2023 Fall Adventure Episode 9: Hannibal, Missouri’s Sodalis Nature Reserve and River Cruise

On November 24, 2024November 23, 2024 By LToddIn Travel6 Comments

Mark Twain Riverboat Company

A river cruise is always on our list of what to do whenever we are near water. Add in a narrative of the history behind the sights on shore and we’re on board.

The Mark Twain Riverboat Co. is a family-owned business founded in 1997. They took us on a unique riverboat cruise on the Mighty Mississippi River. They pointed out Pearl Island, also known as Glasscock Island on the Ohio side of the river. Apparently, it was once considered part of Hannibal, Missouri.

We passed Shuck Island and Tower Island, which Mark Twain called Jackson’s Island in his book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, got up close to the bridge, and gazed up at the Rockcliffe Mansion, and lighthouse from the river.

The boat will not go if the water is too low

The barges are what amazed me the most on the river. During our boat cruise in St. Louis, we learned the newer barges measure up to 209 feet by 50 feet and can hold up to nearly 3,000 tons of cargo, while the older barges are 195 feet by 35 feet. The largest bulk item transported upstream is petroleum shipped from the oil fields in Texas and Louisiana. Various grains are shipped downstream to New Orleans and transferred to ocean vessels.

Barges with the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge in the background

According to Iowa DOT, one barge is the equivalent of 16 rail cars or 70 large semis/tractor trailers. No wonder oil producers and farmers depend on the Mississippi River barges to get their products to market.

This photo shows how the barges connect together

The Mark Twain Riverboat Cruise offers two daily cruises: a one-hour sightseeing cruise, and a two-hour evening cruise with dinner and entertainment. Keep in mind that if the water level is significantly higher or lower than ten feet, it could put a crimp in the ship’s schedule.

When planning our trip to Missouri, I had contemplated taking the American or Viking River Cruise up the Mississippi. I’m glad we toured on our own by land. We spent days exploring Hannibal instead of the few hours the big cruise lines offer at any one stop. Maybe someday we’ll take a Viking River cruise in Europe. For now, we’ll cruise on land.

Lover’s Leap Park and Overlook

The narrator on the riverboat cruise pointed out this outcropping atop a bluff on the south side of town. The five-acre park is called Lover’s Leap and has great views of the river and town. A plaque details the legend behind Lover’s Leap.

One version of the legend asserts the daughter of the Fox’s tribe and an Illini brave were deeply in love. After multiple warnings to stop seeing each other, they were discovered together by the Fox chief one night on the cliff. Although the couple leaped from the cliff and survived the jump, it is not recommended that others take the plunge. A different version of the legend claims a more dire ending.

Rockcliffe Mansion in the middle of the photo.

Another plaque placed by the Continental Cement Company in May 2002, dedicated a lighted American flag as a remembrance to September 11, 2001.

Sodalis Nature Preserve

The Sodalis Nature Preserve was an interesting find. Not only does this 200-acre park preserve the bat population, it also provides recreation for the community.

The paved Sodalis trail has plenty of vegetation

Abundance of blooming shrubs line the trail

This limestone mine, which was closed for about 50 years, is now home to approximately 1/3 of all known Myotis Sodalist bats, also known as Indiana bats, and has the distinct honor as the largest hibernation site for a rare bat. Endangered gray bats, northern long-eared bats, and other species also call the mine home during hibernation.

Soon after the bat discovery in 2012, the city acquired the mine site and installed gates at 33 mine entrances. Then they developed the surrounding area as a park with walking, hiking, and biking trails for visitors.

This colorful plant pleaded to have its photo taken

Evan’s trail led to a place to view the bat emergence

Visitors will find a 2-mile fully paved loop trail that connects to the Bear Creek Trail. There is also a viewable amphitheater to watch the nightly bat emergence from mid-April to the end of September.

The top tube allows bats to emerge at night while the gate keeps them safe from mankind, who may have nefarious intentions in mind.

Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse

The Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse beckoned us from the mansion, the riverboat cruise, and other parts of the city. While Tom and the gang scrambled up the side of the cliff, we had the luxury of climbing 244 steps to the top.

Once there, we noticed a road could have taken us all the way with only a short trail to the lighthouse. That was fine with me. I prefer steps anyway. Jon’s not much of a fan, although he followed my lead. I eyeballed the trail to the parking area at the top and had to see where it went. And the views around the structure and along the trail were as spectacular as those on Lover’s Leap.

Although the lighthouse is illuminated at night, it is not used for navigation

The Lighthouse park encompasses 10-acres at the top of Cardiff Hill. This is a place where you can imagine the likes of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and the gang hanging out and exploring.

The original lighthouse was built in 1935 as a memorial to Mark Twain on his 100^th birthday. After a windstorm destroyed it in 1960, it was rebuilt in 1963.

Becky Thatcher’s Diner

We couldn’t leave town without breakfast at Becky Thatcher’s Diner. Themed diners can turn out a hit or a miss. Lucky for us, the delicious corned beef hash told us Becky’s diner was a hit.

We enjoyed our visit to Hannibal, Missouri, and are glad we stopped and explored for the few days we were there. I admire and commend the City of Hannibal for preserving the history, folklore, and nature of the place. The community has much more to offer than what a cheap tourist trap might have presented.

Next Up: Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa

Safe Travels

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 8: Hannibal Missouri, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

On October 15, 2024October 14, 2024 By LToddIn Missouri, Travel1 Comment

October 8, 2023. Finally, time to explore Mark Twain’s Hannibal, Missouri. I fell in love with my fellow Sagittarius writer at an early age. About the time in my life when I was looking for people to admire, I read the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Learning more about the author convinced me that Samuel L. Clemens must be on my list of most admired people.

The town has gone all out to honor their favorite son. His name graces business signs, a statue in the harbor honors him as a steamboat captain, a museum details his life story. And homes where he and his friends lived extend the museum experience.

The Boyhood Home

The Boyhood Home was built in 1843 or 1844. The Clemens family lived there until they moved above Grant’s Drug Store.

Timeline of the Clemens family in Hannibal, Missouri

A bit of history reveals the John Marshall Clemens family of five moved to Hannibal, Missouri, in November 1839. Eight years later, Samuel’s father died from pneumonia, leaving the family in poverty. Samuel left school to work and help keep the family afloat. He hopped from one job to another, getting fired or quitting work he found boring. These included stints as a grocery, bookstore, and apothecary clerk; he also worked for a blacksmith and delivered papers for the Hannibal Gazette.

*Life on the Mississippi* and *The Prince and the Pauper* books by Mark Twain

Eighteen months after his father’s death, his mother Jane apprenticed the boy to Joseph P. Ament, the new publisher of the Gazette. Typesetting suited Samuel better than his previous forays in the working world. Later, he worked for his brother Orion on his paper and started writing articles and short stories. And the rest, as one might say, is history I’ll leave to readers to explore on their own. The photos below are but a few of many I took on our self-guided tour.

Sample of interpretations in the museum and homes

The Blankenship Home (Huck Finn)

The following photos are of the rebuilt Blankenship Home, identified as the home of Huck Finn. The original Blankenship house was demolished in 1911. Chris Coons owned the land in 1998 and donated the property with a stipulation the home would be reconstructed.

The Parham family funded the reconstruction. The builder used the original plans and materials as a guide, making modifications to correspond to a photo that showed the original house was framed and not built as a log cabin.

The house was completed and dedicated on May 26, 2007.

The Hawkins Home (Becky Thatcher)

The following photo is of the Elijah Hawkins’ house where his daughter Laura (Becky Thatcher) lived. The home went through a full restoration in 2013 and in 2020, a new interpretation was installed.

