Beetle Bailey is an American comic strip begun in 1950 by cartoonist Mort Walter. A life-size statue of Beetle stands (or sits) at the University of Missouri where Walter graduated in 1948. If you are not acquainted with Beetle Bailey then check out this link by clicking here.

    The National Churchill Museum is located at Westminster College in Fulton MO. And why is it here so far from Merry Olde England? After all, Winston Churchill was a British Prime Minister and not an America citizen. Fulton was the place that Winston made his famous Iron Curtain speech in 1946. Check out this link here.

    The museum was closed and we will have to return some day to see it. However we did take pictures of the historic pillars built in 1851.

    Oh, yes, there is a Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame. We drove by it to prove it to ourselves. Horseshoes is a serious game among many people. We understand that President George H. W. Bush was an avid player. Alas, we drove by too early to enter the museum and had to keep traveling.

    We spotted a very tiny church in the Town of Nashville IL. It’s a travelers chapel. Unfortunately, it was closed to us. Got skunked again!

    We did find an 8.5’ statue of a beardless Abe Lincoln in Mt. Vernon IL. Ellen did notice that his hands seem way out of proportion. Too big! Indeed, they were bigger than his feet.

    The Jim Hipp Nursery, in the town of Haubstadtt IN, features some big plastic and wooden animals. Among them is a pink elephant holding a large martini cocktail. There is a two-tone Buffalo  (American Bison), a couple of giraffes, some bears, eagles…it’s a hoot! 

    We would have seen the nursery but guess what?! Yes, we got skunked. We witnessed the owner driving away in a small cart with his dog sitting in a basket before him. He happily waved good-bye.