Off the Beaten Path

The average price for unleaded in the Springfield market is $2.51 per gallon as of April 112, up 35 cents per gallon (updated daily – check before going to press) from the same time last year, according to AAA.

But fear not, vacationers; there are many options this season that will help save some money, and maybe even teach a thing or two about the life and history of the Ozarks.

And all can be reached with a single tank of gas.

A history lesson

Families looking for a little education while on vacation can try the local Civil War battlefields.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield in Republic is the site of the first major Civil War battlefield west of the Mississippi River. A group of 12,000 Confederate soldiers earned a victory there against 5,400 Union troops.

That battle eventually led to another – the Battle of Pea Ridge. Pea Ridge National Military Park in Garfield, Ark., about 80 miles southwest of Springfield, is the site of the battle that saw 10,000 Union soldiers save Missouri for the north by defeating a contingent of 16,000 Confederates.

The Battle of Carthage State Historical Site in Lamar is another source for Civil War history, being the location of one of the war’s earliest skirmishes, a month before the battle at Wilson’s Creek.

The Wilson’s Creek museum is considered the most comprehensive site for the Civil War west of the Mississippi, due, in large part, to the recently completed purchase of the General Sweeny Museum.

“Harpers Ferry in West Virginia handles all (National Park Service) exhibits in the U.S.,” said Ted Hillmer, superintendent at Wilson’s Creek.

“Their experts came out and said the collection they saw was probably the best collection of artifacts from the trans-Mississippi era of the Civil War.”

Hillmer added that the site also features the most extensive Civil War library collection in the park service and one of only two Civil War battlefield sites with more than 75 percent of the original battlefield intact.

For history buffs who aren’t war buffs, the region’s other state historical sites, including the Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historical Site and Osage Village in Lamar or the Nathan Boone Homestead in Ash Grove offer visitors a look at the history of famous folks and places in Missouri’s history.

In Diamond, the National Park Service operates the George Washington Carver National Monument.

The 210-acre park has a nature trail, museum and interactive exhibit area for students.

For a lesson in Springfield history, the Gray-Campbell homestead is nestled in Nathanael Greene Park.

Something different

For those who prefer entertainment of the natural variety, state parks are another option.

Hiking and backpacking are available at most every state park, from Roaring River and Big Sugar Creek in Cassville to Prairie State Park in Liberal.

Looking for water activities? Try canoeing at the Niangua River and Bennett Spring State Park in Lebanon, or rafting on the Current, Jacks Fork and Eleven Point rivers.

If caves and forests are on the itinerary, check out the caves, bluffs and natural bridge at Ha Ha Tonka in Camdenton, Springfield’s Fantastic Caverns and Meramec State Park in Sullivan, or try the oak and hickory forests at Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Kaiser and the Mark Twain National Forest, with locations throughout southern and central Missouri.

Sue Holst, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said the different options available make the state parks system attractive to vacationers.

“I think the main thing that draws people to Missouri state parks is the variety,” Holst said.

“There is a lot you can do, and not every park is the same. It’s tailored toward all different kinds of people and all different kinds of experiences,” she added.

In addition to the variety, cost is another attractive feature.

“You can spend a day there and not spend any money at all,” Holst added. “If you want to take a picnic, go fishing, go hiking, you can do so without spending any money. It’s family-oriented and economical.”

If the plan leans more toward the cultural, a tour of the winery in St. James could be just the thing.

Mary Malone, special events director at St. James Winery, said the tours, which run until 4 p.m. seven days a week, will take visitors through the wine cellars and production operations. The winery, which opened in 1970, gets its grapes from vineyards planted by Italian immigrants more than 100 years ago.

And don’t forget, Springfield was once the western terminus of U.S. Route 66 before it was extended to California, and cities all along the route, from Rolla to Lebanon to Springfield to Joplin, have various roadside attractions and museums on the history of the region in the mid 20th century.

Want to visit? Click here for a list of Missouri state parks and their web links.[[In-content Ad]]