Midwest: Trailblazing in Missouri

Trailblazing In

40 August 2009 LeisureGroupTravel.com

Wherever tourist paths lead, re-minders of our pioneer past

crop up every step of the way on a jour-ney through Missouri. Travels back tothe 1800s, when America was young,fresh and eager to explore its Westernhorizons, stirs up a sense of discovery

and whiffs of nostalgia. Visions ofLewis & Clark, Mississippi riverboats,Tom Sawyer and the Pony Express cre-ate a colorful mosaic as you crisscrossMissouri, a Midwestern state with awestward tilt.There’s Civil War historyas well.

Historical attractions, from MarkTwain sites in Hannibal to the NationalFrontier Trails Museum in Independ-ence, fit well into group itineraries.Mu-seums in St. Joseph spotlight the noblePony Express and infamous Jesse James.

For me,Missouri starts in St. Louis,

on location: midwest � randy mink

Trailblazing In

SLICES OFFRONTIER LORE

ENCHANT GROUPSTOURING THE

SHOWME STATE

The Tom Sawyer riverboat, departing from downtown St. Louis, offers one-hour sightseeing cruises on the Mississippi River.

LeisureGroupTravel.com August 2009 41

home of the mighty Gateway Arch,which symbolizes the city as a portal tothe American West. As an Illinois stu-dent who attended the University ofMissouri-Columbia for four years, Icrossed the Mississippi River at St.Louis on many treks to the campus. Myresidence halls were named for Lewis &Clark and Mark Twain, names com-monly encountered across the state.

At the Gateway Arch, a touristmagnet on grassy grounds slopingto the downtown riverfront, activ-ities range from viewing the giant-screen movie Lewis & Clark: GreatJourney West to riding the tram tothe top of the 630-foot silvery span.For another perspective, consider aMississippi River sightseeing cruiseon the replica steamboats TomSawyer and Becky Thatcher.

Under the Arch, at the excel-lent, free-admission Museum ofWestward Expansion, follow inthe footsteps of Native Americans,Lewis & Clark, cowboys, soldiersand pioneers. More free exhibitsawait at the nearby Historic OldCourthouse, where Dred Scott, aslave, asked for his freedom in a fa-mous case that preceded the CivilWar. The museums, boat cruisesand Arch are all part of the Jefferson Na-tional Expansion Memorial, a NationalPark Service site. (gatewayarch.com)

Forest Park, west of downtown, isanother focal point for visitors, offeringsuch free attractions as the St. LouisZoo, St. Louis Science Center, St.Louis Art Museum and Missouri His-tory Museum. Larger than New York’sCentral Park, the vast green oasis wasthe site of the 1904 World’s Fair, offi-cially the Louisiana Purchase Exposi-tion; its Fine Arts Palace houses the St.Louis Art Museum.

The group-friendly Missouri History

Museum tells the story of St. Louis fromits frontier days in the 1700s, coveringeverything from early fur traders and theCivil War to Cardinals baseball and civilrights struggles of the 1960s. An entiregallery is devoted to the St. LouisWorld’s Fair. Another major exhibitionfocuses on the life of aviation pioneerCharles A. Lindbergh and his historic1927 transatlantic flight on the Spirit

of St. Louis. Treasures of Napoleon, run-ning from Nov. 21, 2010, to Feb. 13,2011, will shine a light on France’sNapoleon Bonaparte, whose govern-ment negotiated the Louisiana Purchasewith the fledgling United States.

