Ghost Town

Ted spent a good deal of time Thursday morning trying to get some new filters for his CPAP machine.  They are literally small packets way less than the size of those packets you find in purses and shoes to keep moisture out.  It took about three hours.  He went to four places before anyone would sell these filters without a prescription.  He has used a CPAP machine for 23 years!  We will order them online before leaving home from now on.  We can legally buy marijuana on any corner in this city but God forbid we need an opaque square inch of paper!

We got a late start but were going close by to a Ghost Town.  It is housed in an historic train roundhouse.  It was the exact place Teddy Roosevelt's train stopped on his visit to the area.  The other half of the roundhouse is a medical clinic.  A street divides the two.

Inside we found a whole town that was very authentic in its duplication.  We had a good time telling the kids what different things were used for. My first thing to notice was a Procter & Gamble Lenox soap box.  I loved working for that company in Cincinnati.  It also gave Kara a chance to explain my Christmas stable was made by their great grandfather from a similar wooden box that originally contained Werk Tag Soap. 

The General Store contained a bit of everything.

This was their display window showing hats and shoes.

Next was a shooting gallery and most of us took a turn.  Sam is a great shot!  I didn't do badly myself.  Morgan, Kara and Eileen didn't do as well.

Ted always enjoys the newspaper business.  He said this was an old Washington press and explained typesetting and the old press operation to everyone.

Sam learned his great-great-great grandma Shinkle had this type of phone on her farm in Connersville, Indiana.

Every town had a livery stable.

There was usually a boarding house for people to rent a room in.  This was the "front room."

The Wells Fargo bank plus telegraph office.  

And no town is complete without a bar!

A Cincinnati beer from our childhood.

A Detroit beer.  I do remember they survived Prohibition by making Stroh's ice cream.  

This was the largest rack I have ever seen.

I didn't end up IN jail this time, it was already occupied.  

The firehouse.

Ted and Tom inspecting the stagecoaches.

Next was panning for gold.  We found several nuggets of "fools' gold."  Ted had it put into a small bag for Morgan.

The Old House showed how a wealthy family would live.

They even had an inside bathroom.

I was impressed with the quality and quantity of things to observe.  Having the kids along to explain things to made it even more special.