On The Road In Missouri

Before I hit the road again, I have one more report from yesterday.  After I left Fort Madison, Iowa, I headed for Missouri.  A few miles after I crossed the state line, I stopped in at the Battle of Athens Historic Site.  The battle was fought in 1861 between the Missouri State Guard and other secessionists on one side and Missouri Home Guard companies loyal to the Union on the other.  It became the northernmost battle of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River.

The town itself is gone, but the place is still called Athens.  The site can be reached via a county road labeled "CC", which intersects state highway 81.  This monument stands next to a parking lot.

A short walk brings the visitor to the Stone House.

Although the town's streets are gone, signs indicating their location have been set up.  If you follow Virginia Street, it takes you to the Bentley House.

The site includes this cannon, with the Smith Hotel in the background.

I left Athens and proceeded southward and westward to Marceline, the boyhood home of Walt Disney, who was born in Chicago.  His family lived in the northern outskirts of town, on a property which included what he called the Dreaming Barn.  Visitors are allowed to walk into the barn and sign their names with markers on its interior.

After visiting the Dreaming Barn, I stopped briefly in downtown Marceline, which is the model for the "Main Street USA" sections of Disney theme parks.  I briefly stopped at Ripley Park, which includes a caboose....

....and a steam locomotive, both from the Santa Fe railroad.

The locomotive is also labeled as being from the "Disneyland R.R."  After my brief stop in Marceline, I was back on the road heading eastward.