Rural Life Museum and Mississippi

Yesterday was our 'touring' day and decided to go into Baton Rouge (French for red stick - early settlers came to a place on the Mississippi where there was a bloody stick in the ground - Indians did this to mark the area) and visit the Rural Life Museum and then we went into the city and walked on the pier/boardwalk along the Mississippi. I was more impressed with the river, and the reason was that we were spoiled with the Frontier Cultural Museum in Virginia this past September. LSU has done a nice job - still needs some work, we did find that there is alot yet to be displayed but in all, everything was well marked. The silliest thing was a gray and white cat who was so friendly and escorted us around the outdoor museum. The Rural Life Museum depicts life on plantation in the early 1800's and 1900's and the amazing part - some of the buildings that were relocated to this place were used by common folk up till the 1960's. Some of the more 'oh my gosh' things was they had 3 funeral bairs made out of iron and lead, body put inside this wagon and this is how they moved the body to it's final resting place. Made the body mummified - so airtight. Also, people could see into it (alittle morbid). President Lincoln was put in one of these (without the wheels) when his body was moved back to Illinios for burial on the train. Other neat things were lots of antique sewing machines, dolls, quilts, fishing equipment for snagging shrimp, farm implements, furniture, items from slavery - what they used.

We drove then to the city proper and parked near one of the casinos and walked to the riverwalk/boardwalk. They have 3 casinos on river boats along the levees of the Mississippi, very similar to the casinos on the Ohio River. Watched the barges and tugs moving up and down the river then headed back to the campground. I pointed out to Dave the route we are taking tomorrow over the iron bridge of the Mississippi. He's a tad nervous about that - but it's the only way to our next campground. Still unseasonably chilly - was 49 yesterday. Typically it's supposed to be in the 60's this time of year. Last night - again, hard freeze but we survived. I am waiting for it to warm up a little before heading to do laundry near the office. We leave tomorrow for Kinder, LA - about 190 miles west of here, 15 miles north of Lake Charles. Will stay through the holiday and I have asked for a reservation near Clear Lake (south east of Houston, Texas) on Galvaston Bay for the following week. I just want warmer weather (it's a tad chilly taking showers in the morning!)