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Chief Reelfoot and Laughing Eyes
According to legend, Reelfoot Lake was created when the Great Spirit caused an earthquake to punish Chickasaw Chief Reelfoot for kidnapping Laughing Eyes and making her his wife. Laughing Eye's father had previously rejected Reelfoot's proposal becuase he did not want his daughter marrying a deformed chief; for Reelfoot had a club foot.
These concrete statues of Reelfoot and Laughing Eyes sat at the entrance of Magnolia Beach on the Washout at Lake Reelfoot from 1955 through 1994. They now sit in front of Brooks Shaw's Old County Store in Jackson, Tennessee.
Casey Jones
Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum
On 30 April 1900, railroad engineer Jonathan Luther "Casey" Jones died while trying to stop his passenger train before it collided with a disabled freight train. When they saw the lights of the stopped train's caboose, the fireman jumped and Casey stayed on board to slow the train. Casey failed to avoid a collision but was able to slow the train enough to keep his cars upright and his passengers alive. The IC Railroad's official report blamed Casey for the wreck: claiming that he disregarded the freight train's flagman's warnings of the stopped train ahead. However, other reports suggest that the flagman was in a place in which he could not have been seen in time to avoid a collision. Casey became legend and hero after his friend Wallace Saunders immortalized him in song: The Ballad of Casey Jones.
Casey's home at the time of his death is now a museum with exhibits about Casey and railroads.
Bricktown Brewery
After a long rainy day of exploring and driving, I arrived in Fort Smith, Arkansas. I quickly found Bricktown Brewery on Garrison Avenue. I ordered a sampler flight of their "local beer" to discover that they claimed many of the beers are from Oklahoma. Being just over the border from Oklahoma, I think that they must be made locally. A little research revealed that Bricktown Brewery is based in Oklahoma City, and the 'Bricktown" name refers to an Oklahoma City entertainment district. My waitress, wearing a "DRINK LOCAL" shirt, confirms that the beers aren't local; that they are made in Oklahoma City. When I questioned how they can promote themselves as "local", she shrugged and walked away. I enjoyed their Old King Kolsch, but didn't care for most of the beers. Their "Truckburger" -- a blend of ground beef and bacon -- was excellent. However, their deceptive advertising turned my experience sour.
Don't call yourself local if you're not local. And if you're going to be deceptive in your logo, don't put "if you can’t trust a logo well then America is in worse shape than any of us could have imagined" on your website. You may be local in Oklahoma City, but don't call yourself local in Arkansas.
Large Drink
When I ordered a large drink, I expected to get something that would fit in the car. I was wrong. It doesn't.
I Found No Crows in Cuervo
Cuervo, New Mexico, is an old railroad town turned Route 66 stop turned ghost town that sits right off of Interstate 40.