Justice of the Peace Office

Grant’s Drug Store

Hard times hit the Clemens family in 1846, so they moved above Grant’s Drug Store. Samuels’ father died in one of the rooms on March 24, 1847. Mrs. Sarah Marshall Mahan gave the building to the city in 1955. (Imagine living in a house where Twain slept) The building opened for tours to the public in 1959 after extensive rehabilitation. Additional restoration took place in 2017 and the museum installed a new interpretation in 2020.

Mark Twain Museum

The museum holds a collection of Norman Rockwell paintings, books, and artifacts.

In 1935, Heritage Press commissioned Norman Rockwell to illustrate special editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Rockwell completed preliminary sketches of the paintings before he visited Hannibal. He had to redraw one of those sketches because it did not match the actual house.

This photo shows a roof and shutters, but this did not match the actual house.

So, Rockwell revised the sketch to include a drain pipe and eliminated the shutters.

Several years ago, I visited Twain’s home in Hartford, Connecticut, and gained a deeper understanding of the man in his prime. We’ve seen the replica cabin near Angels Camp, California, where Twain gathered material for his short story, “Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” and the semi-autobiographical book Roughing It. And in Virginia City, Nevada, Mark Twain popped up as an editor of the Territorial Enterprise.

On this day, I gained a deeper understanding of the town, the boy, and the friends and neighbors that inspired many of the stories Twain wrote. One of these days I hope to visit Elmira, New York, where Twain and his family spent many summers with his sister-in-law’sfamily.

Up Next: A riverboat cruise, a lighthouse, lover’s leap, and a walk through Sodalis Nature Preserve

Safe Travels

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 7: Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri

On October 6, 2024October 5, 2024 By LToddIn Missouri, RV Travel, Travel2 Comments

We had a short two-hour drive from Jefferson City to Hannibal Caves and Campground on October 6, 2023. I was eager to explore Mark Twain’s childhood stomping grounds, which inspired his books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

But first we checked out the Marina and Riverfront Park where a memorial to Mark Twain stood and the American Serenade had docked.

We noticed a discernible difference between the Mississippi that flowed by Hannibal and what we saw in St. Louis. Here the water looked cleaner, not as muddy, and the river banks were prettier to look at, not as industrial.

Before we gorged on all things, Mark Twain, we visited the 125-year-old Rockcliffe Mansion that served as J. J. Cruikshank’s family home from 1900 until his death in 1924.

What’s unusual about this historic home is that, except for caretakers who lived there for several years, the family had abandoned it for 43 years. J. J. Cruikshank, a lumber baron, spared not a penny to decorate and furnish the 12,500 square foot home with lavish amenities, art, and possessions, much of which remain intact. The family of six moved into the mansion during the year 1900.

Upon Cruikshank’s death, the remaining family members moved next door to smaller accommodations. They left most everything behind until the mid-1960s when city officials ruled the building an eyesore and slated it for demolition.

Although teenagers often entered the home during its abandonment, they left the bookcases and books untouched. Typical teenagers.

Walk-in closet with dresses from the era.

I thought this bedroom had a safari feel to it.

Dresser with mirror and trunk in the closet

Morocco came to mind when I entered this room.

Three local families realized the value of the mansion, formed a corporation, purchased the property in 1967, and saved it from destruction. The corporation cleaned up the house and surrounding property and opened it to the public for tours.

In June 2005, Rick Rose purchased the mansion and had grand plans for further restoration, adding tours, and offering other activities at the property. Falling on hard times, the property fell into bankruptcy five years later.

Through the bankruptcy court, Warren Bitnner, an attorney from Miami, and Juan Ruiz, a banker, bought the house for $567,000 in April 2010. Bittner and Ruiz continue to operate the tours and renovate the mansion as funds are available. Included on their reno list is rebuilding the original porches that once wrapped around the building on either side of the entrance.

