I took two overlapping Mid West road trips in 2024. First, Omaha to Fargo, then Winnipeg to Chicago.
A quick stop-off at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
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Lewis & Clark Statue (plus dog)
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Jefferson orders the Expedition
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Lewis & Clark Diorama
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The Mighty Missouri, at Sioux City
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South Dakota State Capitol
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South Dakota State Capitol
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Capitol dome interior
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Capitol Rotunda
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Indian + trader
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Senate Chamber
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House chamber
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Supreme Court chamber
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The Verendrye Brothers were French explorers who reach South Dakota around 1743 and buried a lead tablet claiming the region for France.
The tablet was rediscovered outside Pierre in 1913.
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Verendrye Monument
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Verendrye Monument
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View over Pierre and the Missouri
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An unusual Art Deco State Capitol
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House Chamber
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House Chamber
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Senate Chamber
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Great Seal of South Dakota
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View from 18th floor observation deck
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Art Deco elevator doors
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Note the cattle herds and wheat sheafs
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Note the steam locomotive and wagon train.
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The Mighty Missouri at Bismarck
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A real Minuteman Missile command site, now disabled as a result of the START treaty.
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The innocuous-looking entrance building
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Base layout model
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Our tour leader shows off ground floor rest areas
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Large-capacity cargo elevator
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Entry to Support Bunker
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Entry to the Command Bunker
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Shock-absorbing mounting
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The command bunker is suprisingly spacious this is double-size - most command bunkers were smaller.
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Command Console #1
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Command Console #2 This one has the red lock-boxes for sealed orders
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This was the command bunker for the "Oscar" missile wing
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Graham at Command Console #2
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There's little to see above ground.
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Launcher door
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The Fargo Vistor Center has the original wood chipper from the movie Fargo. They say it is by far their biggest attraction.
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The original Wood Chipper from Fargo
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On my second visit in October I bought one of the Vistor Center's trapper hats, for versimilitude
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The original Fargo wood chipper
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Signed by the Coen Brothers
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Welcome to Fargo!
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Fargo City Hall
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The Red River at Fargo It flows North into Lake Winnipeg and eventually into Hudson Bay
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Hjemkomst Center, a Norwegian Cultural center At Moorhead opposite Fargo
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Replica Viking ship Which was successfully sailed from New York to Norway.
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Replica Viking ship
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Replica of a Norwegian stave church
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Welcome to Winnipeg!
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Manitoba Legislature
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Manitoba Legislature
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The "Golden Boy" atop the Legislature
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Louis Riel statue, outside Legislature
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Winnipeg's Union Station (1911)
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Inside Union Station
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The might Red River, flowing North to Lake Winnipeg
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North Dakota is home to an abandoned 1970s
Anti-Ballistic Missile complex, intended to protect the US's ICBM sites. I stopped off at two sites, first
the imposing and mysterious "MSR Pyramid", a giant phased array radar, and also RSL #3, one of the interceptor missile launch sites. Sadly
neither was open for visits.
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The MSR Pyramid
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Mysterious concrete structures
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Remote Launch Site 3 (aka RSL #3) One of the interceptor missile launch sites
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RSL #3
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RSL #3 Cryptic concrete structures
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I was lucky enough to be in Minneapolis when a major Aurora event hit. I drove 20 miles North to Ham Lake, and got some good views.
Caveat: The camera exagerrates the colors. To the naked eye, these mostly looked like pale gray smears, with only occasional hints of color.
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Overhead
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Overhead
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Minnesota State Capitol
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Dome interior
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Rotunda
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Senate Chamber
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House of Representatives
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Supreme Court Chamber
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"The Third Minnesota Entering Little Rock" Outside Tim Walz's Reception Room
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The Mighty Mississippi at Minneapolis
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Great Mall of America
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Giant Lego Store
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Welcoming Lego Dragon
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Lego Minotaur
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Minneapolis City Hall
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Frank LLoyd Wright's estate at Taliesin, exemplifying his style and ideas.
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Taliesin Visitor Center Designdc by FLW as "The Riverside Terrace Restaurant"
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Taliesin
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Drafting Room
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Entry to Formal Living Room
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The Formal Living Room
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Formal Living Room, looking back to Entry
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The Birdwalk projecting balcony
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Family space
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Informal space: converted from an outdoor area
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View from my room at the AC Hotel
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Wisconsin State Capitol
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Rotunda
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Dome Interior
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Legislation
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Justice
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Liberty
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Government
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Supreme Court Chamber
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"The Appeal of the Legionary to Caesar Augustus"
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Senate Chamber
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Wedding of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (Panama Canal 1914) Asian Powers on the left, European Powers on the right
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Assembly Chamber (House of Representatives)
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Willis / Sears Tower
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Projecting observation boxes
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The Field Museum
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Full-scale Pterosaur Model
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Field Museum: Cambrian Aquarium
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Frank Lyyod Wright's Frederik C Robie House
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Frank Lyyod Wright's Frederik C Robie House
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A Mighty Lamassu. Sargon II, around 710 bc
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Artistic modern colors for ancient heads
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Tutankhamun
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A Babylonian Lion
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