Author: Tom
Duelling Banjos
You’ve heard of dueling banjos–now multiply it times several hundred. It’s a unique convention of sights and sounds that arrives in the Midwest this weekend…..
Kennecott Copper Mine
It’s the largest open pit mine in the world, with a hole so deep it swallowed entire towns. The mine is open to anyone who…
Jowler Creek Winery
Most crops in the Midwest are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. The farmer’s investment is mostly in that single year the…
Growing Grapes
What led this beef and row crop farmer to begin growing grapes? The answer is a good one, but it is probably not the first…
A Reward for Remaining Loyal to the King
When America won her independence, there were thousands of men and women who remained loyal to England during the war. What happened to them? In…
Signing the Declaration of Dependence
Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776, but not everyone was pleased with the patriotic document. Today’s American Countryside is from…
A Woman Ship’s Captain of the 1600’s
It’s rare to find a young married lady commanding a ship, crisscrossing the Atlantic multiple times each year. Now imagine the story takes place in…
The Liberty Bell
July 4th, 1776…Indpendence Day in the United States. One of the symbols of our freedom is the Liberty Bell. But most folks don’t know the…
Springfield, Illinois: New Salem Village
Where was Abraham Lincoln living when he won his first political office? You may have forgotten that it was this town, which appears today much…
Springfield, Illinois: Lincoln’s Tomb
Arlington National Cemetery is the most visited cemetery is the nation. Which one ranks second? Well, a stop here honors a president and may even…