For groups, the Missouri History Mu-seum can arrange for historical characters(like a Civil War spy or abolitionist mar-tyr) to perform in one- and two-personplays. The 15- to 20-minute presenta-tions ($75) include a brief question-and-answer period. The same charge appliesto private curator talks on such subjects asthe World’s Fair, Lindbergh and the his-

tory of wedding fashion. Docent-led tours of the museum are avail-able at $3 per person. Generaladmission to the museum is free;there is a fee for some special ex-hibitions. (mohistory.org)

If visiting the St. Louis area,don’t overlook the Missouri Rivercity of St. Charles. Though I hadbeen to St. Louis many times, Ihad always bypassed it until mytrip this past spring. St. Charles,with a population of 283,000 andjust 10 minutes from St. LouisInternational airport, is a majorurban center, but its historicshopping district, the largest inMissouri, is a charming place tocommune with the past.

Along the brick sidewalks of tree-lined, brick-paved Main Street, morethan 70 specialty shops housed in 19thcentury brick buildings purvey an-tiques, artwork, luxury soaps, candles,gourmet foods, British imports, andother craft and gift items. Restaurantsrange from fine dining salons to casualcafes and a microbrewery set in a 1760sgrist mill. Exposed beams and brickwalls accent many dining rooms, andpatios appeal to al fresco fans. Clip-clopping horse carriages and old-stylegas lamps add to the ambience. Manyfestivals spice the calendar.

Exhibits recall the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.


The St. Charles CVB can providestep-on and walking tour guides in pe-riod dress. Sights include Missouri’sFirst State Capitol (restored to its 1821-26 appearance) and the riverfront Lewis& Clark Nature Center and Boathouse.The latter attraction features replicaboats used by the Lewis & Clark Expe-dition, which headed west from St.Charles in 1804. A complimentary trol-ley serves the historic district.

LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI

Hannibal, about two hours north ofSt. Louis, is custom-made for grouptours and was a highlight of my recentMissouri trip. Brimming with 19thcentury charm, the Mississippi Rivertown was the boyhood home of Amer-ica’s most famous author, providing in-spiration for Samuel Clemens (betterknown as Mark Twain) to create thetales of Tom Sawyer and HuckleberryFinn. A year-long calendar of festivi-ties in 2010 will observe the 100th an-niversary of his death and 175thanniversary of his birth.

With a Mark Twain BoyhoodHome & Museum ticket, group mem-bers can take a self-guided walk throughthe compact historic district, mixing vis-its to sevenmuseum buildings with stopsin downtown gift and antique shops, art

galleries, cafes, bakeries and ice creamparlors. The ticket allows entrance intothe Interpretive Center, Mark TwainBoyhood Home, Huckleberry FinnHouse and Museum Gallery, amongother places with a Twain connection.The Museum Gallery, two blocks fromthe boyhood home, boasts one ofTwain’s trademark white coats and 15original Norman Rockwell oil paintingsthat illustrated special editions of TheAdventures of Tom Sawyer and The Ad-ventures of Huckleberry Finn. Besidesdozens of Twain books in museumshops, you will find huckleberry jam,huckleberry syrup, even huckleberrypretzels. (marktwainmuseum.org)

Visitors also can tour the historicdistrict via trolley, Twainland Express“choo choo” or horse-drawn wagon.Sightseeing and dinner cruises are avail-able on the Mark Twain Riverboat;groups can book lunch cruises as well.For panoramic views of OldManRiver,go to Lovers Leap (outside of town) orhike to the blufftop Mark Twain Me-morial Lighthouse, passing the Tom&Huck statue at the end of Main Street.

Two actors in town portray Amer-ica’s first worldwide celebrity in one-hour shows full of humor and satire.Other entertainment options: TheSpratt Family Dinner Theatre and re-furbished 1906 Star Theatre, wheregroups can enjoy a classic movie withdinner. Downtown’s Main Street Cin-ema recently opened as Missouri’s firstall-digital movie theater complex.

One of my favorite Hannibal tastetreats was the butterscotch chocolatechip pie at Ole Planters Restaurant, ahomey place in an 1836 building onMain Street. Depending on the dayyou visit, pies (featured on the FoodNetwork) may include German choco-late, gooseberry, apple cream cheese orstrawberry rhubarb. The vinegar pie isa bit like custard or chess. Othercrowd-pleasers are the burgers, barbe-

Relive the Old West at the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence.

