Childhood Memories

Sunday, July 1, and Monday, July 2, 2018

States visited: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois

Miles traveled: 611

Since I found no cheap airfares to Europe this summer, I decided to travel the USA, stopping at three of the towns I lived in when I was a little girl, visiting national parks, and stopping to see my brother and sister.  It was such a great trip!
I had a graduation party to attend Sunday afternoon, so I headed out at 6 pm on Sunday night, headed for Champaign, Illinois.  I made it to Warren, Indiana, and stayed at the Comfort Inn.
 

On the way to Champaign, I stopped by DePauw University's Julian Science Center (named for famous chemist Percy Julian!) to see their periodic table display recommended on Roadside America.  It was a bit of a challenge to find (at the top of the stairs, on the third floor), but so worth it!  It was created by Theodore Gray and Max Whitby.  (I won a copy of Theodore Gray's book The Elements from Chem 13 News years ago, so it was a neat surprise!)  Each box has a sample or two of its element and is beautifully presented.  I was glad I stopped!
 

My next stop was Rockville, Indiana.  At my hotel the night before, the tourist info mentioned Parke County, Indiana, having a lot of covered bridges, so I decided to stop and see them!  The old train depot in Rockville is the tourist information office.  I stopped in to get a map and get advice.  They recommended I follow the red route!

  

My first stop along the route (after lunch at Burger King) was at Neet Bridge.  It has been bypassed, so tourists are free to walk across!
 
The covered bridges had "windows" where you could look out and see the water!   Here I am walking across Neet Bridge!  (It was neat!)
 
Next stop was the Bridgeton Covered Bridge and Mill.  I parked in the parking area, walked across the bridge, and got ice cream at the mill!   The only covered bridge I drove across was the Rockville, Bridge.  So much fun!
 

The next covered bridge I found was the Harry Evans bridge, a very short one.  It was on a gravel road, so I decided just to get out and see it.

  Next to it was a modern concrete "ford" bridge.  I had never seen one like that!
 
Here I am driving back across the Rockville Bridge!   Final covered bridge: Mecca Bridge!
 
Here's the house where I lived in Champaign, Illinois, when I was in preschool and kindergarten.  This was my school for kindergarten, then called Carrie Busey Elementary.
 
I know I was little when I lived in Champaign, but I expected to have more memories.  I did remember this underpass!  It was on the way from our house to our church, and it once flooded!   My next stop was Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, the church we attended while living in Champaign and Charleston.
 
Seeing the front of the church was not very emotional, but seeing the back of the church brought back so many happy memories.  I couldn't stop crying!  Next, I drove an hour south to Charleston, Illinois.  Here I am in front of Jefferson Elementary, where I attended 1st and 2nd grade.
 
While the outside of the building didn't bring back much, it was this blacktop playground that I remembered most.  Here I remember being taught the five positions of ballet during recess.  And just down the street, here is the house where I lived during 1st and 2nd grade.
 
I made one last stop in Charleston, to the town's Carnegie library where we went to often.  On the way south toward my next destination, I stopped for the night at the Quality Inn in Mount Vernon, Illinois.