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.
Water turtle
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Rattlesnake
Eastern Copperhead
Mountain Lion
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.
Play and learn area for little ones
Through the viewing windows
The upside down cone keeps the squirrels away.
And art gallery of display boards featured paintings by local artists.
Art display
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.
Fungi on bark
Come on, let’s see what’s on the other side
Marshy area
Fall’s a comin’
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.
Fire tower from a distance
Fire tower close up
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.
The current capitol building is the third for the state, after the first and second buildings were both damaged by fire. As soon as we neared the city, the Baroque dome (rising 238 feet (73 m) was easy to spot and beckoned us to come take a glimpse. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a contributing property in the Missouri State Capitol Historic District. Over the past 107 years, the state has done a great job of upgrading, expanding, and preserving the building, originally completed in 1917.
At the top of the dome stands a bronze statue of Ceres, the Greek goddess of agriculture.
We don’t dare pull our truck into a parking garage because they rarely are tall enough for our beast. So we circled around the capitol, searching for a parking spot on the street. Then I saw the Reserved Veteran Parking sign. Ding, ding, ding. With Jon’s veteran status, we had hit the parking jackpot.
Reserved veteran parking? Yes, please.
Across the parkway from the building is the Fountain of Centaurs and a bronze relief depicting Monroe, Barbe-Marboise, and Livingston, signing the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States. The state purchased much of the art inside and outside of the capitol building with $1 million dollars left over from construction.
Fountain of the Centaurs by Alexander Weinman
Relief of the Louisiana Purchase signing by Karl Bitter
Visitors will notice the Missouri Seal replicated throughout the building. This one was above the elevator doors.
Historic artifacts lend to the authenticity and age of the building
Leather covers the doors to the House and Senate Chambers
Symbols are displayed everywhere in the building and the House Chambers is no exception. To name only a few, the large stained glass window represents the glory of Missouri peace. Created by H.T. Schlader Mundt in 1924. To the left of the dais is a light-colored painting of Abraham Lincoln representing the republican party. On the right side is a dark-colored painting of Thomas Jefferson representing the democratic party.
House Chambers
We found a few spots around the building where we had expansive views of what lies beyond. Here are a few of those photos.
View of parking garage entrance and the bicentennial bridge that leads to Deborah Cooper park on Adrian’s Island.
View of the Jefferson Bridge, which was renamed Senator Roy Blunt Bridge by the state legislature in 2022.
St. Peter Catholic Church was established in 1846 and the building erected in 1883. Listed on the National Register of historic places on June 18, 1976.
The half-moon paintings below are called lunettes. Forty-one of these paintings grace the second floor walls. They depict historic events in Missouri’s history.
The Battle of Wilson’s Creek August 10, 1861
The Battle of Westport October 23, 1864
The third-floor rotunda is where visitors will find the Hall of Famous Missourians. Bronze busts honor their achievements and contributions to the state. I had fun finding the well-known and not so well-known people, at least by me, who had made a difference in the world.
Of course, Samuel Clements (aka Mark Twain) would be so honored.
The Missouri State Museum occupies much of the first floor of the capitol building. On one side of the rotunda are displays about the historical events that shaped the state, including a timeline. On the other side, the state’s resources take center stage.
State resources portion of the museum
Historical timeline mural tells the Missouri story.
Various displays tell the stories. These displays discuss the Osage people who roamed the lands before the white settlers arrived.
Museum displays
After our tour of the capitol, we found two other places to explore within a short walk: the Governor’s mansion, which has served as the governor’s residence since 1872, and the Jefferson Landing State Historical Site.
Governor’s Mansion garden with the historic Lohman Building and Union Hotel of the Landing site in the upper left background
Imagine living in the mansion that sits up on a knoll and encompasses 10 acres of gardens. With views of both the Missouri River and the State Capitol, the governor can keep a watchful eye on their domain.
View of mansion from the garden
George Ingham Barnett designed the building in the Second-Empire architectural style. It took eight months to construct, with the help of prisoners from the nearby penitentiary.
Front of the Governor’s Mansion
Back of Mansion
Side view
View of capitol building from the mansion garden
The Landing comprises two buildings. The Union Hotel and the Lohman buildings.
The Lohman Building is the oldest existing building in Jefferson City. Charles Maus and his brother-in-law, Charles Lohman, bought the east section of the Crump’s building and opened a general store in 1852.
