesting to speculate that his California garden might be linked to the Arkansas cooperative extension agents that traveled around to rural farms, to teach them how to improve their farming methods, after seeing the success of George Washington Carver's "agricultural teaching wagon" in Alabama! (See photos below of Cousin Don with his "crops" in July, 2021)

One floor of the GWC National Monument museum has an expansive event space, that can be reserved for large group activities that need an indoor location.  In addition, there are outdoor spaces suitable for picnics, nature walks, and a visit to the homestead where GWC was raised.  

 

The classroom space below, designed for students on field trips, is one reason this location is such a popular destination for schools.  As you would expect, it is especially popular during our nation's annual Black History Month. 

 

Before I actually made a personal visit to the GWC National Monument, I assumed there would be an attempt to "cover up" or "down play" the role that GWC's Christian faith had in his career.  Thankfully, I was wrong! 

I was so glad that the museum had an exhibit portraying the importance of GWC's Christian faith, that I took closeups of some of the statements:

 

One of the exhibits included the well-worn Bible belonging to George Washington Carver.

When accepting one of the many awards he received for his scientific work, GWC was asked how in the world he came up with the 200 different ways to use peanuts.  His reply was, "The Bible."  As the folks present scoffed at his remark, one said, "So show me where in the Bible it talks about how to use peanuts."  GWC replied, quoting James 1:5 that says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  So GWC said he asked God, "God, give me wisdom of what to do with all these peanuts!"  God answered his prayers!

GWC called his laboratory at the Tuskegee Institute, "God's Little Workshop", partly because that is where he did his botanical experiements with various plants God has created for mankind.  He is quoted as saying, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."

I am including the photo below of one of GWC's paintings, that is on display behind glass, at the museum, as a reminder to mention that (  Even though the reflection interferes with seeing the content of the painting), you can access a complete library of GWC's artwork at the website of the National Archives.  He is quoted as saying, "Nothing pleases me more than to take my pencils, paint, brushes, sketch book, pastel board, etc., and spend a day in the woods."

The photo below shows some of the needlework done by GWC, that is on display at the museum.

As you can see from this photo, there is a wealth of information that you can learn by reading every word of the many exhibits around the museum.  Since my group was on an itinerary with a limited time at the museum, I did not get to to read as much as I would have liked, but www.wikipedia.org has volumes written about this amazing scientist!

One of the important artifacts at the museum is the Bill of Sale for George's mother.  There is no certain date for when GWC was born, other than to know it was before the Civil War ended in 1865.  When he was a child, he and his mother were kidnapped.  Later, Moses Carver was able to get back young George, but not his mother.  Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Carver raised George as their own child. 

 

The photo below gives additional information about GWC being born into slavery, and the very circuitous route he traveled to receive his education.  Eventually, he earned his college degree in Iowa State University. 

The museum has a laboratory where students can conduct experiments, when they come for a field trip.  The laboratory was  an important aspect of GWC's career, after he was recruited by Booker T. Washington, to head up the botany department of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. 

This was my first time to see the phrase "Chemurgist".  GWC was a chemurgist, which means he practiced chemurgy---the chemical and industrial use of organic raw materials. 

George Washington Carver died on January 5, 1943, in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he is also buried:

 

I would encourage readers to visit the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri.  This is just one of MANY attractions near Joplin, Missouri.  It is less than 20 miles, and less than a half hour of driving to get from Joplin, to this National Monument.  For more information on additional interesting places to visit around Joplin, check out their website at www.VisitJoplinMo.com .  My visit there gave me "MILES OF MO SMILES"!  Tricia


 

JOPLIN GREAT RACE EXPEDITION!

I recently had the wonderful experience of attending the parade of vehicles, as they passed through the finish line arch of the Great Race 2021.  According to their website, The Great Race started in 1983 by Tom McRae and Norman Miller.  McRae founded the race on the basis of honoring families, our great country, and most importantly God, for making all things possible.  McRae believed it was extremely important to say a prayer in public, in every city, to bless the participants and everyone involved.  Praising the LORD was a staple in his operation, and was his unique way of spreading the Gospel.  McCrae is no longer with us, but his traditions continue. 

An event of this size requires several corporate sponsors, with many of them having their logo on the inflatable arch that is set up in each city where the participants overnight.  In addition, there is an 18-wheeler support vehicle, sponsored by Hagerty, that can be seen along the race route.  Hagerty is an insurance company specifically developed for older, classic cars.  Hence, the phrase and graphic design painted on the side of its trailer that says, "Three pedals, no problem."  This is a reference to the fact that some of the cars they insure, were manufactured before the advent of automatic transmissions---which did away with the need for a clutch pedal.  As a side note, I want to commend Hagerty operations because recently I was with a friend who used their insurance, when she had an issue with her vintage Chevrolet.  She was a Hagerty client, and they seemed to handle the situation as well as could be expected. 

