Hot Rod’s 50’s Diner - Tennessee

Laurie and I had purchased a ‘Groupon’ deal for a restaurant over in Alcoa/Maryville Tennessee.  We decided to ‘spend’ the deal so we asked our friends, Larry and Bev, if they’d like to go out for lunch.  They said they’d meet us at the restaurant.  They’d eaten here once before and they thought it was pretty good… (Larry, aka ‘Big Dude’ also publishes a blog.  It can be found at http://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com)

Other than the neon sign, the building looked OK…if not much like a diner.  Still, as the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover!

This discounted meal was our first purchase from/through Groupon.  They send us deals every day.  For more information about Groupon and how it works, go to  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupon. 

Oh yes…There was a very retro looking ‘hot rod’ parked out front.  This is a Chrysler Prowler. (At first they were sold as Plymouth Prowlers) The Prowler was built between in 1997 and then again from 1999 through 2002.  They could go from 0 – 60 in 5.9 seconds.  Only 11,702 of these hot rods were ever built.  For more on the Prowler, just go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Prowler.

Well…the outside might not spark memories of the 50’s and the diner scene…but the blue neon lighting combined with the stamped metal ceilings, the black and white tile floor and the blue-green vinyl booths…definitely make the point!

There is even a little counter seating available for the truly nostalgic patron.  Note the Chevy grill and hood décor...

OK…what about the food?  I’m not an fan of onions or onion rings but everyone else at the table likes good onion rings.  Hot Rod 50’s rings are coated with beer batter before dropping them into the deep fryer.  The hand breading and the size and quality of the onion rings earned high praise from my dining companions.  Cost = $4.99.

Another appetizer is Loaded Fries, ($6.99), with a choice of hand-cut ribbon fries or French Fries…loaded with chili and cheese, brown gravy or cheese and bacon.  Then, among others, there are Fried Pickle Chips ($4.99), Fried Green Beans ($5.99) and Fried Jalapeno Bottle Caps ($4.99) Perhaps you noticed a theme here…’Fried’… This is indeed a retro restaurant that, much to our delight, ignores current health conscious trends.

For a second appetizer, I ordered the large order of Buffalo Shrimp. (16 shrimp for $9.99) The choices for the sauce were mild, medium, hot or Flame Thrower.  The waitress warned me that the Flame Thrower was very hot and since I didn’t want to suffer and since this appetizer was to share, I just ordered hot. (Bev, Laurie and I like a bit of heat)

Holy Mary and Joseph!!  These weren’t just hot…they were HOT!  I can’t even imagine the Flame Thrower version… Bev ate just one, Laurie just smelled the ‘heat’ and I ended up eating the rest myself.  It took a full day to recover…but I couldn’t just let them go to waste.

OK… If you’re from the Midwest, you’re very familiar with a pork tenderloin sandwich.  They consist of a piece of tenderloin that has been pounded thin and flat, then breaded and fried…then served on a toasted bun with lettuce and tomato, etc.  This was not a typical Midwestern pork tenderloin sandwich!  It was huge and by that, I mean thick too!  Consuming this sandwich was like eating a giant breaded pork chop on a bun.  It was a great sandwich…

This monster sandwich is listed on the menu uder "Specials".  It had a name…”The Hog”…and it cost only $6.99. 

There are 16 Classic Sandwiches on the menu… They range from $5.99 to $8.99 with one side.  Three of these sandwiches are open faced…hot turkey, pot roast and sliced roast beef. ($7.99) One special creation is the Thanksgiving Day Sandwich. ($8.99) It consists of fried turkey breast slices on Texas toast with stuffing and cheddar cheese…served with a side of cranberry sauce and gravy.

This was the least exciting as well as the smallest offering that any of us ordered.  Believe it or not, this is a Bacon Sloppy Joe with a side of Fried Okra. ($5.99) I struggle with the idea that this is called a Sloppy Joe… Its definitely not sloppy and it’s much smaller than the standard 10 oz. burgers served at Hot Rod 50’s.  Usually, a Sloppy Joe overflows the bun and they’re difficult to eat without a knife and fork.  Larry said that the flavor was ok…and he rated the Okra as ok too.