Lohman building
River side of Lohman building
Maus built the hotel across the street in 1855. The state acquired the hotel and the Lohman Building in the 1960s and surrounding land to use it as a parking lot. Concerned citizens had other ideas. In 1974, the state’s official bicentennial project adopted the Jefferson Landing as its project. Restorations took place and the Lohman building opened to the public on July 4, 1976. Today, Amtrack uses the first floor of the hotel as a train station.
Union Hotel
Rear of Union Hotel
Butterfly in orange blossoms
Christopher Maus, a stonemason, built the pre-civil war brick home (pictured below) near The Landing around 1854. Christopher Maus was the brother of Charles Maus. The state maintains the house along with the State Historic Site. Unfortunately, it is not open for tours.
Christopher Maus House
I saw this plaque and read that it marked the place of a time capsule. Oh, wouldn’t it be great to come back and see what’s inside when they open it? On closer look, I realized that trip, would not be possible.
Missouri State Parks time capsule
As we walked back to the truck, I noticed the Lewis and Clark Trailhead Plaza. The sign led to a memorial that commemorates the famous expedition. I couldn’t help but think about how different the area looks today compared to when the company camped in the area on June 4, 1804.
History captured my attention and imagination on this day. While grocery shopping an hour later, I thought about how people lived in the 1700s and 1800s and even the early 1900s. Their struggles to provide for food and shelter and safety made me thankful for how easy we have it today. All we need to do is walk into our local grocery store and pick what we need or want from the abundance of produce and other products available. How lucky we are to live in these times.
Next up: We visit the Runge Conservation Center in Jefferson.
What’s a measly four drive after taking several days to travel from California to Missouri? It seemed like a breeze in comparison. Our objective? To visit the William J. Clinton Presidential Center & Park where the Presidential Library and Museum are located.
We left Marshfield on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and returned on Friday. The Wyndham Riverfront Little Rock hotel turned out to be a convenient place to stay, since it was across the Arkansas River from the museum.
The hotel shuttle driver took us on a short, guided tour of Little Rock on our way to the museum. He pointed out various historical locations like the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. This is where the first nine African American teenagers attempted to attend school in September 1957. The National Guard, as ordered by Governor Orval Faubus, turned the students away. President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened, and the students later returned to attend classes. These individuals, known as the Little Rock Nine, persevered despite ongoing harassment from the students and the community. I admire their courage and determination to endure each day.
A steel and glass structure loomed ahead as our driver pulled up in front of the five-story building. The structure stretched 420 feet and was supported by 90-foot cantilevers. It looked more like a giant freight container than a presidential museum. I wondered if we made a mistake in telling the driver where to drop us off.
William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. The art installation Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet dotted the grounds with twenty-six globes—each created by different artists—designed to raise awareness about climate change.
There was no mistake. Apparently, the architecture symbolically ties in with Clinton’s theme of building a bridge to the 21st century during his reelection campaign in 1996. In some respects, the building does resemble a bridge.
Inside, visitors will find the typical exhibits common in most presidential libraries and museums. They present a timeline of the president’s life from birth through the end of his presidency and even post presidency. The obligatory oval office and cabinet room are present as are gifts received and the first lady’s accomplishments.
Oval office as decorated during Clinton’s terms
The cabinet room. Note the middle chair on the right. It’s taller than the rest and is where the president sits.
What I found most impressive and different from other presidential library and museums is the exhibit and display areas. Two-story cherry bookcases stuffed with blue binders appear to support the third floor. Inside the blue binders are records generated during Clinton’s presidency. They only cover a small percentage of the approximately 78 million pages of paper documents and approximately 20 million e-mails. The archive library contains the remaining documents along with various artifact collections. As one who loves scurrying down rabbit holes when researching, I’m sure if I were to enter the archives I’d never come out.
View from the third floor
The inspiration for the bookcases was inspired by The Long Room in Trinity college Dublin, Ireland. Now I want to go to Dublin to see the Long Room in person. I checked. Tours of the room are included in the Book of Kells Experience. “Hey, Jon. Let’s book a trip to Ireland.”
Do you see the similarities?
Okay, back to Clinton and the museum. Here is but a smidgen of the photos I took. The glass walls created such a glare, I couldn’t capture all that caught my attention.