 

Since The Great Race is a precision PACE RACE, not a high speed race, the "winner" of a particular segment of the race is determined before the car passes under the arch.  Hence, there is no crowding of vehicles to cross the "finish line" arch, and instead serves as a backdrop for photo opportunities, as the announcer tells the name and details of each car as it goes under the arch. 

This red car driving down the center line of Joplin's main street is a beautiful example of the type of classic cars one will see at this event.  Notice this car has no top.  So whatever weather is happening at any given moment is the weather the driver and navigator are experiencing!  Although no top may be a disadvantage in terms of bad weather, the older a car is, the more points it is awarded on a type of handicap system that awards bonus points to older vehicles. 

 

Since some participants use this event as an occasion for family bonding, it is not uncommon to see friends/family members walk up to greet the various cars as they go under the arch.  The friends/family members often travel in a different vehicle, and are relieved to see that their loved one (and their vehicle!) made it to the end of the day!

The Great Race is no ordinary race.  It has instruction pamphlets for each day that over 20 pages long!  Modern navigational aids like GPS are prohibited in this event.  Points are awarded on the accuracy of the driver and navigator to match a time and average speed over a pre-determined course.  Prizes are awarded in several categories, both daily, and at the end of the race. 

 Some of the cars are reminiscent of movies---such as the Blues Brothers.  It was amusing to see the variety of very inappropriate items, that the car had as "props" on their dashboard.  In addition, they had a mannequin passenger in their back seat!

 

I felt victorious just getting to watch the cars come through, and felt compelled to give the iconic "V for Victory" uplifted arms gesture!  This might have been the gesture the 2021 Great Race winners were giving at the end of the race in Greenville, South Carolina, because their win was historic---the first time for two women to win the race---one was the driver and one was the navigator. 

This converted school bus carried the support crew for the WTF driving team.  This group is quick to point out that the initials do not stand for any type of vulgar cliche, but rather refer to their full name---The Wondering Troubadours of Finland.  When the vintage vehicle they support drives under the arch, they march alongside, carrying the blue and white flag of Finland.  

 

 When I asked to take their photo, they said they would only agree to it, if I would also be in the photo! (Can you tell which one is me??!!)  If you want to see more photos of their hilarious stunts and old-fashioned attire (as well as the inside of their bus), go to their Facebook page, entitled simply "WTF Great Race". 

As you can see on the top of the arch, the 2021 Great Race started in San Antonio, Texas, and ended in Greenville, SC.  You can see videos of the entry into each city where they spent the night, if you go to their Facebook page, The Great Race. 

As you would expect, merchandise with the Great Race logo is available for sale.  Folks in Joplin could purchase souvenirs at the tent set up on Main Street, or folks can also go online to order merchandise from their website at www.GreatRace.com

The two ladies in this photo are the ones I was able to enjoy this event with, Kerstin from Joplin and Carrie from Lake of the Ozarks.  They are shown standing in front of a vintage produce delivery van that was a participant in The Great Race. 

 

 

In case you are wondering about participating in this event, you might want to know that the entry fee for a private individual is $6,000.  The Corporate/Business entry fee is $8500.  Plus, the participants pay for their own lodging along the route. 

Kerstin, Carrie,  and I had the wonderful culinary treat of getting to try a variety of popular menu items from the restaurant along Joplin's main street, known as Hackett Hot Wings.  Our hostess is shown in this photo, and it was fascinating to listen to her tell of the story of the restaurant's origin.  She said she and her husband were from Memphis, and wanted to open a restaurant.  However, they felt the Memphis restaurant market was already saturated, so they set about to find a city that would be a good fit for their signature recipe of fried chicken wings.  This led them to Joplin, and the business has continued to grow and expand throughout the years.

Our dining location at Hackett Hot Wings gave us a "front row seat" to the classic cars that were in front of their restaurant.  Hackett Hot Wings was closed down to the public that night, and served as the location to feed over 200 folks associated with The Great Race event in Joplin. 

The Great Race attracted almost 150 different vehicle entries, and each one had an assigned parking space along the Main Street of Joplin the evening of their appearance.  Many of the cars had magnetic signs attached to them, reminding cars following them not to get too close, because of the (sometimes) sudden turns and stops they made, as they tried to follow the rally driving directions.

 

The map on this car shows the route of the 2021 Great Race, starting in Texas, and ending in South Carolina.  One can visit the Great Race website to find out the route of future races.  This was actually my second time to see the vintage cars, as I was able to go to the event in 2015, when it passed through Springfield, Missouri, which is also an iconic stop along Route 66. 

