Thursday, June 30, 2011

Abilene, Kansas

Do you recognize this man???


How about this????


And what do they have to do with Abilene, Kansas........well, Abilene is probably best know its wild cowboy days and as the northern terminus of the Chisholm Trail. That was the famous cattle trail from Texas. Abilene was the end point where the cows were loaded onto railroad cars for the ride back east (where they became steak).

Okay, the next best known point of interest about Abilene is probably Dwight David Eisenhower, known to most as "Ike", and also as the 34th President of the United States. He served two terms between 1953 to 1961. The statue is of the great man himself, and the seal is the Great Seal of the United States of America. See the link at the end of the blog that will take you to more information on Ike.

This was the Eisenhower family home from 1896 to 1946.


The Eisenhower Library.


The Eisenhower Museum.


The Meditation Chapel where Ike and Mamie lie in rest.


The beautiful fountain and pool that are in front of the Meditation Chapel.


Just a thought. Ike may have been the closest thing to an actual leader of the free world ever known. He was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during World War II, the largest military force ever organized under the control of one man.

Ya know........"I Like Ike" still. I can remember his campaign even though I was only seven years old. I guess the man made and impression on me, and I was strongly reminded during our brief visit to Abilene.

More about Ike >>> Eisenhower Archives & Library
I am not wild about the way this site is organized and I found it a bit confusing to navigate through, but it has a wealth of information.

Or possibly you are more interested in the Chisholm Trail.
Google it or try this site >>>>> Along the Chisholm Trail

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