Tales of Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher enchant visitors to Hannibal.

on location: midwest �

and beef, chicken-fried steak and pork tenderloin sandwichwith barbecue sauce.

In a wooded hollow south of town, more Twain lore sur-faces on tours of Mark Twain Cave. As a boy, Clemens ex-plored the cave, which he mentions in five of his books butmade famous in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The cavecomplex also includes Cameron Cave, the newest of Mis-souri’s 18 show caves open for tours; the intricate maze istoured only by lantern.

On the other side of the state, Independence is a city jam-packed with things for groups to see and do. The NationalFrontier Trails Museum tells the story of hardy traders, trap-pers and settlers who headed west from Independence, thejumping-off point of the Santa Fe, California and OregonTrails. Groups can tour the city on Pioneer Trails Adventures’mule-drawn covered wagons. Grand historic homes, like the1852 Bingham-Waggoner Estate and 1881 Vaile Mansion,also take visitors down the past lane.

WILD ABOUT HARRY

Historic Independence Square, where thousands begantheir journey west, abounds with restaurants, specialty and an-tique shops, and historical sites like the1859 Jail and Marshal’s Home. Domi-nating the square is the Historic JacksonCounty Truman Courthouse, where In-dependence native HarryTruman beganhis political career as a county judge.Truman’s first job was at nearby Clinton’sSoda Fountain, a delightful lunch or icecream stop.

Truman’s home on Delaware Street,where he lived from 1919 until his deathin 1972, is not conducive to large groupsbecause guided tours are limited to eightpeople (and it’s closed for renovationsthrough next spring). But the exhibitsand films at the Harry S. Truman Li-brary & Museum, one of the best presi-dential museums in the country, cankeep guests engaged for hours. Groupscan walk into a replica Oval Office, takepart in interactive “Decision” theatersand visit the graves of Harry and Bess.This year a special exhibit with photo-graphs (some never seen before) andrarely seen artifacts marks the 125th an-niversary of Truman’s birth in Lamar,

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Mo. His post-presidency office at the li-brary, closed for restoration since 2006,just reopened to the public.

The library can offer rooms for lunchand special programs for groups, or anappearance and press conference withthe 33rd commander in chief. For stu-dent and adult groups, the WhiteHouse Decision Center half-day pro-gram recreates the West Wing for ahands-on history simulation that allows

participants to take on theroles of Truman and his advis-ers. (trumanlibrary.org)

The Missouri River town ofSt. Joseph, an hour north ofKansas City, overflows withstories of frontier daring, nonemore compelling than the PonyExpress. A legendary chapter inAmerican history that began onApril 3, 1860, the short-livedtranscontinental mail servicebetween St. Jo and Sacramentois immortalized in the PonyExpress Museum, which occu-pies the stables where the ridersleft on horseback. Museum-goers see what riders con-fronted—wild animals, brutalweather, bands of Indians—andget a look at a typical relay sta-tion, where the rider had about

two minutes to get a drink, go to thebathroom and change the mochila (sad-dle bag) over to a fresh horse.

The Pony Express office was at thePatee Hotel, now the Patee HouseMuseum. A rambling, high-ceilingedbuilding that served as a hotel threetimes, a girl’s college twice and a shirtfactory for more than 80 years, the mu-seum is crammed with antiques, fromfire trucks and vintage cars to a covered

wagon and locomotive.Peek into shops on the“Streets of Old St. Jo,”including a fully stockedgeneral store and thedentist office of WalterCronkite’s father. Visitorscan sip a sarsaparilla andlisten to the nickelodeonin the 1854 Buffalo Sa-loon and ride the 1941Wild Thing Carousel,whose lead animal is aPony Express horse.

