Today was another loooooong day.... and again, a lot of it was driv
ing. We started out with an early morning walk around Memphis. Beale Street was so different compared to the night before... the lights were still up but the streets were pretty much empty and it was quiet and foggy. We walked down to the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King had been assassinated in 1968. They had kept the front facade just the same as it was all those years ago, as well as kept replicas of the same cars in the parking lot. We also walked past the Gibson guitar factory on our way to the museum. From there, we headed down to the river and essentially watched the fog dissipate. We couldn't see the bridge when we first arrived and not five minutes later, right in front of our eyes, the fog lifted and we could see all the way to the other side. We walked back down Beale Street, past the Orpheum, the WC Handy house and statue and the Elvis statue, checked out of the hotel and headed out to Little Rock.
ing. We started out with an early morning walk around Memphis. Beale Street was so different compared to the night before... the lights were still up but the streets were pretty much empty and it was quiet and foggy. We walked down to the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King had been assassinated in 1968. They had kept the front facade just the same as it was all those years ago, as well as kept replicas of the same cars in the parking lot. We also walked past the Gibson guitar factory on our way to the museum. From there, we headed down to the river and essentially watched the fog dissipate. We couldn't see the bridge when we first arrived and not five minutes later, right in front of our eyes, the fog lifted and we could see all the way to the other side. We walked back down Beale Street, past the Orpheum, the WC Handy house and statue and the Elvis statue, checked out of the hotel and headed out to Little Rock.
We began our tour of Little Rock at the MacArthur Military Museum. There was an exhibit bout Jeeps, which reminded me of my favorite tank in the Imperial War Museum- the Willie Pusher II- as well as an exhibit about the falling out between MacArthur and Truman, Pancho Villa, Little Rock/Arkansas' role in the Civil War, the Confederate Army Veteran's reunions and an amazing exhibit of previously unseen WWII photographs. It was an old, beautiful house, with incredible wood floors and great staircases and views in the front and back.
Next it was down to the river. We stumbled across the Old Statehouse, which was another absolutely beautiful house. There was a free museum that was just chock full of information. Unfortunately, we didn't really have the time to see everything but there was a great exhibit of First Ladies' Inaugural Gown dresses and one about important Arkansas women. I would have loved to spend more time there- I really know nothing about Arkansas history and this would have been a great resource but we just didn't have time.
Before heading out to Central High School, we stopped by the river again, walked through a small market that reminded me a lot of Granville Island in Vancouver. Then it was off to Central High School where the Little Rock 9 broke down the walls of segregation. There was a great little museum, run by the National Parks Service that described the before, during and aftermath of the event, as well as other individuals who made a different in breaking down barriers. Probably one of the most interesting things learned was finding out that when the protesters couldn't get to the students because the media was in the way, they began to attack the media. The students ended up being protected by the media reporting on their story. Central High School was a massive, absolutely gorgeous building that certainly inspired awe. I would love to have gone to a high school that looked like that. Also, across the street, was the gas station, resorted and protected by the NPS, that the reporters would use to call their stories in. It was a nice glimpse of 1957 Little Rock in the middle of a modern neighborhood.
The day ended with a looooong drive to Dallas, checking into the hotel and grabbing some Subway. Tomorrow Dallas sites and then I get to see Beth while Roni takes off for Wichita Falls. Looking forward to some good sleep tonight!
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