Grant's Farm - Clydesdales

Blog #5-St. Louis-Grant's Farm-June 27, 2012

 Our final stop in beautiful St. Louis, MO was a visit to Grant's Farm, a short drive from the Anheiser Busch Brewery-home of Budweiser Beer. Grant's Farm was the Homestead of Ulysses S. Grant-Union General during the Civil War, and 18th President of the US. The Farm was acquired by August Busch Sr. In 1907, and housed the famous Clydesdales from the early 1950's.

   The Farm has become dedicated to a nature preserve where many species of Deer roam freely as well as other animals-goats, cows, Texas Longhorns, Peacocks. A guide drove us through that area on a tram, as he explained the history of the Farm and it's "animal inhabitants". A fence constructed out of rifle barrels surrounded the Park.  We then walked to the other side of the Park containing other animals in their natural habitats, Petting Zoo, and Beer Garden.  A Wallaby, Parrots, two Eagles, Llamas, and Camels are just some of the animals housed there.

  In the old Carriage House we found another Beer Wagon (what else!!), Fire Wagon, and more Busch family wagons.  The Trophy Room contained "prizes" from many of the hunting trips the Busch family enjoyed.

   The Stables housing the Clydesdales were immaculate, of course. I befriended "Chuck" while he stood there staring at us, as we stared at him. He wasn't too talkative that day:-) Note the display showing the shoes for the Pony, Horse, and Clydesdale? "Wouodn't want that big boy stepping on my foot!" I even had the "thrill" of petting a very sweet young Clydesdale as he stood by the fence outside!  Beautiful creatures!

  We enjoyed a wonderful visit to Grant's Farm, and the best part was that for $12.00 a carload, a family can enjoy an entire day there!

From St. Louis , we drove to Sedalia, MO where we are camped at the Missouri State Fairgrounds for our Airstream Rally. As the predicted temperature for tomorrow is 106*, we are thankful we have full electric and our ac!!

   Our next Blog will begin our fun in this wonderful town of friendly folks, and lots of places to eat, since that is what we do best!!!

                 Blessings,  Mary Ann, Les & Pollybird

Fence made of rifle barrels

Petting zoo

Wallaby

Polly's friends

Bush family buggies

Trophies - most from Antlerville

Sweet little horsey

Mary Ann and "Chuck"

Bigggg  horseshoe!

Budweiser Brewery

Blog #4- St. Louis, MO/Budweiser Brewery-June 26,2012

  

   We promised you a tour of the Budweiser Brewery which began in St. Louis, and today remains a vibrant and fully functioning Brewery, supplying millions of happy customers with their favorite brew each year. The original buildings and architecture have been well preserved, and still provide thousands of visitors each year with an outstanding tour through the brewing process, and a final treat at tour's end with two complementary beers of their choice in the Hospitality Center. (I chose the Rasberry beer-YUM!!!)

   To help the Company survive through the Prohibition years, they produced a variety of products- campers, "Bevo" Soft drink (Bevo the Fox), and assorted snacks. None of these products remained in production for very long, but the Company managed to survive-German "sticktutiveness"!

   Of course, as the Clydesdale horses are the Budweiser trademark, 

We toured the magnificent stables where they are housed. Note the absolutely beautiful Tack Room containing saddles polished to perfection-(for you, Susan). We saw two of those awesome horses in their stable, BUT! For me, the most important member of the team was NOT there!!! You guessed it! NO DALMATIONS!!!!  Supposedly, some puppies are coming!!! I will come back!

   Also, housed within the same complex are original wagons and cars used by the Busch family, including horse drawn  beer wagons and a fire truck.

     Best of all, the Brewery tour is FREE!!!!

   Most of the Clydesdales are either kept at Grant's Farm, and a farm in Booneville, MO not far from here. Could the Dalmations be there?

Our next Blog will take you on a Tour of Grant's Farm, where we had a delightful tour through a wildlife park, petting zoo area, and Beer Garden, of course. They all go together, don't they?

                 Take good care, and keep cool!

     Mary Ann, Les and Pollybird

Yes, kampkars

Missing!

wooeee!

For Sue

Notice the ornate architecture

Bevo the fox

The Gateway Arch In St. Louis

Blog #3- Wednesday, June 20, 2012- St. Louis, MO-Gateway Arch

From Summerset, PA, we traveled to St. Louis, MO by way of Columbus, OH and Clarksville, IN. Our first adventure was a visit to the  Gateway Arch-formally known as the "Jefferson National Expansion Memorial-or "Gateway to the West".

  As we walk up the many steps to the entrance of the Arch, the  top of the Arch looms overhead, and one suddenly thinks "I am not too sure about going up to the TOP and peering out over the city-630 feet up"!

But, we brave souls venture down into the Visitor's center and purchase our tickets for the "ride to top". We enter a small cubicle containing five seats similar to a space capsule and begin our assent to the top, which takes four minutes. When we reach the top, we leave our little capsule and bravely walk across the top of the Arch. We are pleasantly surprised that the small, narrow windows we peer out from to survey the city are not nearly as threatening as we anticipated:-)

WOW!  What a fantastic view of St. Louis, the Missouri River, the St. Louis Cardinal's Busch Stadium-Go PHILLIES!!! It was fantastic! We return to our little cubicle for the three minute ride down. WHEW! That was great!

  A wonderful museum containing early history of the Westward Expansion is housed "under" the Arch. The Louis & Clark Expedition frames the chronological display portraying all the events and persons responsible for settling the West. Of  special interest were :

     . Wall of Presidents

    .  Animals of the Plains

    .  Moon Landing-Stage Coach

    .  Native Americans

    .  "Round Boat" (Lynn Kiehl)

    .  Tucker Theater

A very special morning was enjoyed! And, it was overcast which made it more comfortable than the 98* we had been promised. After visiting the Arch, we toured the Budweiser Brewery. You are invited to tour the Brewery in our next Blog!

   Until them, keep cool, and we miss all of you. But we are not coming home early:-)

Blessings,  Mary Ann, Les & Pollybird

13 airplanes have flown under the Arch

630 feet up

Five people fit into this "cubicle"

For our grandson Tucker

Thomas Jefferson

Mary Ann and her "friend"

For Mark

Then and now

Lynn's boat

Native American Chiefs

Notice the windows at the top of
the Arch