On day 84 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive from Kansas City, Missouri, through Kansas to Des Moines, Iowa. Before leaving Kansas City, we visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum, a historic museum in Kansas City, Missouri, that features artifacts recovered from the Arabia, a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856. The 30,000-square-foot museum opened on November 13, 1991 in Kansas City's River Market. The partners of River Salvage Inc., who excavated Arabia and opened the museum, claim to have the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world.

The next visit is the CW Parker Carousel Museum, also known as the Leavenworth Carousel Museum, located in Leavenworth. This is one of many museums sponsored by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association. The building opened in 2005 and houses historically registered carousels, as well as a CW Parker cylinder piano, an Artizan AX-1 band organ and a Wurlitzer 153 band organ. It also has several reproduced or repaired carousel horses.

Charles Wallace Parker (CW Parker) created the first Carry-Us-All attraction in 1898. This invention was such a success that his rapidly growing company in Abilene, Kansas, was moved to Leavenworth. The Carousel Museum is a non-profit organization that operates through community donations and volunteerism.

When in Leavenworth, a visit to Fort Leavenworth is a must. You can register your visit up to 10 days in advance (more information at the links in this review). Security is strict but necessary to ensure everyone's safety. On the grounds of Fort Leavenworth you can visit the Frontier Army Museum. This museum collects, preserves, and protects the material culture of the United States Army and uses its assets to support professional military education, collections-based research, the development of educational materials, and educational initiatives to inform the public about the history of the Frontier Army , the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth.

In addition, the Frontier Army Museum uses its collection and facilities to educate Department of the Army Soldiers and civilians by providing venues for professional development and for public and strategic communications in support of the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth.
Top tourist attractions in Kansas City include historic sites, jazz music venues, famous barbecue joints, and very good bars and restaurants. Missouri's largest city also offers beautiful museums, including the National WWI Museum and Memorial, one of the largest WWI museums in the world.

Also visit the Old-United States Disciplinary Barracks, originally called the US Military Prison. It was established by Congress in 1874 and has been in use at Fort Leavenworth since May 15, 1875. This military prison has the honor of offering the country's first vocational training program for prisoners. The USDB is the only long-term prison within the Department of Defense, incarcerating personnel from all branches of the service. The last hanging at the USDB was Pvt. John A. Bennett in April 1961.

The prison no longer houses prisoners and was closed as a prison in September 2002 and is open to the public. You can walk around the courtyard and read about the history of the site on various information posts located throughout the courtyard, view the watchtowers and see the 'Castle'. The castle in the center has been demolished, but the outer walls and watchtowers have remained. It houses a restaurant, so it is also an ideal opportunity to plan a lunch here.

From Fort Leavenworth it is about a 200 mile drive to the next stop in Winterset. Along the route there is an opportunity to refuel and also have something to drink or eat in the many villages. Enjoy the drive through the landscape of Missouri and Iowa. Winterset is the birthplace of movie star John Wayne.

Visit the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum. This museum has an extensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia from the actor's life and career. Of course there is also a cinema. Relax in comfortable chairs and watch a documentary about Duke's phenomenal film career. Be sure to explore the wide range of John Wayne merchandise in our gift shop, perfect for souvenirs or great new items to add to your collection. You will be fascinated as you stick around and learn about John Wayne, the actor, the private citizen and an American legend.

From Winterset it is about a 60 kilometer drive to Des Moines, the end point of the race. We stop en route at the historic Hogback Covered Bridge. Named for a nearby limestone ridge, the bridge was built in 1884 by Harvey P. Jones and George K. Foster across the North River at Douglas Township Road. The 106-foot-long (32 m) bridge was designed with a city lattice truss system and was built with steel pylons to support the main span. The Hogback Bridge was originally one of 19 covered bridges in Madison County; there are only six covered bridges left in the province, there is a Scenic Byway along all six bridges. The Hogback Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.


In Des Moines we pass the Terrace Hill Historic Site, also known as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House or the Iowa Governor's Mansion. It is the official residence of the Governor of Iowa. Located at 2300 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, it is an example of Second Empire architecture. The house measures 1,600 m2. It sits on a hill overlooking downtown Des Moines and has a 90-foot tower that offers commanding views of the city. The building's steeply sloping mansard roof, open verandas, long and narrow and often paired windows, and bracketed eaves give this house an irreplaceable design. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2003.

Terrace Hill was built by Benjamin Franklin Allen, Iowa's first millionaire, as a home for his family. The architect for this project was William Boyington, a popular Chicago architect. Construction began in 1866 and was completed in 1869. The total cost of the project was $250,000 for the mansion, carriage house, original furnishings and approximately 120,000 m2 of land. The house had very modern features for the time, including hot and cold running water, indoor toilets, a lift and gas lighting.

When the house was first built, it was on the western edge of Des Moines. However, the city expanded westward. As a result, Terrace Hill is now almost in the center of the city. Tours are given at 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM on Tuesday to Saturday, by reservation only (48 hours in advance). So if this fits into your schedule, definitely worth it.

We spend the night in Des Moines, the city has many good restaurants, great nightlife and many shops and museums. Everything between the Des Moines River and the Iowa State Capitol building is considered the East Village. Filled with buildings on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, this neighborhood is home to some notable boutiques, award-winning restaurants, and beloved bars.