The menu at Hot Rod 50’s Diner is loaded with sandwiches.  There are a number of Hot Dogs…including the “Woody”, a deep fried foot long hot dog wrapped in bacon and American cheese. ($8.99)

A huge variety of hamburgers dominates the menu.  There are about 30 choices.  Some are very creative…or weird…depending on your viewpoint.  In addition to the double deck “King”, a 20 oz. monstrosity ($10.99), there is the Hot Dog Burger with a split hot dog on the standard 10 oz burger patty ($9.99); the Country Fried Burger, a burger topped with a 4 oz country fried steak with a side of peppered gravy ($9.99); the Peanut Butter Burger…a burger topped with peanut butter and chopped bacon ($8.99) and; the Pepperoni Burger, the burger patty mixed with pepperoni and topped with provolone cheese and marinara sauce. ($8.99) 

Did I forget the "Chubby" that's listed under Specials?  Its a Triple Deck Cheeseburger...30 oz. of beef plus 1 lb. of French Fries for only $16.99!  

Bev ordered this monstrosity…the Steak Hoagie. ($8.99) The sandwich included roast beef, peppers, onions, mushrooms and melted provolone cheese.  For her side, she ordered the shaved fried potatoes, aka ribbon fries.  Her only complaint was that the fried potatoes had been stacked on top of the hot sandwich and the heat made them soggy.  It would have been much better if they’d been on a separate plate…

Among the 10 Hoagies on the menu are an Italian, a Ham and Swiss, a French Dip, the Buffalo Chicken and a Shrimp Po’ Boy.  Prices range from $7.99 to $8.99.

Desserts... In addition to floats, ($2.49), shakes and malts, ($2.99), there is a dessert section on the menu.  What can I say!  Just think ‘Fried Twinkie Sundae’!  Yup…also fried! ($3.99)

Laurie ordered the diner’s version of a Chicken Pot Pie… ($7.99) While it was certainly big enough and the filling was very good, she would have preferred it with a pie crust instead of just being topped with 8 biscuit halves.

The Pot Pie was one of the 19 items listed under the Dinner Entrees segment of the menu.  These Dinner Entrée offerings included: Meatloaf ($8.99); Salisbury Steak ($9.99); Fried Chicken Livers ($8.99); Liver and Onions ($8.99); Grilled Salmon ($11.99) and; a Full Rack of BBQ Baby Back Ribs ($15.99).  There are also 6 Italian entrees on the menu.

Hot Rod 50’s Diner is a fun place.  It does hearken back to the days when we didn’t understand HDL/LDL, Triglycerides, or much else as regarded healthy eating.  It is a great place for that occasional and satisfying ‘pig out’!  Service was great…friendly and very accommodating.  The ambiance was what one would expect for a 50’s diner.  For the most part, the portions are huge and the pricing is very reasonable.  Our food ranged from ok to very good. 

We will return… For one thing, we forgot to use our Groupon coupon!  I want to try a hamburger and a shake.  Hot Rod 50’s Diner is located very close to downtown Maryville.  The address is 373 Hannum Street in Alcoa Tennessee.  Phone: 865-984-7171.  For more information on the Hot Rod 50’s Diner, just go to http://www.hotrods50sdiner.com/index.html.  

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing this guilt ridden meal with us!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Automobile Rally: A Kaiser-Frazer Collection

Laurie’s sister Bonnie and her husband Bill visited us earlier this summer.  We decided to take them to the big flea market in Sweetwater Tennessee.  As we approached the Flea Market via TN Hwy 68 and Murray’s Chapel Road just west of I-75, I spotted a large group of interesting looking antique automobiles in the parking lot for the Magnuson Hotel… We had to have a look!