It is race officials who determine the cities that a particular Great Race will pass through.  And, likewise, it is race officials who choose the official group lodging location for participants.  I was told that the Holiday Inn was chosen for the group lodging in Joplin, based almost entirely on the size of their parking lot, as it shows up on the Google Earth Map.  Besides the need to park over 100 vehicles, the parking lot needs to be able to accommodate an 18-wheeler truck's parking needs.  At the end of the race, participants give an assessment of each city they visited, which is sometimes used as a determinant of future race course locations. 

The tailgate of this colorful yellow pick up truck provided a fantastic "flagpole" location for flying the Stars and Stripes!
 

Sadly, as in most any road race, there are some cars that have mechanical issues, causing them not to be able to finish the race under their own power.  The Great Race officials expect such mishaps, and have a towing vehicle that can tow two cars at one time!  But those cars still get to drive under the arch and be a part of the festivities at the finish line!  The morning after the event, I was on the elevator with one of the drivers who had to be towed in the day before, but was going to be able to drive his car that day.  I asked him what he did about getting his older vehicle repaired during the night, and he said he found some very smart auto mechanics who were able to fix the problem!  Many of the Great Race participants are "Gear Heads", and know everything there is to know about auto repair.  Although I took a four month auto repair class at a local college, I have to look at the instruction manual, just to open up the hood of my car! Not to mention, fix anything that is wrong with it!
 

There were some car clubs that came to Joplin to participate in the festivities from Bentonville, Arkansas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Kansas City, Missouri.  I am assuming this car I saw parked is one of those cars.  I can only assume the driver of said vehicle is tall enough so that his eye level is ABOVE the horizontal band of metal that goes across the windshield area!  It it were me driving it, I would be looking through metal circles to try to see the road ahead. 

I was very thankful that I was one of the people getting to stay at the Joplin Holiday Inn, which served as the official location for participants to stay.  This gave me the opportunity to go around and see the cars in the late evening, when it was cooler and there were fewer bystanders. 

I was intrigued to see this youngster carefully polising the gorgeous car shown in this photo.  He told me it was his grandfather's car, and that this was not their first time to participate in the race together.  He said they had used a different car in past races, because his grandfather owned a car museum in Detroit, Michigan.  Sounded like a good family to belong to!

A popular tourist attraction in Joplin is the Route 66 Mural Park.  This sidewalk art depicts a vinyl record from the mid-1900's, with the very popular song called "Get Your Kicks on Route 66".  The lyrics of that song actually mention the town of Joplin, Missouri.

 

The logo on this souvenir bag shows some of the nicknames that Route 66 has enjoyed over the years, such as "The Mother Road" and "America's Main Street".  However, the name my mother always called it when I was growing up, was "Bloody 66".  She was quite prone to worry, and would start expressing her concerns out loud whenever it became known that my father would be traveling on that road for business meetings in St. Louis, from our home in Arkansas.  Likewise, when our family traveled Route 66 from Arkansas to California, in the 1950's, the phrase came up often.  It was not until I googled "Bloody 66", that I found out there were more people than just my mother, who were apprehensive about traveling the route.  The Google search gave numerous references to photographs, statistics, and books about the many car crashes that occurred on the busy and often-narrow highway.  

I would agree with the Great Race founder, Mr. McCrae, about the need for prayer (as well as a good map) when embarking on a journey of Route 66!  In a nod to the Route 66 popularity, and "66" being the number of books in the Bible, a variety of Bible studies have been developed with the Route 66 logo.  The one I have purchased in the past is the Route 66 Bible--"Driving the Word Home", published by the Turning Point Ministry organization.  You can find it at www.DavidJeremiah.org

The murals along Main Street in Joplin make great locations for photos with groups or family or selfies. 

 This mural in this photo even has half of a Corvette, to give it a 3D effect!  Likewise, it has a complete map of Route 66, from Chicago to Santa Monica.  I always like to comment that the back yard of one of my California cousins, butts up against the original, historic Route 66!

Kerstin gave me permission to sit on the corvette for this photo.  As I sat there, I was reminded of a Corvette very similar to this one,  from my past, that was actually purchased in Joplin, Missouri, in the 1970's!  Fortunately, that Corvette was NOT sliced in half, and is still in the family at my son's home!

There are many more attractions in the Joplin area, related to Route 66, so I would recommend a visit there for anyone interested in that period of America's history.  In addition, there are NUMEROUS other worthwhile attractions that I visited on my June, 2021, stay in Joplin, and I will tell you more about those in future blog posts.  In the meantime, check out the website www.visitjoplinmo.com for more information.  A visit here will give you "MILES OF ROUTE 66 SMILES"!  Tricia