Fourteen of these alcoves run along either side of the timeline that runs the length of the second floor exhibit space.
Clinton oversaw a booming economy during his time in the White House
Hillary as first lady
Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton at Yale Law School
All those young men in their class and Bill is the one that captured Hillary’s heart.
“My Future,” an essay by Hillary Rodham
Letter from Elton John to Mr. President
Edits made by Clinton to a speech
Aha! So this is when the current political nastiness began. Same old playbook repeating through the decades.
And yes, the museum does not shy away from Clinton’s dalliance with Ms. Lewinsky, or the impeachment. This is true of embarrassing events or criticisms experienced by other presidents in their respective museums. It’s all part of history and should not be hidden from future generations.
The third floor contained the collection of gifts received while Clinton was in office. This is one of my favorite exhibits in all of the presidential museums.
I wonder if Bill and Hillary ever rode the bikes.
Several Christmas decorations were displayed
I thought this piece of art was cute
Chihuly glass tree topper
Close up detail of glass tree topper
Of course, saxophones would hold a prominent space
Place setting used during a White House dinner
In August of 2023, the Clinton Foundation announced plans to expand the center to include an institute to house “personal archives and papers of Hillary Rodham Clinton and ‘serve as a hub’ for her charity and advocacy work.” Further details or more current information regarding the expansion did not pop up in a quick online search.
A walkway through the park led us to the Sturgis/Choctaw Railway Station where the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and the Center on Community Philanthropy are housed.
Historic Sturgis/Choctaw Railroad Station
Famished from our tour, we ducked into 42 bar and table, a restaurant on the ground floor. Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of The United States, hence the name of the restaurant. They serve lunch during the week and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Patio area of 42 bar and table
View of 42 bar and table from the Arkansas River Trail
With our bellies full, time had arrived for a walk along The Riverfront Trail and Park. We heard we might see sculptures, statues, and other art along the way.
Memorial to Cindy Coates Miller designed by Dale Enoch
Clinton Presidential Park Pedestrian Bridge crosses the Arkansas River. It was built in 1899 and previously known as the Rock Island Railroad Bridge. It reopened in 2011 after a renovation project turned it into a pedestrian pathway.
The park is 33-acres and spans the length of eleven blocks on the south bank of the Arkansas River and contains over 100 pieces of art. Here are but a few.
Belvedere Structure provides space for instrumental music performances. Constructed in 1986 to commemorate the sesquicentennial of Arkansas statehood.
Hula Hoop by Jane DeDecker
Patty Cake by Jane DeDecker
Margaret Clark Tree House designed for preschool-aged children
Twisted Circle by Kevin Trobaugh
While we waited for the streetcar for our trip back to the hotel, I thought the H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden might provide us with a respite from the heat. Unfortunately, the gates were closed, so we stewed in the heat and humidity instead.
H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden is a gift from South Korea to America as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
It was definitely worth the drive to tick off the Clinton library and museum from our list. We have two more presidential libraries and museums coming up in our 2023 Fall Adventure: Gerald Ford and Herbert Hoover.
Next up: The state capitol of Missouri in Jefferson City
It’s all about the animals in part 3 of our 2023 Fall Adventure as we visit the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium and Wild Animal Safari.
Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
A popular outing in Springfield, Missouri, is the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Johnny Morris is the man behind the museum and aquarium. As majority owner of Great American Outdoors Group, he owns Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s sporting goods and outdoor stores.
Located adjacent to the Bass Pro Shops National headquarters and store, Wonders of Wildlife operates as a not-for-profit educational conservation-themed attraction. It definitely should be at the top of any what-to-do-in-Springfield, Missouri list.
Wait a minute. Is that boat Ernest Hemingway’s Pilar? Can’t be. The original resides at the Museo Ernest Hemingway in Finca Vigia, Cuba. And I believe the Pilar sister boat is in the Bass Pro Shops in Islamorada, Florida. The boat in Springfield, Missouri, is a replica.
Massive murals throughout the facility depict various background scenery. It took six years and a dozen artists to paint all the murals.
One of the many hand-painted murals that add context to the displays
The current wildlife museum and aquarium opened to the public on September 22, 2017, after an $80 million expansion to 350,000 square foot facility. The project took a decade to complete.
The wildlife museum includes a Louisiana swamp, an Ozark forest, and an Amazon rainforest. The aquarium holds 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million liters) of water, and 35,000 individual fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals call the museum and aquarium home.
