Winterset, Iowa - birthplace of John Wayne

At the beginning of the month, before our "stay at home" during this Corona-19 virus, we made a trip to Wisconsin.  (I am SO GLAD we took this trip!!  Who knows how long until we can see our family again!)

On the way home, we took an off road to see the covered bridges of Madison County.   These were located around the town of Winterset.  A bonus for us going to Winterset was finding out this was where John Wayne was born!

 Winterset is just a cute little town!  The population is around 5,200.

 It was platted in 1849 and originally it was going to be called "Summerset".  However, there was a cold spell at that time so the city commissioners changed it to Winterset!

 I haven't seen a Ben Franklin for years!  I didn't even know they still existed!

I love these old buildings!!  As we came to the stopsign, I happened to notice the street sign.  Can you read it?  When we had pulled into town, we didn't know it was birthplace of John Wayne!!  We were just looking for covered bridges in the area.

 Of course, we HAD to stop and go through the museum!

We watched a short movie about John Wayne's life.  The seats in this theatre are originally from the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

I didn't grow up watching John Wayne, although perhaps I saw a show or two.  I grew up with these kinds of ninja shows.  I don't think my mother knew how violent some of these shows were that included butchering of people and "honour" suicides.  She would have made us turn off the tv!!

We took a tour through the museum.

We used to have an awesome station wagon in the day!  John Wayne had nothing on us! 

Look at the beautiful "wood" paneled side!  Such a cool car!

And we could open up the back to have a picnic.

We could also lay down the back seats for beds during the drive.

Life-like wax figure

Behind the museum, on a corner lot was the house John Wayne was born in.

 His parents rented this house.  His father, Clyde Morrison was a pharmacist in town.  John Wayne described his father as "the kindest, most patient man I ever knew."  His mother worked in Des Moines as a telephone operator prior to marriage.  Of his mother, who was of Irish stock he said she was "a tiny, vivacious red-headed bundle of energy."

stained glass front door

The modest 4 room home has been restored to reflect its appearance in 1907, the year of John Wayne's birth.

You can see the bedroom where he was born, weighing in at 13 pounds.  He was named Marion Robert Morrison.

His mother was having trouble delivering him, so the midwife called for the doctor to come help.  In those days, it was not common to have a woman doctor. 

 John Wayne with his little brother.

The kitchen

We have a little butter churner like this one!

This docent was amazing and so informative!

I have a mixing bowl like that!  It belonged to Grandma Voran.

And a rolling pin like that too!

 Ronald Reagan has also visited this little house and museum.  If you plan to go (you should!) you might check out a bed and breakfast that our friend Amy Freud told me about.  Her aunt and uncle converted an old church into one!
http://www.heavenlyhabitat.net/

Covered Bridges in Madison County, Iowa

Since we had driven partway home, on our drive today we could do some sight-seeing!  But first, coffee!  Hotel coffee is "so-so". 

 

We filled up with gas before continuing south on I35.  

Around 10 miles south of Des Moines, we turned west on 92.

 Our atlas showed covered bridges at Winterset and I just have this thing about covered bridges!

 We turned at the signs for our first covered bridge.

 This bridge is not in use, at least not that you can drive on.

 We didn't write anything on the bridge, but lots of people had!

 The next bridge we went to was located in the town of Winterset in a park.

 Those yellow containers are automatic fire sprinklers. 

 The third bridge was just outside of town and this one you could drive through.

 so of course we did!

There were 3 more bridges but Al said if we wanted to get home at a decent time, we needed to get a move on.

Here is some trivia for you:

1.  What state has the most covered bridges?

2.  Where is the oldest covered bridge?

3.  Why are covered bridges painted red?

  1.  Pennsylvania, with 219!

  2.  Hyde Hall Bridge near Cooperstown, NY, built in 1825

  3.  It was inexpensive.  Rust and dirt were mixed with a paint base producing this color!

There is a famous movie called The Bridges of Madison County that was filmed here.  I have never seen it since it is about a couple who gets involved in an affair.  Not my type of movie since I believe in the fidelity of marriage.  We did not go to the Roseman bridge that is in that movie, but they also filmed on the Holliwell bridge.