Crossing Over--TRIP 3 (2012)

Crossing the Mississippi River back to Illinois this morning we could see the effects of the Midwestern drought. Sand bars stuck up out of the water in the middle of the river. More than 450 barges had to be stopped here yesterday when one of the rock protection barriers near a lock failed and broke open, spilling the rocks into the river. Apparently it is repaired; we didn't spot any waiting barges, but the accident halted river traffic for a whole day.
Maryann, our trusty GPS, helped us find Cathy's house in Highland, Illinois this morning.


Jay, Cathy, Sue and Andy

She drove us around this quaint town and showed us highlights of the community of fewer than 10,000 people, including the library, the funeral home, the medical building and the schools. We stopped at her sister's house and made friends with the horses. For the first time Andy and I saw soy beans close up and realized what they looked like growing in the field.  Jay met us for lunch at Marx Brothers in downtown Highland on the square. This is small town America, and the city manager, his son and the head librarian all joined us for the meal and pleasant conversation about Highland, traveling and families. It reminded us of Tara's small town in New York state. Everybody knows everybody, and all of them are friendly.


The Louis Lazter Homestead belonged to the founder of
Helvetia Milk Condensing, the company that became Pet Milk.

Cathy, on the board of the Highland Historical Society, offered us a private tour of the Louis Latzer Homestead after lunch. The farm, built south of town in 1847, was the birthplace of Latzer, founder of Helvetia Milk Condensing, the company that eventually became Pet Milk in 1923.  Latzer's education in chemistry helped him to develop Helvetia in 1885. The current house, built in 1901 by Latzer for his seven children, had one of the first telephones in the community and featured heated running water. "It probably wasn't hot," explained Cathy, "since it just passed through the back of the wood stove, but it wasn't ice cold either."  Other modern features included a manufactured gas light system and speaking tubes between some of the rooms. Latzer's office at the Homestead had a roll-top desk, a scale and microscope and a safe. "Most of the furniture is original," explained Cathy. "It was found in the attic or in the attic of his daughter's house when the family and Pet Milk donated the property."  A Swiss family by origin, the Lazters even retained Swiss clothing that is displayed in the various rooms. Outfits include lederhozen and a Swiss wedding dress and coat.
Also on the public library board, Cathy guided us through the Louis Lazter Memorial Public Library, opened in 1929, and the Children's Library, dedicated to Jennie Latzer Kaeser, Lazter's daughter, opened in 1983. The library complex was built by the family and presented to the City of Highland.
At Cathy's house, we said our good-byes and headed back toward Missouri.
As huge storm clouds piled up overhead, we stopped near the river on the Missouri side for tourist information. The friendly guide said, "St. Louis was voted worst city in the United States for weather this summer, and they sure got that right!"


An addition around three sides of the old St. Louis Art Museum
will more than double its size in 2013.

"The Saint Louis Art Museum is open until 9 p.m. on Fridays," said Andy, as we cruised west along U.S. Route 270.
"I'm game if you are," I told him.
And so we headed toward downtown St. Louis, opposite most of the traffic at 5 p.m.


Andy would appreciate
the purchase of this Chagall.

The juxtaposition of
live tree and stainless
steel tree presented
an interesting contrast.

Two hours in the museum allowed us to browse through many of the exhibits, even though displays of the more than 30,000 works of art were closed for a huge expansion project.  We saw Georgia O'Keeffe White Birches; Winslow Homer's 1871 painting of The Country School; and Gilbert Stuart's 1829 Portrait of George Washington. I photographed Auguste Rodin's 1885 bronze of The Clenched Hand while Andy walked through the Max Beckman room. "I really like this one," said Andy, pointing to Temptation, 1912, by Marc Chagall.We sat down in the Impressionist Room and looked long at Water Lilies by Claude Monet. "That took 11 years to complete," I said. It was dated 1915-1926.
"Eleven straight years of work?" he asked., grinning.
"Don't be a wise-beep!" I scowled.
"It sure wouldn't fit in our house," said Andy. He wasn't talking about the style of the painting either.

I understood why Cathy said that Forest Park was one of the
largest city parks in the United States.

Finally we headed outside to see the stainless steel sculpture of a tree, Placebo, 2004, by Roxy Paine.  "I wonder if there is a lightening rod on that," said Andy. We walked around looking but didn't see any evidence. "There is no way that isn't going to get hit."
But the clouds had cleared and the view across Forest Park reminded me of Versailles in the late afternoon sunset.  As others lolled on the lawn or played Frisbee on the hillside, we strolled back toward the car. It had been another beautiful day.