Looking Very Presidential

A few days ago I visited the Eisenhower Museum & Library in Abilene, KS. The family home is in its original location and is larger now than the 800 sq. ft. house was when Ike lived there with his six surviving brothers, all being successful in their chosen careers. Ike originally wanted to attend the Naval Academy, but at 21, was too old for admission and attended West Point instead. And, aside from being an Army General and Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, he was a two term US President, the President of Columbia University and a member of Augusta National Golf Club. In 1936 Ike attempted to have the Club remove a single loblolly pine tree which

routinely interfered with his drive on the 17th hole---he was unsuccessful. But, in 2014 the tree was removed due to ice damage and this cross-section was sent to the Museum as a tribute to one of the Club's favorite members.

Another Abilene stop was to the Seelye Mansion, a 1905 eleven bedroom structure build by Dr. A. B. Seelye, a physician and patent drug dealer. After extended negotiations with the two surviving daughters, the current owner, Terry Tietjens, purchased the house and has left it in a mostly original condition. The structure was renovated in the 1920's with the assistance of Frank Lloyd Wright's input.

Today I made a short visit to the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, AR. The structure is a modern design and the inside is very open and visitor friendly. Looking down from the second floor gives an idea of the Center's size--note a Chihuly glass-works, cream-colored tree on the second level, left-rear. Most interesting was a full size recreation of the Cabinet Room and the Oval Office.

Between Abilene and Little Rock, I stopped by Branson, MO for a visit. I visited the Table Rock Dam which became operational in 1959 and acts as a part of several dams/lakes to control the White River. I also took in a meal/show on the 1994 paddleboat, the Showboat Branson Belle; the vessel was built lakeside and when launched 4,500 pounds of bio-degradable bananas were used to grease the launching rails to avoid lake contamination.