On the Patee House

grounds is the Jesse James Home Mu-seum, a small frame house where theoutlaw was shot and killed in 1882 byfellow gang member Bob Ford. See thefamous bullet hole, James’ death photoand items found in his grave during the1995 exhumation.

Groups will be fascinated by theGlore Psychiatric Museum, once knownas State Lunatic Asylum No. 2. On dis-play are a tranquilizer chair and otherdevices used to treat mental illness. Dur-ing a tour, one group member gets to tryon a straitjacket. Everyone pauses to ex-amine a piece of art made from the con-tents of a patient’s stomach—buttons,pins, nails, etc. The museum complexalso includes galleries devoted to St.Joseph history and local black culture.

Whether your group is searching forquirky curiosities, pioneer heritage orbig-city excitement, a Missouri odysseypromises tour trails ripe with discovery.Adventure awaits those who chart acourse through the land of MarkTwain, Lewis & Clark and the PonyExpress. LGT

on location: midwest �

Groups like the Pony Express Museum in St. Jo.

The Pony Express Monument in St. Joseph

commemorates the city’s pioneer heritage.

PLAN IT!Missouri Division of Tourism: 800-519-2100, visitmo.comSt. Louis CVC: 800-916-0092, explorestlouis.comGreater St. Charles CVB: 800-366-2427, historicstcharles.comHannibal CVB: 866-263-4825, visithannibal.comIndependence Tourism Department: 800-748-7323, visitindependence.comSt. Joseph CVB: 800-785-0360, stjomo.com

For more Missouri group tourideas, see the article on KansasCity, Springfield, Joplin and Bran-son attractions at www.leisure-grouptravel.com/2009/Missouri_Ideas.pdf

on location: midwest � brittany schmidt

THERE’S NOTHING AVERAGEabout today’s woman. She works hardand takes care of her family, whether thatmeans plants, pets or children. She doesit all. So why would she expect any lessfrom a getaway with her girlfriends?From Lake Michigan to the Magnifi-

cent Mile to that hidden local hotspot,Chicago is a great destination for anygroup of women looking to relax, havefun and create some fantastic memories.Here are a few options:

ALL THAT GLITTERSA visit to Chicago wouldn’t be com-

plete without stopping in one of the city’srenowned museums. FromOct. 23, 2009– March 28, 2010, Chicago’s Field Mu-seum welcomes visitors to its cool new ex-hibition, The Nature of Diamonds. TheField’s group sales department (312-665-7300, fieldmuseum.org) has designedan immersion itinerary around the exhi-bition with women of all ages in mind.Suggested group excursions:

• Take a walking tour of the famousTiffany domes of Chicago• Create your own sparkle – beadednecklaces, earrings or bracelets witha jewelry-making expert• Learn about the “Four C’s” ofdiamonds with a diamond buyer• Enjoy a South African wine lunch ordinner at Lawry’s The Prime Rib• Relax with a private champagnetasting and presentation• Indulge in a luxurious spa treatment

GREEN GIRLFRIENDSNorth Michigan Avenue’s Magnifi-

cent Mile offers a huge variety of fine re-tailers, restaurants and hotels. Girlfriends

will have no trouble enjoying this fash-ionable area in a totally eco-friendly way.Consider the following:

Saloon Steakhouse. Enjoy an earth-friendly dinner at one of Chicago’s green-est restaurants. Saloon Steakhouse usesre-usable table coverings, energy-efficientlighting, recycled menus and to-go paper,

free-range naturally fed beef, biodynamicwines and more. Of course, the 2008Wine Spectator Award of Excellencedoesn’t hurt either. (200 E. Chestnut St.,312-280-5454, saloonsteakhouse.com)

NoMi Lounge and Garden in thePark Hyatt. This is a fabulous place tosip on some organic cocktails while wait-ing for reservations, meeting up withfriends or just taking a few moments tokick back. The lounge’s signature drinksare crafted with organic vodka from PeakSpirits in Colorado and fresh-grown pro-duce from Harvest Moon farms. (800 N.Michigan Ave., 312-239-4030,nomirestaurant.com)

Exhale Spa. Exhale’s GRN (Grow,Restore, Nurture) product line is an eco-conscious, paraben-free skincare line thatproduces visible results while honoringExhale’s dedication to sustainability. The

GRN nail and facial therapies were de-signed to combat the adverse effects ofenvironmental toxins on the skin whilepromoting relaxation and rejuvenation.Customizable group packages are avail-able. (945 N. State St., 312-753-6500;exhalespa.com)

Chicago’s First Lady Cruises.Architecture cruises (through Nov. 22)showcase some of Chicago’s most beauti-ful and famous buildings. The companyembraces a comprehensive program tolimit the environmental impact of itscruises. Its three vessels use 11 percentbiodiesel fuel and recycle used oil, batter-ies, beverage containers, cardboards andpapers. Brochures are printed on recy-cled paper and cruise maps are recycledas guests disembark. (Michigan AvenueandWacker Drive, 847-358-1330,cruisechicago.com)

TRENDYTREASURESFor those hip ladies who live to shop,

the Belmont area can’t be beat. A shorttrip north of downtown, Belmont offersa great range of trendy, fashion-forwardshops anchored at the intersection ofClark Street and Belmont Avenue. Shopsoffer a wide variety of clothes, accessoriesand other gear for any style you can thinkof. Favorites include The Alley, TragicallyHip, Pink Frog, FashionTomato andHollywoodMirror. There are plenty ofspecialty shops selling used books, postersand gifts. Restaurant choices for those all-day shopping jaunts include Ann Sather,the Swedish restaurant famous for itsbrunch menu; Philly’s Best, specializingin Philadelphia-style pizza and sand-wiches; Shiroi Hana, a reasonably-pricedsushi restaurant; and Giordano’s, featur-ing Chicago’s deep-dish pizza. LGT

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ILLINOIS The Central Illinois town of Pontiac

now has 19 outdoor murals for visitorsto see. More than 150 artists fromaround the country, a creative groupknown as the Walldogs, gathered in Pontiac the last weekend in June to paint18 outdoor, wall-size murals commemo-rating the town’s commercial, social andcultural history. A map/guide to the murals is available. For those who areunable to walk to all murals, the city canprovide transportation and commentaryvia a guided tour on the Pontiac JollyTrolley, which seats up to 30 persons andis equipped with a wheelchair lift.Pontiac’s most famous outdoor

mural, at the Route 66 Hall of Fameand Museum, shows a giant Route 66shield; new landscaping includes brickstaken from the original Route 66. Anew addition to the outdoor exhibitarea is a wishing well that originallystood at the Wishing Well Motel inCountryside, Ill. Also housed in the old city hall/firehouse complex are theLivingston County War Museum and acollection of shops selling antiques,

gifts and Route 66 souvenirs. The Cityof Pontiac, with the cooperation of theVermilion Players Theatre, now offersbus tours a light-hearted musical aboutthe historic highway that ran throughPontiac on its way from Chicago toCalifornia. The production is staged atthe historic Chautauqua Park Pavilion.

The park has two of Pontiac’s threeswinging bridges, another tour attrac-tion. (800-835-2055, visitpontiac.org)The 103rd-floor Skydeck Chicago

at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower)now includes The Ledge, a series ofglass bays that extend 4.3 feet from the building, offering unobstructedviews—1,353 feet straight down. Theenclosed glass boxes rest between con-veyer belts and retract into the building,allowing easy access for cleaning andmaintenance. Located on the tower’swest side, each box can accommodatefour to five people at a time, offeringviews of people, taxis and bridges overthe Chicago River. Skydeck exhibitshighlight the 110-story landmark,North America’s tallest building, andcelebrate Chicago’s sports, pop culture,history, food, music and people. (312-875-9447, theskydeck.com)

The Wit, a 27-story boutique hotel,has just opened at one of the busiest intersections in the Loop, Chicago’sdowntown business district. Facing the


Striking murals provide photo opportunities in downtown Pontiac, Ill.

Only layers of glass separate Skydeck Chicago visitors from the ground below.

Stac

ie Ev

ans


elevated train (“L”) tracks at State andLake streets, the high-energy hotel isideally situated in Chicago’s Theater District, just steps from the Goodman,Oriental and Chicago theaters. State andLake, the ground-floor restaurant, is acontemporary gastropub offering an ar-tisanal American menu. A glass stairwayleads to Cibbo Matto (“crazy food”), afine dining restaurant with a modernItalian menu and a 30-foot ceilingfresco. Roof is a hip, indoor-outdoorrooftop lounge where fire pits lined withbar stools, a large projection screen onan outdoor wall, live music and DJs,and a telescope for sneaking peaks intosurrounding buildings are all part of theexperience at one of Chicago’s mosttalked about bars in the sky. A menu of20 Italian-inspired small plates is exe-cuted from Roof ’s own kitchen, with apizza oven in the main bar area. Thesleek, 298-room Wit, adorned with ayellow lightning bolt on the façade, is aoperated by Doubletree. (312-467-0200, thewithotel.com)

INDIANAThe Indianapolis Museum of Art in

spring of 2010 will open 100 Acres: TheVirginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park.Located on 100 acres of woodlands, wet-lands, a lake and meadows adjacent to themuseum’s current 52-acre campus, it willbe one of the largest museum art parks inthe country and the only one to featurethe ongoing commission of site-specificsculptures. Eight inaugural works will re-spond to the park’s varied environments.One artist will create a floating island inthe lake that can be approached by row-boat and explored by park visitors. Theland, a former gravel pit, is bordered bythe White River. Admission to the mu-seum, including the new art park, is free.(imamuseum.org)

IOWAWestern Gateway Park in downtown

Des Moines will be the home to Pappa-john Sculpture Garden, a collection of24 sculptures donated by John and MaryPappajohn, well-known philanthropistsin the community. A grand opening is set for September. The Pappajohns areknown worldwide, and ARTnews maga-zine listed them as one of the top 200 art collectors in the world. The sculp-tures (by 15 internationally acclaimedmodern and contemporary artists) pur-chased by the Pappajohns is the largestsingle public gift ($27.5 million) in DesMoines’ history and the largest public giftof art in Iowa history. The collection is expected to expand as the Pappajohnshave indicated they will add to it in thefuture. (seedesmoines.com)

MINNESOTAThe exhibit Benjamin Franklin: In

Search of a Better World is scheduled from Nov. 27 through July 4, 2010 atthe Minnesota History Center in St.Paul. Visitors will learn about the manyaccomplishments of this founding father,following him as an ambitious teenagerin Boston and then traveling with him toPhiladelphia, London and Paris. Alongthe way, they learn about Franklin’s sci-entific experiments and civic initiativesand explore the world from his ever-curi-ous point of view. On display will besome of Franklin’s own possessions –many of which have been handed downin his family and rarely seen in public. Inthe “Electricity Party” room, visitors geta charge out of learning about electricity.Hands-on experiments include a “please-touch” generator. In another interactivedisplay, visitors learn about printing ap-prentices and the challenges of setting typeaccurately, then set their own type on atouch screen. (651-259-3000, mnhs.org)

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OHIOThe Cambridge/Guernsey County

VCB offers girlfriend getaway packages in cooperation with Southeastern OhioRegional Medical Center (SoutheasternMed). A portion of each “Think Pink:Getaways with a Purpose” package soldis donated to Southeastern Med’s PinkLink Pass, a program that provides afree mammogram for underinsured oruninsured women. The Nov. 7-8 pack-age will take place during Dickens Vic-torian Village. Participants will enjoy aspecial preview of the Guernsey CountyMusic & Light display, take a “Spirit ofChristmas” train ride on the ByesvilleScenic Railway and a carriage ridethrough historic downtown Cambridge,enjoy high tea at My SweeTea Pie TeaBoutique and have dinner at theColonel Taylor Inn B&B, a Victorianmansion. There will be lots of opportu-

nities for holiday gift buying in thequaint shops along Wheeling Avenue. One trip in 2010 will feature a spa

treatment, style show and shopping.On another, women will have the op-portunity to participate in eco-friendly activities, including a tour of The Wildsand the Guernsey County Farmers Mar-ket. All attractions, events, restaurants

on our radar: midwest �

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Located in downtown Milwaukee, Potawatomi Bingo Casino offers more than

100 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and much more. In addition,

the Casino’s Poker Room is open 24 hours and has 20 tables of limit and no-limit

Texas Hold ’Em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud. For those who enjoy horse and

greyhound racing, the Off-Track Betting Room simulcasts races held at tracks

across the country. With 74 high-definition TVs, you won’t miss a second of the ac-

tion. Slot players have a lot to be excited about – Potawatomi Bingo Casino fea-

tures 3,100 slot machines in both smoking and non-smoking areas. From high-tech

video slots to the latest in progressive banks, you’ll find a game suited just for

you. Bingo is still a popular choice. The 1,354-seat Nest of Life Bingo Hall, with

average daily payouts of $75,000, features both smoking and non-smoking sec-

tions and fills up quickly with guests who are ready to try their luck. (paysbig.com)

Bay Mills Resort & Casinos

An Upper Peninsula northwoods retreat, Michigan’s only waterfront casino

overlooks Waishkey Bay on Lake Superior. Operated by the Bay Mills tribe of

the Ojibwe Indians, the resort features a 144-room hotel, two gaming areas, a

conference center, RV park, restaurants, a sports bar and lounges. Sacy’s restau-

rant offers an upscale dining experience, with signature menu items like Northern

Michigan Wild Berry Toast and baby back ribs. The main resort’s spacious, 15,000-

square-foot gaming area boasts nearly 1,000 slot and video poker machines, plus

table games like blackjack, roulette, craps and three-card poker. Guests also

enjoy Royal Ascot video horse racing and “live” keno throughout the complex.

There’s more gaming at the Kings Club Casino, Bay Mills’ original casino, which

opened in 1984 as America’s first tribally operated blackjack casino. Shuttle buses

connect Kings Club to the main resort, two miles away. Nearby is Wild Bluff Golf

Course. (4baymills.com)

C A S I N O S H O W C A S E

and lodging facilities in each of thesepackages are asked to donate a portion oftheir proceeds to Pink Link Pass. (800-933-5480, visitguernseycounty.com)

WISCONSIN History and Hollywood merge in

The Era of Public Enemies: A Wave ofCrime in a Troubled Time, the newgangsters exhibit at the Oshkosh Public Museum. Running throughOct. 18, it spotlights circumstancesthat led to the 1933-34 crime wave and inspired the filming of Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp. Assorted movie props, pieces of

set design and a slideshow of images il-lustrate what went on in front of and behind the cameras during the movie’sproduction in Wisconsin. Historical artifacts include weapons, a bullet-

proof vest, 1930s car paraphernalia and hood ornaments, and a 200-poundsteel jail door. Displays also documentthe rise of the FBI and structured lawenforcement as the feds attempted totake down American gangsters. Visi-tors can watch reels of a John Dillingerbiography or pick up a 1930s telephone

and listen to one of Franklin D. Roo-sevelt’s fireside chats. A shootinggallery lets guests experience the forcebehind firing the Thompson subma-chine gun. Living historians on selectdays portray gangsters, FBI agents, bartenders and bank tellers. (920-236-5799, oshkoshmuseum.org)


Documents

Midwest: Trailblazing in Missouri