http://www.blogger.com/html?blogID=4316350785635987648 Cave Dwellings: BACK AT THE ORIGINAL “CAVE DWELLINGS”..AND FINDING “HOPE”.
Cave Dwellings

Buckhorn Creek, Lake O' The Pines, Jefferson, TX

Thursday, March 29, 2012

BACK AT THE ORIGINAL “CAVE DWELLINGS”..AND FINDING “HOPE”.

  We left Jefferson Monday AM and drove the 100 miles to Hope AR to stay at the Fairgrounds Park …and see the birthplace of William Jefferson Clinton…(yep, another history tour for the Cave Dwellers).   The Fair Park isn’t anything fancy, but it worked for us. We parked in the middle of a grassy area about 11AM and we were the only ones…but by 4PM, there were a couple others.

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Just a big open area of grass…and mosquitos!!  We didn’t spend any time sitting outside feeding them, either!!

 

 

As it turns out, we drove right by Clinton’s birthplace and never knew it when we entered town…His home was just recently taken over by the National Park Service..and the tour is now free.  They give a tour every 30 minutes 9AM to 4PM…We arrived about 1PM, and we were the only ones there…and the only ones on the tour..I love it when I get a Park Ranger’s undivided attention!..

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This home is completely surrounded by fence now and there is only one way into it… through the office and gift store.. It was a real blast from the past for McGyver and me…we are of the same ancient 1950’s vintage…

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None of the furnishings are original..If they were, people would be wanting a piece of Clinton history to sell on Ebay..and the break-ins would abound.  Hey, we had that same kitchen sink when we moved into our house we live in now!

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These are original letters actually written by the Bill Clinton (I think to his grandma) from college at Georgetown University. The photos are original…and trust me,  Ranger Rick didn’t let McGyver and me out of his sight!!

 

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Virginia, his mother, was a very pretty lady….with her own interesting story.

 

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This is President William Jefferson Clinton’s bedroom as a little boy. Note the Hopalong Cassidy bedspread.  His grandparents’ last name was Cassidy..Check out the picture on the right of “Hopalong Bill”, with a photo of his hero on his T-shirt!..God, I LOVE this photo!  You just cannot make this stuff up!

 

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Left, his Mother’s room…and right are his Mother and Father.  His birth father, last name Blythe,  was killed in a car accident 3 months before he was born.     When he was killed, “Bill and his mother lived with her parents, James Eldridge Cassidy and Edith Grisham Cassidy in this house.  He spent the first 4 years of his life here in Hope.   They took care of him when his mother went to New Orleans to complete her training as a nurse anesthetist.  Although he went by the name of Clinton from the time his mother remarried, Roger Clinton never formally adopted him.  When Bill Clinton’s younger brother,  Roger Cassidy Clinton, started school, Bill Clinton legally changed his name.”( There is a 10 year difference in Bill and Roger’s age.)

  We really enjoyed the tour, and they had some great photos of him in the office and gift shop area..I love the middle photo below, and especially what it says……

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I’m in my element…HISTORY!!!!(Thanks to “Ranger Rick” for taking our photo!)

“…my grandparents and my mother always made me feel I was the most important person in the world to them. Most children will make it if they have just one person who makes them feel that way. I had three.”

~President Bill Clinton.

As you may have guessed, we are back home in Sandwich, IL…On the way home, I got myself a new “smart” phone, as my contract with AT&T was expired…I got me a brand spankin’ new Samsung INFUSE 4G..I have NO idea how to use this thing, let alone how many migs, zigs and bytes it has…I DO know it only cost McGyver $1.00…(somehow I think that was the attractionSarcastic smile).

  I finally figured out how to answer and make calls.  My old “dumb” phone had to be “finger punched”…this “smart” one likes to be brushed lightly with my fingertips.(sounds somewhat voyeuristic, in my opinion).  At any rate, I finally got me a cell phone I can look up to…and I instantly loaded the app Zedge, so I could download some awesome ringtones…Hey!, that’s what it’s all about to me..ringtones!!..You can tell LOTS about a person from their ringtone.  My current ringtone is the NFL football music..but I also downloaded the creepy music from the movie “Halloween”…and the music from “Looneytunes”….See what I mean???

So, now that we are home, the blogs will be fairly mild…Wait a minute…Nothing I do can ever be considered mild, right?..I will try to keep you informed of any excitement in our family….Come to think of it, Easter weekend we will be having the entire family here for a “Cave-apalooza”..Trust me, those are never dull…  Also, McGyver turns 70 this Sunday…April Fool’s Day…and no, I am NOT joking about his age…April 1st IS his birthday!!!

…Soooo, I guess all of you who piled OUT of the GMC can jump in someone else’s..But you better stay tuned here, too!! You just never know what will happen!!

“I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind!” ~Author Unknown

15 comments:

  1. Welcome Home,yep Den and I share a great birthday, had to fight many times as a kid over being made fun of because of it.I will only be 64 this Sun. I told Nicole I won't have any candles on my cake cause we ran out of room.Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

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  2. We will need a fire extinguisher for Den's candles..HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOME GREAT GUYS!

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  3. welcome home Dennis and Donna!..great to be back, I bet!!!
    hope the birthday celebration is a big success!!..Dennis can't possibly be 70??

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  4. Great visit to Clinton's home. I admire your interest in history. Your country's history is no doubt more interesting than Canada's. I have been to three presidential libraries and hope to visit the rest if I ever retire. Thanks again for your informative and entertaining blog.
    Happy birthday to Dennis. I turn 55 on April 2. I also have a friend who turns 70 on April 5th. Crowded cakes for sure.

    Bev in NS, Canada

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  5. Boy great to be home and out of the back seat, the truck was starting to smell realy bad.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE OLD MAN!!!

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  6. I'll miss your on the road history lessons. :( Kind of like Charles Karault with bling. :)

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  7. Maybe I'll give you some history of Sandwich..and we do have some neat places...I loved Charles Karault too!! ...and I am NO Charles Karault..but I do have "bling".

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  8. That looks like an awesome phone on the ads! I'm glad you found zedge... I have a lot of things from there! Including looney tunes from one of my sons! Have fun with it!

    And a great birthday celebration!

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  9. Good tour, will have to add that to the list.

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  10. We stayed in that very same Fairgrounds on our way home a few years ago. Parked beside the ball diamond. Probably drove right by Clinton's house & never knew it. I always find that kind of history interesting as well. Nice feeling to be home, but.............

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  11. butterbean carpenterMarch 30, 2012 at 4:25 PM

    Howdy D&D,
    Glad you made it home OK!! How many
    we're in the backseat at last count?
    Can anyone besides family come to the -ALOOSAS?? From the pic it sure looks like a lot of fun!!! I want a history lesson on the railroad that runs through your backyard!! Sleep
    well!!!

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  12. Great to see you got home safe and sound after a wonderful snowbird vacation down in Texas and other places.

    Thanks for the tour of President Bill Clinton's home. It's always interesting to see how famous folks have come from pretty humble beginnings.

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  13. So glad you made it home safe and sound with many many wonderful memories to treasure!!!!!
    Love the tour of President Clinton's boyhood home. I agree, love the quote!!

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  14. Love Judy's comment. Charles Karalt was one of my hero's. I can hear hin now, talking about the Beartooth Highway, or somesuch. And you do it with "bling".

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  15. Enjoyed the pictures of Clinton's house and early years. Love all that historical stuff. Welcome home and Happy Birthday McGuyver!! Russ will be 66 on the 11th so he's not far behind.

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