The Journey Begins: Out West

I was able to arrive at the KOA in Granite City. Set up camp and drove the eight miles to Saint Louis Arch. I took a ride up to the top with a nice family, all in the same “Pod”. It was a tight fit — five seats and five of them and myself [Luckily some were children]. But I’m getting ahead of myself, I need to back up a little.

When I arrived at the arch, there was a waiting line of about an hour. Someone saw my Masonic hat and came over to me. He asked, “Are you alone?” I answered, “Yes, I sure am.” It was one of the park employees and he said, “Follow me”. He took me to the front of the line with the above mentioned family and said, “Have a good day Brother.”

I drove to the History Museum and found out that Charles Lindbergh was a Mason and talked to a volunteer worker — who was also a Brother. He let me take pictures of Lindbergh’s Masonic Trowel. Normally no photographs were permitted.

Lindbergh flew to Paris in 33 ½ hours • Slept on the way • Ran through a storm in the North Atlantic. “Here we are”, was his first greeting to the frenzied throng. It was May 21, 1927, and French pilots who had been through the Great War were crying.

I went to see the “Lewis & Clark Expo.”, just down the road from the KOA. I talked to the tour guides and sure enough, they too were Masons. They informed me that William Clark was a Mason. Of course, Thomas Jefferson, who sent them, was also a Mason.

I soon realized that I was following the same trail out West as did Lewis and Clark. The Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-06 is among the most important explorations of unknown territory in the United States history. The almost three-year journey was

undertaken by more then 30 members of the “Corps of Discovery”. Illinois is the first of eleven Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail states. It was the “jumping off place” for this great exploration. After a two and a half year successful journey, Lewis and Clark’s Expedition on September 23, 1806, returned triumphantly to the place from which they started, Camp River Dubois.

I got on a tour of Saint Charles at 9 a.m. The guide was a Mason and he took me on a special tour by myself. I took some good pictures of the old “First Capital” building, circa 1818. The French lived there with the Indians since the 1700’s. Lewis and Clark organized there and built their boat to leave in. The “First Capital” was also a “Masonic Hall”.

I got up early, at 6 a.m., broke camp,and headed out to Kansas. My first stop was at Independence, Missouri to visit the Harry Truman Library and Museum.

It takes us from Harry Truman’s life as a farm boy through his elevation to president of the U.S.A. In April 1945. It moves through dominant stories of the period, including:

• His decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan and end World War II.
• Taking us to the beginning of the Clod War and the Berlin Airlift.
• The forming of NATO.
• His decision to recognize the state of Israel.
• Desegregating the armed forces of the U.S.

the Harry Truman Library and Museum also details his “Whistle Stop Tour” and reelection in 1948. We are then carried through the Korean War and America in 1952.

The tour took a couple of hours. The guide admitted that Truman was a Mason and that he, himself, was not. He wouldn’t even direct us to the artifacts that were on display showing Truman’s Masonic connections — which there were plenty. I found them on my own.

I drove about ten miles to Lecompton Kansas, to the Territorial Capital. The old Capital Building was also a Masonic Hall in the 1850’s and is now a state historic site. James Henry Lane had a significant impact on Kansas history. Early on he served as the commander of two Indiana volunteer rein the Mexican-American War. He served as Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor from 1849 to 1853 and then as a Congressman from 1853 to 1855. Instead of running for a second term he moved to the Kansas Territory. When Kansas entered the Union as a free state in 1861, he won election as one of its first United States Senators. He arrived in Washington just as the Civil War broke out, and soon became a staunch ally of Abraham Lincoln. I’m not sure of his Masonic history, but on his watch chain hung the Masonic emblem worn by his father.

Next I stopped at “Harms Antiques” in a little town just 25 miles from Norfork. It was closed, but I left my card in the door. Across the street was a Masonic Lodge and an older brother was there and we talked. He showed me their Lodge — they just had their 100 year celebration... to be cont.