Stained glass window on double staircase landing

Back and side of mansion with porte-cochere

Fancy a stay in the Rockcliffe Mansion? The Bed-and-Breakfast offers a handful of rooms to choose from. Amenities include a free tour of the house upon check-in at 4:00 pm, a wine and cheese reception from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and a three-course home-cooked breakfast at 8:30 am. Coffee and tea are available at 7:30 am. Enjoy a private bathroom, room air conditioners, and radiator heating while gazing out at the expansive views of the city and river. Book rooms from March 15 through November 15.

Next Up: Finally, all things Mark Twain and a riverboat cruise.

Safe Travels

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 6: Runge Conservation Nature Center, Jefferson City, Missouri

On September 24, 2024September 23, 2024 By LToddIn Missouri, Photography, RV Travel, Travel2 Comments

On October 5, 2023, our last day in Jefferson City, we explored the Runge Conservation Nature Center, one of several centers throughout the state. The Missouri Department of Conservation, which was founded in 1937, operates the center. The department’s purpose was to restore, conserve, and regulate Missouri’s fisheries, forests, and wildlife. Once funded through hunting, fishing, and trapping permits, a 1976 program dubbed Design for Conservation, also provides funding of 1/8 of 1% of all sales tax dollars.

Runge Conservation Nature Center Visitor Building

Inside the rustic wood building, we found displays of live fish, turtles, and snakes. Also included were taxidermy displays of animals in their natural habitat. These displays rivaled similar scenes at Johnny Morris’s Wonders of Wildlife Museum, although much smaller in scale.

Hoot, hoot, where’s my food? Oh, wait, I don’t eat.

Other exhibits featured a more educational focus by explaining the importance of marshes, wetlands, and timber in the state.

Alcoves were set aside for children to play and learn through hands-on activities and an indoor wildlife-viewing area overlooked several bird feeders.

The upside down cone keeps the squirrels away.

And art gallery of display boards featured paintings by local artists.

We wandered around inside the building for an hour or more and then headed outside where five loop trails crisscross each other. Some trails are paved and accessible for all while woodchips mark the way on other trails.

Note: The center does not allow pets on any of the trails.

Along the way we crossed bridges, climbed steps, stopped at ponds, wetlands, a savanna, a tallgrass prairie, and forested environments.

Come on, let’s see what’s on the other side

We caught glimpses of the 70-foot fire tower. Built in 1949 to replace two previous towers, the structure provides historic interpretation. It stood at the Rocky Mount Tower site southwest of Eldon until 2000, when Runge Conservation Center took possession. PA Hess was the towerman from 1956 to 1987. For thirty-one years, he climbed up and down those stairs to keep his neighbors safe from fire.

During much of the 1900s, lookout towers were the primary way to detect fires in the state and communicate their location to authorities. Out of 260 fire towers in Missouri during the 1900s, there remain about sixty, thirty of which are still sometimes used for spotting fires.

The landscape at Runge was once overgrown and thick with invasive plants. A dedicated team of employees and volunteers turned the messy area into a vibrant and diverse environment. An environment that supports animals and plants of different habitats. It’s clear the employees and volunteers continue to maintain the area for future guests.

Having a stressful day at work or at home? Take a nature bath at the Runge Conservation Center, or your local outdoor space, by walking the trails. The center’s compact size will tame the stress and soothe the soul in an hour, or more, if you like. Listen to the birds calling each other, watch lizards and squirrels dart in and out of underbrush, and feel the breeze on skin. We did and still had time to wash a few loads of clothes when we returned to our home away from home.

One of the best parts of the nature center is that it doesn’t empty your bank account. Free makes Runge the right price and right size for young families.

Up Next: Hannibal, Missouri

Safe Travels

The Traveling Todds

Category: Travel

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 9: Hannibal, Missouri’s Sodalis Nature Reserve and River Cruise

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 8: Hannibal Missouri, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 7: Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 6: Runge Conservation Nature Center, Jefferson City, Missouri

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