It turned out that the Dixie Region of the Kaiser-Frazer Owner’s Club was having a rally or meeting of some kind. (For more information on the club, go to http://www.kfclub.com/) The gathering was breaking up but we got a good look at some moderately unattractive but interesting looking autos as well as some absolutely spectacular old cars!  I must admit that one must be of a certain age to remember Kaiser-Frazer automobiles.  Even I was just barely a teenager when they went out of business…

The auto shown above is what I believe to be a 1955 Willys coupe.   Willys-Overland was purchased by Kaiser Motors in 1953.  The ‘new’ Willys Motor Company produced its last passenger car in the USA in 1955, although the Willys ‘Aero’ continued in production in Brazil until the 1970’s.  FYI…Willys built Jeeps for the military for decades…and the Willys name figured into auto history from 1908 until production ceased in Brazil.  Of course, the production of ‘Jeep’ vehicles continues today via the Chrysler Group LLC.

I believe that this sedan is a Frazer Deluxe…perhaps from 1948 or 1949.  It’s a big car compared to most of today’s vehicles.  It kind of reminds me of the Hudson Hornets that my stepfather used to favor…except that the windows on the Hornet seemed smaller and it looked a bit more like a tank than this car does.

On July 25, 1945, Henry Kaiser and Joseph Frazer announced that they were forming a company to build automobiles.  Kaiser was an established and very wealthy industrialist and Frazer was a top executive at the Packard Automobile Company.  They leased the Willow Run Michigan factory that had been used to build planes for the war and by 1946, they built 10,000 automobiles.  The Big 3 Automakers were scrambling to move from a war time footing to peacetime, while trying to design new autos for the post-war marketplace.  In 1947, Kaiser-Frazer built 100,000 cars.   But by the end of 1955, with Mr. Frazer having already departed, the Company built its last passenger car.

Unlike today, one can never say that all of these cars looked the same!  This Kaiser Manhattan came all the way down from Indiana for this rally.  The 1954 Manhattan was the first production model in the USA to offer a supercharged engine.  I think that this is a 1953 model…

Kaiser merged Kaiser Automotive and the Willys-Overland Company together in 1953.  The center of production had moved to Toledo Ohio after a huge fire knocked out the Willow Run facility in Michigan.  Production of the Kaiser continued for some time in Argentina…  Other operations were centered in the Netherlands.

Additional information regarding the company and its products can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser-Frazer.

When we saw this stunning beauty…our mouths hit the pavement!  This is a 1954 Darrin-Kaiser-Frazer or ‘DKF’.  If you were wondering, it was named after the designer, not Bobby Darin, the singer.  This was the first production fiber glass sports car to make it to market in the USA, beating the Corvette by only 1 month.  Only 435 of these beautiful looking cars were ever built, but because of their rarity and appearance, over 300 of them still survive today.  The designer, Butch Darrin, put 304 bhp Cadillac V-8’s in the last 100 of them… Would that be fun to drive or what!!  

With its standard engine, the Darrin sold for $3,668, which was a lot of money for its time… With the V-8, the price tag reached $4,350 each.  A few of them were even outfitted with supercharged engines.

This is another Darrin/DFK.  One of the most unique features of this car was its sliding doors.  Butch Darrin patented the design.  He just hated the look of an open car door.  None of us had ever seen a Darrin-Kaiser-Fraser or DKF before…and, if you total them up, that’s over a lot of years!  For more on this car, just go to http://auto.howstuffworks.com/kaiser-darrin.htm.

Despite the beauty of the “Darrin”, this is the car that we all voted for as ‘Best in the Show’! (If there had been a vote that is…) This is a 1951 Frazer Manhattan Convertible Sedan.  This car would be the last American 4-door convertible on the market in the USA until the 1961 Lincoln Continental was introduced.

Henry Kaiser is a story unto himself.  He’s known as the father of modern American Shipbuilding, having established Kaiser Shipyards and being responsible for the war time construction of 2,710 Liberty Ships…which in turn enabled the USA to win WWII.  He also founded Kaiser Aluminum, Kaiser Steel and Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Systems.  For more on this true American success story, just go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_J._Kaiser.

