Watkins Woolen Mill State Park, MO
We arrived at this beautiful State Park last Thursday, but have not had internet hookup until today. Last night, Sunday, a man arrived in his fifth wheel trailer and set up camp two spaces from us. While we were enjoying happy hour, he walked by and we hailed him for a visit. He lives in Liberty MO, and was here to spend a week while his wife went back east to visit her daughter and new baby. He is working in Liberty every day, and commuting to and from the park. His tow vehicle is an F450 Ford, V-10 with custom bed for towing. However, with fuel prices as they are, he will return on Monday with his Harley...more fuel efficient for the daily commute. He has a Hughes Internet Satellite Dish and told us that he left it open so that people he met might be able to use it. Hence, we have internet service today, a week before I our planned arrival in Smith Center at the Excel factory for our service appointment. The satellite internet is not as fast as Comcast broadband. It is billed as the speed of DSL. Better than what I was using yesterday, for sure (which was nothing).
Watkins Woolen Mill SP is an absolutely beautiful park. Seems like every park into which we have gone in Missouri is a gem. Missouri voters voted a 1/10 of 1% sales tax to improve state parks and historical areas. Improvements are in every park we have visited. Paved drive areas, gravel parking, grassy and shady camp spots, new restrooms with individual shower and dressing rooms. We have 50 Amp electricity but no water or sewer hookup. So, we have to break down and move the trailer to dump. Kind of a disadvantage, but the site is terrific. Also, Excel, our brand of 5th wheel, has made the dumping of holding tanks almost touch free, so this is the easiest we have ever had the necessary tank maintenance.
The history here is amazing, too. This is the only remaining 19th century woolen mill in the US with original equipment in place. Waltus Watkins moved from KY in the middle 1800's had a family of 9 children. He, his wife, and one unmarried sister and all the children lived in a two room cabin on the 80 acres of land he bought. A good business man, he learned how to make brick, and built a kiln. Set up a saw mill for dimention lumber, planted several orchards, cultivated fields for crops, sold dried fruit, farm produce, raised livestock, built the woolen mill, had a general store, and employed about 40 people plus three slaves. Soon he had 3660 acres. He was also a justice of the peace, served in the legislature. built a church and school for his employees and was a trustee for the nearby William Jewel College. All of his children, including the girls, had at least some college. Get this...his desk was tall so he had to stand up to work. His philosophy was that if one sat down to work, they were lazy. I think he had too much drive.
Missouri had the third highest number of encounters (skirmishes) during the civil war of all other states, but he was able to keep on the good side of both sides. Probably made blue and grey wool yardage for uniforms for both sides. The house he built also still stands and is 70% furnished with original family items. A living history interpretive staff does a great job of explaining the history.
Yesterday, we drove to Jesse James farm and birthplace. His mother continued to live there and ultimatley died here. Within a month after his murder in St. Joseph, the family was giving tours of the farm (revenue); in his day, he was extremely famous. His birth father, the Rev. Mr. James was the minister of the church that the Watkins family attended until they built their own church and school. The farm is interpreted by the staff of Clay County, Misssouri Parks. Also, pretty well done, but they could use some coaching on preservation. The racoons keep getting into the old house and chewing up things.
Today, we went to the vet for Miss Kitty. She has decided not to eat her food. Looks to us like a chewing issue. But the vet said the teeth and gums look okay. We left her for overnight for blood work, urine test and follow-up for her hyperthyroid condition. Well, we'll see what the vet says in the morning.
We will move on in a day or two. Betty wants to stop in Washington KS where service dogs are trained. This is on Highway 36 on our way to Smith Center. This should be very interesting.
Final note: Fuel in Merriam KS was $3.32 when we left. Here, in Kearney MO, the fuel is $3.09
Have I mentioned it yet??? We LOVE being retired and LOVE this leisurely life out here. But we are looking forward to seeing the family at the end of the month, back in Denver.
Hugs to you all...
Watkins Woolen Mill SP is an absolutely beautiful park. Seems like every park into which we have gone in Missouri is a gem. Missouri voters voted a 1/10 of 1% sales tax to improve state parks and historical areas. Improvements are in every park we have visited. Paved drive areas, gravel parking, grassy and shady camp spots, new restrooms with individual shower and dressing rooms. We have 50 Amp electricity but no water or sewer hookup. So, we have to break down and move the trailer to dump. Kind of a disadvantage, but the site is terrific. Also, Excel, our brand of 5th wheel, has made the dumping of holding tanks almost touch free, so this is the easiest we have ever had the necessary tank maintenance.
The history here is amazing, too. This is the only remaining 19th century woolen mill in the US with original equipment in place. Waltus Watkins moved from KY in the middle 1800's had a family of 9 children. He, his wife, and one unmarried sister and all the children lived in a two room cabin on the 80 acres of land he bought. A good business man, he learned how to make brick, and built a kiln. Set up a saw mill for dimention lumber, planted several orchards, cultivated fields for crops, sold dried fruit, farm produce, raised livestock, built the woolen mill, had a general store, and employed about 40 people plus three slaves. Soon he had 3660 acres. He was also a justice of the peace, served in the legislature. built a church and school for his employees and was a trustee for the nearby William Jewel College. All of his children, including the girls, had at least some college. Get this...his desk was tall so he had to stand up to work. His philosophy was that if one sat down to work, they were lazy. I think he had too much drive.
Missouri had the third highest number of encounters (skirmishes) during the civil war of all other states, but he was able to keep on the good side of both sides. Probably made blue and grey wool yardage for uniforms for both sides. The house he built also still stands and is 70% furnished with original family items. A living history interpretive staff does a great job of explaining the history.
Yesterday, we drove to Jesse James farm and birthplace. His mother continued to live there and ultimatley died here. Within a month after his murder in St. Joseph, the family was giving tours of the farm (revenue); in his day, he was extremely famous. His birth father, the Rev. Mr. James was the minister of the church that the Watkins family attended until they built their own church and school. The farm is interpreted by the staff of Clay County, Misssouri Parks. Also, pretty well done, but they could use some coaching on preservation. The racoons keep getting into the old house and chewing up things.
Today, we went to the vet for Miss Kitty. She has decided not to eat her food. Looks to us like a chewing issue. But the vet said the teeth and gums look okay. We left her for overnight for blood work, urine test and follow-up for her hyperthyroid condition. Well, we'll see what the vet says in the morning.
We will move on in a day or two. Betty wants to stop in Washington KS where service dogs are trained. This is on Highway 36 on our way to Smith Center. This should be very interesting.
Final note: Fuel in Merriam KS was $3.32 when we left. Here, in Kearney MO, the fuel is $3.09
Have I mentioned it yet??? We LOVE being retired and LOVE this leisurely life out here. But we are looking forward to seeing the family at the end of the month, back in Denver.
Hugs to you all...
posted by TalktoBandG @ 12:52 PM
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