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 Truman House...
 
 
The National Frontier Trails Museum, in Independence...
 
www.ci.independence.mo.us/nftm
 
Jim Bridger... the greatest of the mountain men...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bridger
 
       
 
     
 
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...
 
 
The Truman Depot...
 
 
On my way out of Independence I drove by the Bess Truman birth place...
 
     
 
   
Kansas City, Missouri...
 
 
Kansas City, Kansas...
       
 
 
The Lewis & Clark site at Kaw Point, at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers...
 
       
 
 
 
I crossed the Missouri River, back over to the Missouri side, and headed north toward St. Joseph...
 
 
St. Joseph, Missouri...
 
www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/history/history.cfm
       
 
 
This doggie followed me around Old St. Jo...
 
 
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...
       
 
       
 
 
 
 
North of St. Joseph, in Iowa, I crossed the Missouri River for a brief foray into Nebraska, then crossed back over to the Iowa side. I put in for the night at Council Bluffs, Iowa...