We really liked the lines of this elegant convertible which had been driven down from Wisconsin.  We agreed that we all miss the time when almost all the cars really looked different than each other.  Today, thanks to environmental requirements, cost and the price of gasoline, most cars and even SUV’s look too much alike to be visually exciting.  For much more on the Kaiser-Frazer-Willys automobiles and the organization(s) behind them, just click on http://www.allpar.com/cars/adopted/kaiser.html.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by to have a look at some classic old American made automobiles!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave 

Railway Depots Across Alabama

As Laurie and I worked our way back across Northern Alabama toward our home in East Tennessee, we had our eyes open, looking for sights and especially old railroad depots.  Our map was marked up, showing all of the towns where I had information that a depot still existed.  It didn’t matter what route we took as possibilities could be found in any direction. 

The first depot that we came to was in Cullman Alabama.  This attractive mission style Louisville and Nashville Railway station was built in 1913.  Passenger service to Cullman ceased in 1968.  CSX, (which started out as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), used the building as a line office until they donated it to the city in 1990.  It now serves as one of the buildings comprising the Cullman County Museum complex.  For more on the Museum and the Depot, both of which are listed in the National Register of Historic places, go to http://www.cullmancountymuseum.com/pages_p/museum_grounds.html.

Cullman was founded in 1873 by Johann G. Cullmann, a German immigrant with a bit of a revolutionary past.  He emigrated from Germany seeking new opportunities in the United States.  After being working out a deal with the Nashville- Montgomery Railroad to purchase 350,000 acres in north Central Alabama, he encouraged immigration from Germany.  As the German’s moved in, the railroad’s business improved and the town grew exponentially.  The railroad was behind Johann’s honorary title of Colonel.  Today this town of about 15,000 stages a big Oktoberfest celebration and Colonel Cullmann’s home is the core building for the county museum.   For additional background on Johann (John) Cullmann, you can click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G._Cullmann.

The next depot that we came across on our drive home was in Albertville Alabama…population 21,000+.  This former North Carolina and St. Louis, (Louisville and Nashville), railroad depot is just celebrating its 100^th birthday this year.  The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  There is a small museum in an old wooden caboose adjacent to the depot. 

The building serves as Albertville’s Senior Center.   Free lunches, donations accepted, are served here each weekday.  The building is also rented out…$275.00 for 5 hours plus $100.00 if you use the kitchen.

Albertville is home to major fire hydrant maker, the Mueller Company, and it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘Fire Hydrant Capitol of the World’.  The town was virtually wiped out by a tornado back in 1908.  Fifteen people were killed.  Exactly 102 years later in 2010, another tornado swept through the downtown area, destroying many of the older buildings. 

In Guntersville Alabama we found this old renovated Louisville and Nashville depot.  It was built in 1892and its listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  It now houses a miniature train display and displays memorabilia from years past.  CSX donated the facility and the property to the community.  For information, just click on www.guntersvillehistoricalsociety.org.  Based on their website, it’s a very large and active group…

Guntersville is located on Guntersville Lake, part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s chain of lakes on the Tennessee River.  The town, originally named Gunter’s Ferry, is located at the southernmost reach of the river.  No surprise but the town was founded by a German immigrant, John Gunter.  He was Will Rogers' great grandfather. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Rogers) Also, Guntersville was the last place where Ricky Nelson performed. (TV show ‘Ozzie and Harriet’ and rock roll singer) His plane crashed after leaving town on his way to Texas. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson)

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge it…

Thanks for riding along with us through northern Alabama!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Elvis and a Lite Breakfast…

Early morning in Tupelo Mississippi… We grabbed some juice and coffee at our hotel and decided to find breakfast somewhere along the road as we headed back in the general direction of East Tennessee.

But…before we left Tupelo, we did have to at least drive by a local tourist spot…and for many…a national shrine of major importance!

It was a little early…too early for the tour.  This little 2 room shotgun style home was where Elvis Aaron Presley was born.  His parents were Vernon and Gladys Love Presley.  This critical occurrence in both music and cultural history took place on January 8, 1935.  Elvis had a twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn.  Vernon was only 18 and Gladys was 22 at the time.   Vernon built the house, only to lose it after ‘altering’ a check during tough times in 1938.  Gladys was the strong one in the household...

