The Tourists-Commanders in Chief, Civil Rights & 'Cue, part 3

Yeah, so I've been SERIOUSLY lacking in posting about our vacation from....June. Yikes!  So, you can catch the other two segments: Part 1 and Part 2.

Disclaimer 1: Due to the government shut down at this time, I am not able to link or even get to the National Park Service site, so any National Park/Site I mention is not a link right now. Perhaps you can google it soon...

Disclaimer 2:  This is a picture heavy post!

Day 5: After our Sunday in beautiful Kansas (see part 2), we left Independence at 6:45 after a little retape on our plastic sheeting and duct tape van windows and headed toward Arkansas.  Hold on, there's lots of stops along the way....

We stopped at Fort Scott National Historic Site (if the government wasn't shut down, I could add a link to the NPS site, but alas....). Their Junior Ranger program was probably the most interactive and interesting of any Little Miss have done. She was given a big bag full of different items she had to use as we toured the Fort grounds. 

 Little Miss with her bag of activities

 One of the activities - how the soldiers washed their clothes

 Young Mister showing off his cannons by the cannon

We set up the appointment with the glass repair shop in Little Rock to have our windows replaced. Then, off through  a downpour to Precious Moments Chapel. I had wanted to visit this for many years and we were "that way", so we made it a stop. It was a pretty and peaceful stop.

Our next stop was the George Washington Carver National Site (again...the gov't has the site shut down right now)

(It POURED the whole time we were there, so we really don't have any pictures...)

We reached Arkansas and stopped for lunch. Then a stop at Wal Mart Visitors Center. It was pretty interesting to learn more about Sam Walton and the start of his store.

We raced off to Pea Ridge National Battlefield and made it JUST before the Visitors Center closed. We drove through the battlefield. It was a pretty drive.

We checked into our hotel, grabbed a quick dinner and relaxed.

Day 6: We grabbed breakfast at the hotel and headed for Hot Springs National Park. We took the Promenade Tour, which was a nice walk. 

Bathhouse Row has some very impressive bathhhouses - however at the time we were there, most of them were under renovation.

We grabbed lunch and decided to drive to Hope, Arkansas. What is in Hope, you ask?! One of the newest National Historic Sites - the William Clinton Birthplace.

It is well preserved and our tour guide (Aaron) was great!

We drove back to Hot Springs, checked in to our hotel, then headed to get ice cream for dinner. We stayed at the Baymont Inn. It had a wonderful view!

Day 7: We drove to Little Rock. We really hit the Civil Rights stuff here. We visited the Central High School National Historic Site. The school is still in use so you can not enter the building but they have a lovely courtyard.

 Then on to the Clinton Presidential Library & Museum

 They had an exhibit of Oscar de la Renta dresses for First Ladies. Little Miss was in heaven! She found her favorite...

We drove out to the Big Dam Bridge and walked across it.

We had a relaxing evening at the hotel.

Our adventure to be continued....