Day 4 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005), Independence, Missouri to Council Bluffs, Iowa

Day 4 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005), Independence, Missouri to Council Bluffs, Iowa


I spent the previous evening east of Independence, in western Missouri...


Independence, Missouri...




Approaching the Truman Presidential Library I drove through a massive swarm of bees. A month or so later, at Camping World in Tacoma, Washington, I was having Bigfoot's air filter replaced and the tech called for me to take a look at the old filter - hundreds of dried bees!

The Truman Presidential Library, in Independence. Harry Truman is the only post WWII Democrat president whose library I would honor with my visit.






While Truman was a great man, General Douglas MacArthur was greater, and certainly more correct with respect to the concept of "limited war"...






The National Frontier Trails Museum, in Independence...

www.ci.independence.mo.us/nftm






Seven Trails West, in the National Frontier Trails Museum... what a fine gift this would make! www.abbeville.com/products/Product1558597824.htm
The beginning of the Santa Fe Trail, in Independence...




On my way out of Independence I drove by the Bess Truman birth place...






Kansas City, Kansas...



The Lewis & Clark site at Kaw Point, at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers...








St. Joseph, Missouri...

www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/history/history.cfm





The Jesse James house, in St. Joseph. In this house, on April 3, 1882, Robert Ford shot Jesse James in the back of the head. Jesse was standing on a chair hanging a picture when that "dirty little coward shot Mr. Howard"...


Jesse James (Billy Gashade, 1882) www.contemplator.com/america/jessej.html Jesse James was a lad who killed many a man He robbed the Glendale train He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor He'd a hand and a heart and a brain Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward I wonder how he does feel For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed Then laid poor Jesse in his grave Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor He never would see a man suffer pain And with his brother Frank he robbed the Chicago bank And stopped the Glendale train Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave It was his brother Frank that robbed the Gallatin bank And carried the money from the town It was in this very place that they had a little race For they shot Captain Sheets to the ground Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave They went to the crossing not very far from there And there they did the same With the agent on his knees, he delivered up the keys To the outlaws, Frank and Jesse James Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave It was on Saturday night, Jesse was at home Talking with his family brave Robert Ford came along like a thief in the night And laid poor Jesse in his grave Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave The people held their breath When they heard of Jesse's death And wondered how he ever came to die It was one of the gang called little Robert Ford He shot poor Jesse on the sly Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave This song was made by Billy Gashade As soon as the news did arrive He said there was no man with the law in his hand Who could take Jesse James when alive Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life Three children, they were brave But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard Has laid poor Jesse in his grave


Jesse James is another of those historical figures that I would love to sit around the celestial campfire with, and learn what really happened. I suspect that the real Jesse James was a quite a bit different than the "terrible" man described in most "northern perspective" accounts...


More St. Joseph...