Fishing gear and trophies
Throughout the aquarium are tunnels where kids and kids at heart can pop up and see what it’s like to have fish swimming around their heads.
Looks like fun
There’s Nemo
For guests craving a safe way to have a shark encounter, they can opt for the shark dive or shark dive feeding frenzy for ages 10 and up. There’s also a penguin encounter for ages four and up.
Shark dive pool
The turtles were fun to watch
Brightly-colored fish attract the eye
Graceful movements of jellyfish mesmerize
Sea anemones are always a hit
Sea stars (starfish) cling tight
Japanese spider crab has skinny legs
The Shipwreck Reef exhibit depicts how artificial reefs protect coral and boost tourism for diving and fishing. The Johnny Morris Offshore Angler Reef off the coast of Florida is such a reef. It contains the Sucre, a 237-foot vessel. A placard discusses the benefits the reefs provide to marine life and research opportunities.
Artificial reef exhibit
Albino Aligator sleeps all day
A sign outside the replica of the original Bass Pro Shops Store says the “original doors, cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, roof, ceiling, and aquarium” were used to create the replica. Morris began his bass fishing business at the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri.
Jackson imitates Uncle Buck, who made bass flies from sow bellies to sell in the original Bass Pros Store
Hall of artifact collections
I’d hate to meet up with one of these giants on a hike
Glimpsing Freedom: York’s Journey with the Corps of Discovery by Charles Fritz
One of many quotes throughout the museum
My, what big tusks you have
One section of the museum is dedicated to the various presidents who showed off their trout and bass fish catches.
Bass Pro Shops got its start within 8-square feet inside a liquor store for the first 13 years. For more history about Bass Pro Shops and Johnny Morris, visit https://about.basspro.com/our-founder. As of this writing, there are around 200 Bass Pro Shops in North America, each reflecting the community in which they were built, along with a commitment to community and conservation.
Taxidermy animals stand in for the live animals in the dioramas that depict their natural habitat.
Plan spending an hour or more to see the all the exhibits and displays. Our whole family enjoyed wandering around. And if hunger strikes, take a break and grab a bite to eat.
Wild Animal Safari Springfield/Strafford
Board a bus for a tour of the park and learn about the animals and their habits, or drive your vehicle through the park. Food is available for purchase to feed the animals. But watch out for the camels. They have no qualms about sticking their big heads in the window and stealing bags of food from the passengers. They are fast, as Jackson can attest to, as he was a victim of one of their attacks.
Our driver and guide regaled us with stories about the various animals
The safari contains sixty-five animal species along a five-mile trail within 350 acres of land. The animals have learned that food is on the way whenever the bus comes through. Some of them come running as if they hadn’t eaten for days, while others take their time ambling along to reach the bus. The bus driver always accommodated the slow pokes.
Don’t those eyes say, “please, feed me.”
For an additional fee, guests can arrange for an up close encounter with the animals, under the watchful supervision of a zookeeper, of course. These encounters allow small groups to learn about the animal’s habitat, feeding, and conservation efforts.
Animals taking their time to reach the bus. Note the drive-through vehicles. We thought it best to leave the driving to the bus driver.
Nice rack you got there
Be sure to read the safety considerations listed on the website to avoid any situations that might put the animals or people in danger.
Showing off the antlers
Don’t forget me.
I’ll have some, too.
Move along. I don’t want any of those little pellets.
Don’t mind me. I’ll just nibble on this fine grass here.
Too hot and tired to eat
We’ll take a pass and enjoy this here grass.
Mr. Stripey knows who butters his toast
Ponds keep the animals hydrated
Watch out for those teeth
Those are some long horns you’ve got there.
I’m a comin’
The safari also included a walkabout zoo. It was hard to take photos through the cages.
What did I do to deserve this?
Jackson and Maya say hello to the giraffe.
As we compared our experience at Wild Animal Safari to Safari West in Santa Rosa, California (see the Safari West post), we much preferred the one in California. Safari West comes out on top for its larger acreage, safari-like vehicles, and knowledgeable guides. They also had a better walk-around portion with more animals, birds, and vegetation. Although we still had fun at Wild Animal Safari.
Up Next: From Marshfield, Missouri, we take a side trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, and check out the Clinton Museum.
The Traveling Todds 