Seniors Stop In Mexico

Moments after being so overcome with emotion that he kept his head buried in his hands, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue was called on to speak Sunday night on national television. Somehow, he had the presence of mind to give two shoutouts to his hometown, Mexico, Missouri. Senior travelers will find Mexico about 28 miles from Columbia and is 94 miles northwest of St. Louis. So this time we head for Historic Mexico for a visit to Coach Lue’s hometown.

Mexico was laid out as “New Mexico” in 1836 and was a major stop for settlers heading to the Republic of Texas. The first settlers found a wooden sign along the trail. It pointed southwest, and on it had been painted “Mexico.” To avoid unnecessary labor, the sign was left in place. “It was easier to call their town ‘Mexico’ than to take down the old sign,” thus the present name of the city.

Mexico, Missouri’s population is around 12,000. A claim to fame here is that Mexico hosts the annual Miss Missouri Pageant and the winner goes on to represent the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.

Seniors Find Museums, Parks and Lakes

Senior visitors can enjoy the American Saddlebred Horse Museum, Graham Cave State Park, Graceland Museum, Mark Twain  Home and Museum and Deutscheim State Historic Site. The city has several quality parks for you and for your grandkids.

And lakes…including Blackmore Lake, Lakeview Park Lake, Burlington Lake, and Teal Lake. I discovered that Missouri Military Academy is located in Mexico. A  former colleague of mine at the University where I taught was an instructor at MMA.  Small world.

The annual Soybean Festival held in August is a fun time. I would not want to miss Graceland Museum located in the 11-acre Robert S. Green Park. Graceland Museum, listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, was built in 1857 by John P. Clark.

This stately antebellum mansion was host to Colonel Ulysses S. Grant during the early years of the Civil War. Today nine of Graceland’s rooms house displays that allow senior visitors to experience the Victorian elegance of the past as well as the rich history of the country.

Seniors Visit Saddlebred Horse Museum

For those of you interested in horses, don’t miss the Saddlebred Museum.  Mexico was once noted as the ‘Saddlebred Horse Capital of the World”. The American Saddlebred Horse Museum was established in 1970 to complement Graceland. It is the oldest Saddlebred Horse Museum in the nation.

Featured in the museum are Tom Bass, a famous black horseman, George Ford Morris, Art Simmons, a local trainer, and Callaway Hills stallion, Will Shriver. The invincible Saddlebred Horse, Rex McDonald, is buried on the grounds.

Seniors, saddle up the sedan and set your GPS for Mexico, Missouri and enjoy all the amenities that the city has to offer. -jeb