Elvis lived in Tupelo for the first 13 years of his life.  A local hardware store sold Elvis’s mother his first guitar when he was 10 years old.  That store is also the place where he strummed his first few cords.  Did you know that Elvis performed live on-air in Tupelo at the age of 12?  It was on Mississippi Slim’s radio show…station WELO.

That Hardware Store is still in business…now being operated by the same family as an ACE Hardware.  It’s in an old 3-story building in downtown Tupelo.  In addition to Elvis’s home, there is an Elvis Driving Tour which takes you by several other local Elvis related landmarks.  The Tupelo Auto Museum…with over 100 classic automobiles…has a 1976 Lincoln Mk IV on display that belonged to Elvis.  (After seeing what I missed at the Auto Museum, I know that I’ll stop through Tupelo at least one more time) 

For what to see and do in Tupelo…with its Elvis attractions…just go to http://www.tupelo.net/things/elvis_in_tupelo/default.aspx.  For the Tupelo Auto Museum, go to www.tupeloautomuseum.com.  For the Elvis birthplace/home, you can go to www.elvispresleybirthplace.com but when I checked it, the site was ‘under construction’.  Their phone number is 662-841-1245.

We drove east for quite a while…bypassing the fast food joints…searching for someplace local to grab a bit of breakfast.  Eventually, in downtown Hamilton Alabama, we came across Leonelli’s Coffee Buzz.  It didn’t say breakfast on the outside but we figured that coffee and baked goods would suffice…

The interior was very coffee shop casual…with snacks and bakery items on display, pots of coffee at the ready, and best of all, a breakfast offering on the menu!  It turns out that the expanded name of this restaurant is "Leonelli’s Coffee Buzz – Coffee House and Lunch Counter".

Here’s another interior shot of Leonelli’s.  It shows the whimsical nature of the décor…  As regards coffee, Laurie had a nice Espresso Latte. ($2.00) Along with other drinks and coffees, Leonelli’s offered espresso shots with your cup of house blend, a Café au Lait, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate and a Chai Tea Latte.

The breakfast menu focused on Breakfast Sandwiches on an English Muffin, Wheat or White Toast.  They ranged in price from $2.00 to $3.00.  This Good Morning ‘Platter’, Laurie’s choice for breakfast, included 2 strips of bacon, 2 eggs and 2 slices of toast. ($3.00)

The lunch menu included a soup of the day; 4 different salads ranging from $3.50 to $5.50 with the addition of smoked chicken; and 8 different sandwiches.  A grilled cheese sandwich with a tomato slice was $2.25 and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich cost $2.50.  At the ‘high end’ of the price range, there was the Club Sandwich and the Philly Cheese Steak, either one for $3.50.  Homemade desserts are served daily…but it was breakfast and we still had a lot of driving to do.

My breakfast was just like Laurie’s…except that I had a sausage patty instead of the bacon strips.  It was $3.00.  Beyond the ‘platters’, one could also order bacon or sausage with 2 pancakes for $3.50 or an Omelette with 3 ingredients for $3.75.  Breakfast sides ranged from $.50 for grits to $2.00 for a Cinnamon Roll.

This is a very casual little place… The pricing is definitely a positive!  Even the price of a cup of coffee was reasonable...$1.16 for a large cup.  While it wasn’t the biggest breakfast we’ve ever had, it was perfect for me on a day when I had to do a lot of driving. (I have been known to doze off while driving…especially after a big meal)

Leonelli’s Coffee Buzz is only open from 7 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday.  Two local ladies own and operate this business.  It’s located on the west side of the Courthouse Square in Hamilton Alabama.  Phone: 205-495-3500.

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing another portion of our Tennessee - Arkansas road trip!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Fine Art: Wal-Mart: Arkansas!

Most Americans probably shop at Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club in order to take advantage of the low prices realized through the company’s massive buying power.  Others mock the company through “Walmartian” internet photos… Still others look at Wal-Mart as a negative influence on small town America and retailing in general… What no one can dispute is that Sam Walton, the founder of the company, represents the quintessential American success story!

OK… Whether you’re a Wal-Mart fan or not, this blog is about a charitable spin-off from the Wal-Mart fortune.  Alice Walton is one of Sam and Helen Walton’s 4 children.  In March of this year, her personal fortune was estimated to be $23.3 Billion…or, to put into perspective, $23,300,000,000! What to do with all of that money…while not spending it all on one project…and benefiting her childhood home in Northwest Arkansas…

If you think that Fine Art, Wal-Mart and Arkansas don't belong together, prepare to change your mind...

An art museum…plunked down in Bentonville Arkansas!?  Yes indeed, this was and is Alice’s vision!  She decided to create a world class art museum and put it right in her childhood hometown in a relatively unknown part of the USA…

Crystal Bridges opened in November 2011.  It’s already being touted as one of the premier art museums and cultural attractions in the USA.  The museum includes works loaned and donated by Walton herself, (Her personal collection alone is valued at over $400 Million), as well as by the Walton Family Foundation.

In 2011 Roxy Paine created this 47’ tall stainless steel tree sculpture which she named “Yield”.  It awaits Crystal Bridges visitors as they approach the entrance to this FREE museum.  Yes, I did say FREE!  Thanks to ‘a certain corporate sponsor’, admission to the museum is free.  Parking is free too!  There is a restaurant and a gift shop…and there are modest fees for special exhibits on loan to Crystal Bridges and other special events…but the vast majority of this cultural attraction is free.

I’m sure that Alice used her and Wal-Mart’s influence to garner other sponsors.  GE, Coca Cola and Goldman Sachs are major sponsors as are Tyson, J. P. Morgan, U.S. Trust, Cisco, Kraft Foods, Sotheby's and many, many other corporations and individuals.

The museum itself actually appears as a work of art.  Creative landscape architecture is enhanced by outdoor sculpture trails and through the powerful structural visuals provided by the museum structure itself.

I should note that Alice Walton and the Walton Family Foundation intended Crystal Bridges as a premier venue for a national art institution that is dedicated to American Art and Artists, as well as a place of learning and community.

From this point on, I’ll let the art works on display at Crystal Bridges do most of the ‘talking’.  I’ve chosen a number of important or interesting items just to give the reader the idea of the scope and significance of this collection.

This is Charles Wilson Peale’s “George Washington”, painted ca. 1780 – 1782.

These two portraits are both the work of Charles Bird King.  The one on the left is of “Wai-kee-chai, Sanky Chief, Crushing Eagle”.  The portrait on the right is of “Ottoe Half Chief, Husband of Eagle of Delight”.   Ottoe’s wife certainly had an interesting name…

This work, entitled “Winter Scene in Brooklyn”, was painted by Francis Guy ca. 1820.  We enjoyed the painting for its detail and because it shows what part of New York City looked like about 200 years ago.

We had to take a photo of this painting, “A View of St. Louis”, just because Laurie is from St. Louis and this is where we met and got married over 33 years ago!  The artist, who provided this very early view of St. Louis from the east side of the Mississippi, was Leon Pomarede.  The painting was completed ca. 1832 – 1835.

This painting by Mary Cassatt is entitled “Summertime”.  It was completed ca. 1894.  Mary Cassatt is an American artist who lived most of her life in France.

This is one of our favorite paintings from Crystal Bridges… It’s a portrait of author Robert Lewis Stevenson and his wife by artist John Singer Sargent.

This is another view of Crystal Bridges itself as a work of art… The view is of one segment of the museum that contains two exhibit areas.  The facility surrounds this man made pond…  The building was designed by world renowned architect Moshe Safdie.

In 2004, Sotheby’s held a major art auction featuring many works by well known American artists.  Someone kept bidding on various lots via the phone…and that person, Alice Walton, ended the day by spending $20 million on her expanding collection.  She had been collecting art for years but this massive purchase stunned the art world.  Incidentally, she was participating in a horse show while bidding for the artwork.

Then in 2005, she announced her plans for Crystal Bridges.  She followed that up by buying a landmark landscape of the Hudson River School by Asher B. Durand, entitled “Kindred Spirits” for about $35 million.  She also made some purchases via 3^rd parties to hold down her costs.  All of this action angered some, rattled nerves, aroused skepticism and stimulated the art market.  The Crystal Bridges endowment is now 4 times larger than the Whitney Museum’s. 

Famous Missouri born artist, Thomas Hart Benton, created this masterpiece entitled “Ploughing It Under” back in 1934.

This portrait is Andy Warhol’s vision of Dolly Parton.  FYI...the museum covers American related art from the Colonial period through the 19^th Century, the Modern Period and into Contemporary works.

This beautiful painting by Andrew Wyeth is strangely entitled “Rush Hour”.  As a retiree for 3 years now, I do understand and appreciate what he seems to be saying!

For your information… The Northwest Arkansas Area has a population approaching 500,000 people…and, in addition to retail giant Wal-Mart, its home to Tyson Foods, (the world’s leading producer of poultry and beef), and J. B. Hunt Transportation Services, the nation’s largest publicly owned truckload carrier.  The unemployment rate in this area averages about 2% below the national average.

Laurie and I both liked the clean lines and a sort of purity shown in this Edward Hopper watercolor entitled “Roofs of the Cobb Barn” from 1931.

I could go on and on with photos from this soon to be famous Walton legacy in Northwest Arkansas… Alice Walton wanted to bring art and culture, as well as a major tourist/art destination to this fast growing section of Arkansas and she certainly has accomplished that mission.  If you find yourself anywhere in Arkansas, eastern Kansas or Oklahoma or southern Missouri, take the time to visit Crystal Bridges.  You won’t regret the experience!

Just one more object d’art for your viewing pleasure…or at least as a curiosity.  This is a photo of James Dine’s sculpture “Walking to Boras”.  I don’t quite get it…looks like Pinocchio to me!  Did he walk to Boras?  Indeed, it is Pinocchio and Mr. Dine has him walking to Boras Sweden… Why I don’t know…

The latest news is that after 7 years of legal action, for $30 million, Crystal Bridges has acquired a 50% stake in Fisk University’s art collection.  The court battle involved a collection by famed artist Georgia O’Keefe’s husband, Alfred Stieglitz.  The collection included 4 of O’Keefe’s paintings as well as works by Picasso, Renoir, Cezanne and others.   The collection will rotate between Crystal Bridges and the University over 2 years.  Many in the art world aren’t pleased with this acquisition…

Here are a few sources for additional information.  The website for Crystal Bridges is www.CrystalBridges.org.  To view a very long list of art work at Crystal Bridges, an unaffiliated site has furnished a partial inventory.  It’s found at http://www.crystalbridgescollection.com/.  To learn more about Alice Walton, she has her own official website at www.alicewalton.org.  One of our friends told us that there is also a great Native American Museum in Bentonville, but we just didn’t have time to visit it during our trip.  Information on the Museum of Native American Artifacts can be found at www.museumofnativeamericanartifacts.org.  Finally, for all of the attractions and general information about this area, just go to http://www.explorenwar.com/.

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by and visiting this new American Art Museum with us!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave 

More Railroad Depots and Other Sights - Arkansas

As we neared the eastern side of Arkansas, we continued to seek out old railroad depots and other places or objects of interest.  We passed fields of rice, many flooded with plantings, as well as a large number of cotton fields.  The land was fairly flat and some of the towns looked like they were struggling to survive.

This somewhat derelict structure is the former Arkansas Midland Railroad Depot in Clarendon Arkansas. (Note: Another source reports that the depot was built by the Missouri Pacific) The first railroad into Clarendon was the Texas and St. Louis in the 1880’s.  From the sign on one side of this building, it was used as a Goodyear Tire Storage facility at some point in time.  It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  To view additional photos of this depot, you can just go to http://www.arkansasties.com/Monroe/Structures/MidlandDepot.htm. The depot was built in 1910.

We were approaching West Helena and Helena Arkansas and we were very hungry.  We hadn’t seen anyplace to grab a bite to eat…and then we spoted this promising looking restaurant.  The exterior looked pretty good…

Well, you can’t win them all!  You order a sandwich or a plate lunch at the counter and they bring it out to you.  Laurie went with the Hot Roast Beef over white bread with French Fries.  The fries were OK…the beef was fatty but at least it had decent flavor.  Note the ‘giant’ container of cole slaw…

The dining room is nothing special…and the restrooms weren’t ones you’d like to regularly visit… There was quite a bit of takeout business.  Most of the customers who were dining in were of my generation, not Laurie’s.  I suspect that they were eating at Kelly’s for fuel, convenience or just out of habit…

Laurie’s meal was better than mine.  I made the mistake of ordering the Hot Turkey Plate…processed sliced turkey loaf with a funky taste on white bread smothered with brown gravy.  This was not a meal that I’d care to repeat!  Even hot sauce didn’t help.  As for pricing…I can’t find my receipt, but the food wasn’t expensive.

Kelly’s is located at 297 Richmond Highway in West Helena Arkansas.  Phone: 870-572-5500.  It appears that there may be a couple other Kelly’s locations as well but I couldn’t find a website.  Since they’re surviving and apparently have been around for awhile, they are satisfying some palates or needs for the community.  Kelly’s can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kellys-Restaurant/110240578997803.

Factoid: West Helena was incorporated in 1917…planned from the start as a completely segregated community…with sections designated for whites and blacks.  For more information on Helena/West Helena, its economy, Civil War involvement, the great floods, etc., just go to http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=950.

We loved this old Buster Brown shoe sign… Of course, this logo is still used on Brown Shoe Company products.  For a bit of background on Buster Brown, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_Brown.

It was Sunday when we pulled into downtown Helena Arkansas…so there wasn’t much going on.  As a matter of fact, nothing was going on!  It was like a ghost town… The downtown area had a lot of empty store fronts but it was fairly well kept and it appeared that a fair amount of money had been expended in an effort to dress up and maintain the area.

A little research revealed that in 2006 Helena and West Helena merged to gain operational and expense efficiencies.  The combined town is one of the poorest in the United States.  It was growing until the Mohawk Rubber Company, a division of Yokohama Tires, closed down.  The population has dropped by around 3,000 since the merger, down to a little over 12,000.  Earlier in it’s history, prohibition and the death of the wooden beer barrel business followed by terrible floods on the Mississippi River also had a negative impact on the local economy.

This handsome 1915 Missouri Pacific Depot is one of the key elements in town that comprise the Delta Cultural Center.  The depot has exhibits on the Civil War Battle of Helena, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the struggle to survive in the delta area.  The nearby Delta Cultural Visitor’s Center provides an interactive exhibition of Delta Music and it serves as KFFA’s broadcast facility for the longest running American radio broadcast, (since 1941), ‘King Biscuit Time’.  This show, still broadcast each and every weekday was originally sponsored by the King Biscuit Flour Company. (I’m sorry that the Center wasn’t open when we came through town…we both love the blues and jazz)

Many famous jazz and blues musicians came from Helena and the surrounding area.  Conway Twitty was also from Helena… Each year, on the first week of October, the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, (aka The King Biscuit Blues Festival) is held in downtown Helena.  For more information on the Festival, go to:   http://www.kingbiscuitfestival.com/.  Bonne Raitt, Taj Mahal and Bobby Rush are the featured performers for 2012.

Factoid: For those of you from Cook County Illinois, (good or bad depending on your viewpoint), John Stroger was born in Helena.  He was the first African American President of the Cook County Illinois Board of Commissioners.

This is the Helena Bridge.  It carries US Highway 49 over the Mississippi River between Helena Arkansas and Lula Mississippi.  This cantilever bridge was completed in July of 1961.  It is 5,204 feet long and its longest span measures 804 feet.  When the river is at normal levels, there is 119 feet of clearance between the surface of the river and the bottom of the bridge.

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing our back roads adventures with us!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave