Famous Faces in Grand Central USA!

Day 1 – Claremore, OK
This afternoon visit the Birthplace of Will Rogers, famed Cherokee humorist and film star. This two story home overlooks Oologah Lake and includes a 400-acre living history ranch. Then sit back and watch a classic movie staring Will Rogers at The Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore which also displays the art and artifacts of Rogers’s life. The memorial is also the resting place of Will Rogers where chiseled on his tomb is his famous quotation: “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Enjoy dinner at the restaurant of your choice before checking into the hotel for an overnight in Claremore, OK.

Day 2 – Claremore OK – Ponca City OK
After breakfast we depart Claremore heading west to Ponca City where we can enjoy lunch before visiting the Standing Bear Museum. We are sure to enjoy the storytelling as we learn about Ponca Chief Standing Bear with a visit to the museum and stroll the park to view a magnificent 22-foot bronze of Chief Standing Bear. The Marland Mansion, home of EW Marland, has long been known as the “Palace on the Prairie.” We will tour this 55 room mansion built in the 1920’s and hear about the rise and fall of Marland Oil Company and uncover the story of Lydie, Marland’s adopted daughter who became his second wife. Then this evening historical re enactors join us to tell more of EW Marland and other distinguished Poncan’s as we enjoy dinner at Marland Mansion. Overnight in Ponca City, OK. (B, D)

Day 3 – Ponca City OK – Pawnee OK – Ponca City OK
We depart this morning and travel to Pawnee, OK. We are sure to think we have arrived back in the Wild West times as we arrive at the Pawnee Bill Ranch to be meet by Pawnee Bill re enactor and his horse. Tour the Pawnee Bill Museum and fully furnished 1910 mansion that was home to Gorden W. Lillie, known as “Pawnee Bill” and promoter of the Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show all over the world in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. After lunch we learn of another famous person from Pawnee, Chester Gould, who created the Dick Tracy comic strip as we visit the Pawnee Historical Museum & Dick Tracy Headquarters. We will want to stop for a group photo under the Dick Tracy Mural downtown Pawnee before we drive to Pawnee Lake to see the historic 1939 WPA sandstone rock bath house before returning to Ponca City for our overnight.(B,L,D)

Day 4 – Ponca City OK – Atchison, KS
We depart the hotel this morning and head northeast to Atchison, KS and hometown of Amelia Earhart. We learn more of this famous aviatrix and other woman pilots as we tour the Amelia Earhart Museum housed in the home where she was born in 1897. Visit the Lewis & Clark Riverfront Pavilion and see where Lewis and Clark traveled thru on their expedition. Enjoy dinner in Atkinson before checking into the hotel for an overnight in Atchison, KS. (B,D)

Day 5 – Atchison KS – Independence MO
We depart this morning and travel to Independence, MO where we are meet by a local guide, that you may think is Truman himself. He will give us some insight into the life of Harry Truman as we drive by the Truman Home where Truman and Bess enjoyed a simple life in Independence before and after his presidency and see the restored office and courtroom at Independence Square Courthouse where Truman was county judge. After lunch visit the Truman Presidential Museum & Library where we begin with an Academy Award winning film on Truman before visiting the exhibits that focus on Truman’s Presidential Years. See Truman’s office in Independence, a replica of the Oval Office during his years in the White House, and the final resting place of Truman and his beloved wife Bess. After checking into our hotel for the night with time to freshen up we will enjoy dinner at one of Independence’s many restaurants. Overnight in Independence, MO.(B,D)

 Day 6 – Independence MO – Marceline MO – Hannibal MO
After breakfast we depart the hotel and head to “Home of Walt Disney” Marceline, MO. A local guide will show us the town where Disney lived during his childhood and was the model for Disneyland’s Main Street USA. Visit Walt Disney Hometown Museum, watch a film about Walt Disney’s time in Marceline, visit Walt’s Dreaming Tree, and Walt Disney’s Barn as we tour Marceline. After lunch we head east to Hannibal hometown of Samuel Clemens better known as Mark Twain. After checking into our hotel with time to freshen up we board the Mark Twain Riverboat for a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River. Overnight in Hannibal MO.(B,D)

Day 7 – Hannibal MO – St Clarie MO
After breakfast at the hotel we are on our way to meet Tom & Becky. Get the cameras out for a photo op with these Ambassadors of Hannibal that portray the famous Tom and Becky from Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Then we will tour an area of Hannibal that was the inspiration of many writings of Samuel Clemens; see the Boyhood Home of Mark Twain, the Huck Finn House, Grant’s Drug Store, and Becky Thatcher’s House. A walk down Main Street brings us to the Museum Gallery full of Twain artifacts and 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings used for special editions of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Hannibal was also home to another famous face, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Learn about her fate after the Titanic disaster as we visit the Molly Brown Birthplace and Museum. We depart Hannibal and head to Defiance, MO for a visit to the Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village. We will travel back in time as we tour the house and village and listen to first person re-enactors living out the days of when Boone occupied the home. Our overnight this evening will be in St Claire, MO. (B,D)

Day 8 – St Clair MO – Branson MO
Our first stop this morning takes us down under with a guided tour of Meramac Caverns. Our guide will tell us about this seven-story natural wonder and how it is reputed to be a Jesse James hideout. Enjoy lunch at the Caverns restaurant before heading to Branson and enjoying an evening show of your choice. Overnight Branson, MO. (B)

Day 9 – Branson MO – Eureka Springs AR
After breakfast at the hotel we depart Branson and head south to Eureka Springs AR. Here we will take a trip into history and culture of the ancient Middle East as costumed guides take us on a Holy Land Tour with scenes from Abraham to the time of Christ. At stops along the way we will meet Biblical characters who present a living history of the scriptures. This afternoon is at our leisure to shop and explore historic downtown Eureka Springs. Then this evening we return to The Great Passion Play for a spectacular outdoor drama that brings us the life of Christ with a cast of over a hundred. Overnight Eureka Springs, AR. (B,D)

Day 10 – Eureka Springs AR – Fayetteville AR – Ft Smith AR – Little Rock AR
After breakfast we depart Eureka Springs for Fayetteville, AR. Here we meet the Tebberts at Headquarters House. Built by Judge Jonas Tebberts in 1853 this home was one of Fayetteville’s finest at the time of the Civil War and at various times served as headquarters for both the Union and Confederate armies. Enjoy lunch at one of Fayetteville’s restaurants before we continue south to Fort Smith. Visit Riverfront Hotel built just before the turn of the century that soon became know as Miss Laura’s. We may even meet Miss Laura herself the madam of this former brothel house and enjoy some sarsaparillo and peanuts. Our overnight this evening is in Little Rock, Arkansas’s State Capital. (B,D)

Day 11 – Little Rock AR
This morning we visit the Historic Arkansas Museum where costumed living history re enactors show us how life was on the Arkansas frontier as we visit the state’s oldest neighborhood where medicine came from the herb garden and newspaper was printed on a hand-operated press. We return home with lots of memories and photos of Famous Faces during our time in Grand Central USA! (B)