Sedalia, MO

I arrived in Sedalia, MO, all excited about attending the Scott Joplin Ragtime Music Festival. The evening I arrived I joined about 20 friends at the local Moose Lodge. We had a good time playing Moose Bingo. I had never heard of Moose Bingo, but it was fun.

First you pick your favorite Moose. Then you place a $2 bet.

Now the fun begins. Everyone takes turns rolling the dice. There are six moose and each are numbered. If you roll a 3 with the dice, you move moose #3. Each move takes the moose 1 ceiling tile across toward the finish line. The 1, 2, and 3 place winners get to split the bets with a little going to the Moose Charity.

The next morning I spent listening to ragtime music being played by several artists. Each musician played the piano for 20 minutes in the college cafeteria. The main ragtime festival really wasn't to begin until the next day. If you don't know what ragtime music is, think "The Entertainer" with Robert Redford. The music was a Scott Joplin tune. To hear some of the artists and see pictures, check out www. lifeontheopenroad.blogspot.com.

Bothwell Lodge and Mansion

In the afternoon several of us drove out to the Bothwell Lodge and Mansion. John Homer Bothwell came to Sedalia in 1871 and was instrumental in bringing the Missouri-Kanasas-Texas (KATY) railroad repair shops to Sedalia and also in bringing the Missouri State Fair to Sedalia. He was a prominent businessman and politician. In the 1890s he purchased Stoneybrook Farm and in 1897 started construction of this lodge. It was not completed until 1928. It was built in sections, with 3 different wings added over the next 31 years.

The front of the lodge doesn't look near so appealing to me.

   It is truly an unusual house, having many modern features for the times built in. It has been restored much as it was when he was alive. Mr. Bothwell died in 1929, but left the lodge to group of his family and friends. They used the lodge until 1969, when the last of them died. At that time the lodge was given to the state of Missouri.

 

On our walk around the grounds we found even the dog had its own office.

The Cliff House was built for a nephew. It was completed shortly after his death. This home is now used for the park administrator.

The Farm House was also built near the mansion and was completed later in the year Mr. Bothwell died. This home is in the midst of being restored. It burnt in the 1940s.

Don't we look relaxed. Sitting in the breezeway between 2 wings, in the rockers, overlooking the cliff below is something I could really get used to.

Inside his house he actually set up a beehive in the walls. They have replaced the wood on one side so visitors can see the bees at work.

I'm glad I got to listen to some ragtime music in the morning because a family emergency called me back to Oklahoma the next day.