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The Henry Ford
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Fordyce bath house
Hot Springs NP |
Approaching metropolitan Detroit traffic builds and roads deteriorate. Freezing weather, ice, snow and lots of traffic are hard on roads. We are hoteling near Dearborn the next couple nights to see The Henry Ford - Museum of Innovation and Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is a conglomeration of buildings Henry Ford had moved, reassembled and restored representing the early days of America. They include Ford's birthplace, the Wright brother’s home, their bicycle shop, Thomas Edison’s laboratories, just to name a few. Arriving later in the day we are only able to spend five hours at the museum. We could have spent several more seeing everything.
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| Quadricycle, built in 1896 |
The second day we visit Greenfield Village. We arrive when it opens, at 930; and leave at 500, when it closes. Greenfield Village is really special in our minds with descriptions of the buildings. Each building has a docent telling stories: describing what happened, telling of the people that lived or worked there; all the stories link to Henry Ford and how it affected his life. The stories and the enthusiasm which they told the stories really brings Greenfield Village alive. We highly suggest seeing both when you are in the area. |
Edison's - Menlo Park
Complex |
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Carriage rides through
Greenfield Village |
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Train roundhouse and
turntable |
Mammoth Cave National Park |
Historic cave
entrance |
Mammoth Cave National Park is our next national park. We will be here three nights. The cave had been explored by prehistoric peoples over 4,000 years ago. Evidence shows they went in over ten miles. I cannot imagine going into a cave ten miles with the type of equipment we have today, let alone with whatever tools people had 4,000 years ago.
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| 'Bottomless pit' |
Unfortunately reservations are needed for cave tours. We got on to a Historic Modified Tour; a two hour, two mile walk/crouch/squeeze through the cave. Our guide is a direct descendent of slaves that gave tours in the late 1800’s. He is 74 and looks like he is capable of leading tours for several more years. This tour takes us on two of the 400+ miles of discovered cave. The cave formed when water found its way underground dissolving the limestone, then flowing through openings.  |
| Mammoth Dome |
In general the caves are covered, and protected by a ‘roof’ of sandstone and shale. This makes Mammoth cave different than any of the caves we have visited. It is a ‘dry’ cave; there are very few locations with dripping water forming stalactites. If you plan to visit make cave tour reservations early.
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| Cedar Sink |
Having tickets for one cave tour we turn our attention to hiking above the caves, exploring the terrain that forms the cave underneath. Sinks cover the area. Sinks are depressions in the ground where water appears. Some of the underground rivers flow from one part of the cave emerge in a sink, then disappear into another portion of the cave.
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River Styx exit from
the cave |
Sloan’s Crossing Pond is one of a few ponds that hold water as a wetland area. We see turtles swimming and hear multiple frogs croaking as if in competition with each other. Another hike takes along the Green River, a tributary of the Ohio River. Along the trail the River Styx emerges from the cave flowing to the Green River. Further down the trail the Echo River emerges from the ground also flowing to the Green River. Divers enter the cave through the Echo River looking to see where it joins up with the rest of Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave National Park has the Green River Ferry, one of the few places with a working ferry transporting vehicles across a river. |
| Echo River cave entrance |
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| Green River ferry |
Each night we attend evening ranger led talks: The Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC, one night, UNESCO sites the next, and fossils vs. pseudo-fossils the last night. All are very educational and entertaining.
Hot Springs National Park
Our last major stop on this trip is Hot Springs National Park. 2021 is the parks’ 100th anniversary as a national park. It is primarily a series of nine bathhouses and the surrounding mountains where 143° water emerges from the ground. In the 1830’s Congress protected the area for public use. Now, several of the bathhouses are closed to the public, others are operated as bathhouses, hotels, and boutiques.
The National Park Service operates the Fordyce as a visitor center. Here we are able to tour through the facility. Even now it is very opulent, ceramic tile floors throughout the facility. Marble walls, stained glass windows and ceilings. A cooling room with piano and comfortable chairs. A gymnasium with all types of exercise equipment. Each person sits in their own oversized bathtub for the healing water. The Fordyce operated between 1915 and 1962, when it closed.
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| Lounging area |
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| Steam cabinets |
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| Personal hot tub |
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| 1900's gymnasium |
After touring we cross the street to hit the tourist shops. We don’t really need anything but it is fun to look to see what is popular at each place we go. Here rocks, and tarot card readings are quite popular.
We continue on to the mountain tops on either side of bathhouse row. The forests provide many hiking trails with views of the surrounding area. Purchasing tickets we ride to the top of Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The lower floor has a history of the area along with windows looking out on the area. Steps lead to the upper, open floor for an unobstructed view of the area.
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| Grand Promenade |
The Grand Promenade, a bricked walkway behind the bathhouses provides a different view of the area. Along the way we see a channel of steaming water flow under the Promenade.
A Ranger informs us this is some of the natural spring water being released. 47 green boxes surround us; each one is a location where hot spring water breaks the earth's surface. The boxes protects the water from the public possibly becoming contaminated. At the south end of the Grand Promenade we can fill our water bottles from the Thermal Water Fountain. One of the rangers informs us that this is the only park where visitors are encouraged to take items from the park; personal containers filled with spring water.
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| Thermal Water Fountain |
As we continue south we are reintroduced to the warm, 90° temperatures we will enjoy back in TX. In all we put on just over 4,400 miles in 26 days.
Stay tuned for our next trip. It’s still in the planning stages.
Thank you for stopping by,
Mark
Our last major stop on this trip is Hot Springs National Park. 2021 is the parks’ 100th anniversary as a national park. It is primarily a series of nine bathhouses and the surrounding mountains where 143° water emerges from the ground. In the 1830’s Congress protected the area for public use. Now, several of the bathhouses are closed to the public, others are operated as bathhouses, hotels, and boutiques. 
The National Park Service operates the Fordyce as a visitor center. Here we are able to tour through the facility. Even now it is very opulent, ceramic tile floors throughout the facility. Marble walls, stained glass windows and ceilings. A cooling room with piano and comfortable chairs. A gymnasium with all types of exercise equipment. Each person sits in their own oversized bathtub for the healing water. The Fordyce operated between 1915 and 1962, when it closed.
We continue on to the mountain tops on either side of bathhouse row. The forests provide many hiking trails with views of the surrounding area. Purchasing tickets we ride to the top of Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The lower floor has a history of the area along with windows looking out on the area. Steps lead to the upper, open floor for an unobstructed view of the area.
A Ranger informs us this is some of the natural spring water being released. 47 green boxes surround us; each one is a location where hot spring water breaks the earth's surface. The boxes protects the water from the public possibly becoming contaminated. At the south end of the Grand Promenade we can fill our water bottles from the Thermal Water Fountain. One of the rangers informs us that this is the only park where visitors are encouraged to take items from the park; personal containers filled with spring water.
It would be nice if some of these hot springs are kept open to the public:-)
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