Heading South - Day Two

Most of the second day on the road was rainy but it didn't matter because we were just driving anyway.

 

 

The new bridge in St. Louis, Missouri was beautiful, even in the rain. It's the 3rd largest suspension bridge in the United States and opened a year or so ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time we got to Paducah, Kentucky for a sightseeing stop, the rain had disappeared. Paducah is a fine old southern city with most of its beautiful downtown buildings still intact and occupied. Twenty blocks are listed on the National Register of Historical Places, happily protected forever.

The riverfront on the Ohio River is still bustling with river barge traffic and the streets are lively with traffic and people.

 

An arts program that brought local artists into emptying historic buildings is now a model program for other US cities. In 1996 a huge mural project was begun by Louisiana artist Robert Dafford on the floodwall along the levee protecting the city. More than 50 paintings cover several city blocks and depict the rich history of the town.

 

 

We absolutely loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few of the 50 scenes.

Most of the panels were painted from photographs and the detail is wonderful. It was our favorite stop on the way south and we were wishing we could spend the weekend there. The Natinal Quilt Museum is incentive enough for me to return someday!

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