Race Cars & Court Cases...there is history all around us (Days 5-9)
Day
5:
This was by far one of the most extraordinary days on our trip. We visited the High Banks Museum in Belleville, Kansas. Now I know most of you are thinking this doesn't sound that exciting. However, the Chairman of the museum currently owns and races a Sprint Car my father built back in Pipestone, MN in the early 1970's. It's amazing to think this frame has withstood the test of time on the track.
My Dad built the frame from scratch using some plans he purchased. The frame is quite unique and known around the racing community as a mark of my father’s due to the fact that it starts square and then converts into round tubing in the front and back. He also designed the one of kind wheels that are stamped with his initials inside. It was a treat to have the kids sit in a car their grandfather made!
The
museum was a world of auto racing knowledge all tied back to their local track -
High Banks. High Banks Dirt track is the oldest dirt track in America and it
started dirt track racing as well as many world famous careers. The first race
was held in 1910 and had a field of only 3 cars. As time went on this track has
launched drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Bobby Unser, Doug Wolfgang, Tony Stewart,
John Andretti, etc.
I
would highly recommend visiting this museum of racing history to anyone who is
in the area. Don McChesney (the Chairman), and his wife were a true delight to
speak with and trove of information about the sport. I want to thank them for
their hospitality and for driving my Dad’s car down to the museum especially
for us that day.
We
received a much-needed break from driving and spent the day in St. Louis. J
provided us with a 3 mile round trip scenic walk throughout the city (also, maybe because I really wanted to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe) with a
humidity factor of 5 million percent (okay I
could be exaggerating a bit). When we got there, we ordered the kids a well deserved
milkshake for all of their hard work.
We
were able to finish the day visiting the famous arch, Westward Expansion Museum, and the courthouse that held the Dred Scott case: “The case” that quite
possibly helped to launch the American Civil War. It was a case more
interesting than we already knew. For instance, a widow named Irene Emerson
owned Dred Scott & his wife. She remarried an abolitionist Massachusetts
congressman, Dr. Calvin Chaffee, during the trial. She sold the Scotts to her brother, John Sanford, for $1 in hopes of eliminating negative
publicity for her new husband. In the end, the country found out and raised quite a
stir for the congressman during the final stages of the case. In an interesting twist, the Scotts were
sold back to the Blair family (who had originally owned the Scotts) for $750 in order to ease the continued ridicule. Most
slaves were going for $350 each during that time so she made quite a penny. In
all, the case took over 10 years to reach a conclusion. In the end, it was the Blair sons who officially released the Scotts from slavery. One year after he was
deemed free Dred Scott passed away on September 17, 1858.**
I’m
so thrilled to provide my kids this amazing opportunity to learn more about our
country and it’s history.
"Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human
events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact
that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be,
animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same
results."
~ Machiavelli
~ Machiavelli
Day 7&8:
Days
full of driving and nothing too eventful other than the hair-raising moments
stopped along the side of the highway to take the all-important State Line photo.
These are imperative for the scrapbooking
nut inside of me.
Day 9:
We
Arrived!!!!
P.S.
Stay tuned this week for a marvelous announcement! I’m bursting at the seams
with excitement!
**For more information about the case, please click on the link below:
Dred Scott v. Sanford
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