May 8, 2021
Day 30 - In Huntsville
Museum day
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
We didn't rest on this rest day. We visited three local museums - a military museum, the Texas Prison Museum and the Sam Houston Museum.
The military museum was first. Kerry found it interesting. It was set up as a "war by war" history of the US military in the 20th and 21st centuries.
In a section on women's contributions to the American war efforts, there was this display about women recruited to do cryptoanalysis.
Every war, for all it's horrors, advances medical and surgical science.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The next museum I found interesting, but Kerry not so much. The Texas Prison Museum told the story of the history of the Texas prison systems, with all it's wrongs and abuses.
The electric chair, last used in 1964 and outlawed in 1972, is on display.
Around the electric chair's enclosure were pictures and stories from relatives of the victims and the executed killers. I thought it was well done.
Since 1977, Texas has executed by lethal injection.
There was also a display of various famous inmates. Here are two:
After a rather unsettling morning of museums dedicated to carnage, we moved on to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. Sam Houston is regarded as the "Father of Texas". There was a modern building which detailed all the significant events of his life (not a small amount of carnage involved there) and had a number of his personal belongings on display. The museum building is on the grounds of his homestead in Huntsville. Of all the places he lived, he is said to have favored this one. The Sam Houston Normal Institute is the predecessor of Sam Houston State University.
His home was called "The Woodlands". He lived here while serving as senator and governor of Texas. I was taking pictures through plastic shields, so the photography is not the best.
The spring garden is flourishing!
This banner was hanging on a house across the street from the rear of the museum grounds. Margaret Lea Houston was Sam's wife. I expected to be able to Google it and find a good story, but no luck. It will remain a mystery!
Today's ride: 9 miles (14 km)
Total: 1,305 miles (2,100 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 7 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |