Share(This article is a taste of the print Traveler… or Jo’s part, anyway. In addition to my other duties, since 2006, I’ve come up with a monthly article on some aspect of the geology/hydrology or landscape related southeast or south central Missouri topics called Rock Talk. This month we were so crammed with stuff it [...]

ShareJEFFERSON CITY, Mo., NOV. 7, 2011 – A Civil War Activity Day and unveiling of new Civil War artifacts will occur Nov. 12 at the Missouri State Museum in the Capitol in Jefferson City. A variety of activities, including historical re-enactors and interpretive programs, will be presented from 1 to 4 p.m. Activities are free [...]

Share Duane King, Ph.D., will present a program on Cherokee removal routes within a 50-mile radius of Trail of Tears State Park near Cape Girardeau on Nov. 12, beginning at 9:30 a.m. This event commemorates November as American Indian Heritage Month.
The Trail of Tears (literally “the trail where they cried” in Cherokee) is [...]

ShareText and Photos (unless otherwise noted) by Jo Schaper
While stumbling around on the internet some months back, Jo found a link to a blog of a fellow named George Weber, who literally brought elk to Lone Elk Park back in the day. Some months back, she also contacted St. Louis County Parks and was [...]

Share“Huzzah!” yelled the cannonneer in a clean, dark blue Union uniform. The big gun roard at his side, fire and smoke billowing from the throat. The sting of freshly burned powder smarted in my eyes, from about 40 feet away.
I looked down at the lady in the lawn chair in front of me, [...]

ShareThe reenactment of the Battle of Leasburg is this weekend, Oct. 1-2, at Ozark Outdoors, just south of the Meramec River, 6 miles south of Leasburg, from 9 a.m. on Saturday to about 3 or 4 p.m. on Sunday.
By Jo Schaper
Traveler will be there. No, we won’t be in period costume, but sales [...]

ShareWhat with all the hoopla about Civil War reenactment, this had to happen.
The declaration asking for the end of the jayhawker mascot as being politically offensive was first reported by the AP on Sept. 18. Furthermore, the resolution asks that neither jayhawk, jayhawker or kansas be capitalized by any University of Missouri [...]

ShareRoad Log from Ft. Davidson to Leasburg Battle Site
By Jo and Bill Schaper
If you choose to take this road log, we recommend four maps: Missouri highway map, and Washington and Crawford county highway maps. The US Forest Service Salem/Potosi Ranger District map can substitute for the county maps. The attached illustration [...]

ShareDriving Ft. Davidson to Leasburg – a trip back into time
by Jo Schaper
(Ed. note: this story jumps to two related others: A long version of the road log in the print paper, and a shorter story interview with Mrs. Helen Wright, one of the chairpeople of the Leasburg Reenactment about a group of reenactors who [...]

ShareLater today, Saturday June 4, the UP 844 will leave St. Louis for Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff and Little Rock, Arkansas, and when it does, a little magic and a bit of my soul will go south along with it.
By Jo Schaper
Forget flowers, or moonlight, candlit dinners or rippling water. I can look dispassionately [...]