Presidential Pathways

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Presidents Covered: Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, Harry Truman

States Covered: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri

The first tour in a newly developed series following the lives of our U.S. Presidents! 

Along the journey we will visit Presidential birthplaces, boyhood homes, museums, libraries, and places where they have lived. Visiting these historical places promotes understanding of the Presidency and the American experience. 

Taking this tour will acquaint us with vast archives of documents, museums full of important Presidential artifacts as well as interesting, educational, and public newsworthy information having to do with our past Presidents. These 

historical stops can be found across the country from Massachusetts to California. 

In all of history there has never been an office to compare with the Presidency of the United States. It stands alone…a monument to the political vision of the men who created it and an almost impossible challenge to the men who each 

generation seek it. 

For the past over 200 years, forty-four men have tried to meet the challenge of what has grown to be the most 

important office in the free world. As the country grew so did the office of the President. 

Woodrow Wilson wrote in 1912, “The President can never be the mere domestic figure he has been throughout so large a part of our history.” 

The nation has risen to the first rank in power and resources. Our President must always henceforth be one of the great powers of the world. 

Within the country, the power of the Presidency increased with each new development in technology. The railroad, 

airplane, radio, and television have all brought the President closer to the people. The true source of his power in spite of the fact that the population has increased seventy fold since Washington’s day. The President is the chief executive with awesome burdens and responsibilities. The Presidency has nonetheless continued to attract courageous and talented men. 

The men who have served as president, no matter what they actually achieved, has each won a particular place in history as leaders of a unique experiment in democracy. Several have proved to be liabilities, some accomplished little, a few responded magnificently to grave challenges but each of them contributed something…even if little more than 

continuity to the greatest elective office in the world. 

The story of their lives is, after all, no less than the story of our great nation!

Day 1 – Home to LeClaire, IA

– Travel to West Branch, IA

– Hoover Birthplace Nat. Historical Site

– Hoover Pres. Library & Museum

– Welcome Dinner – Steventon’s

Included Meals: Dinner

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express (on the river) 

Day 2 – LeClaire to Lincoln, IL

– Reagan Birthplace, Tampico, IL

– Reagan Boyhood Home, Dixon, IL

– Lunch at Arthur’s Deli, Dixon, IL

– Galesburg, IL

* 3 Reagan Homes

* Reagan Elementary School

* Lincoln/Douglas Debate site, Knox College

– Travel to Lincoln, IL

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 3 – Lincoln to Springfield, IL

– Lincoln, IL

* Lincoln Train Depot, Watermelon Christening

* Postville Courthouse

– Springfield, IL

* Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

* Lincoln’s New Salem Hist. Site (The roots of “Honest Abe”)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (Drury Reception)

Hotel: Drury Inn 

Day 4 – Springfield to North Evansville, IN

– Springfield

* Lincoln Home Nat. Hist. Site

* Lincoln Tomb

* Great Western Depot Site

* Illinois State Capitol

– Lunch at The Cozy Dog (Route 66 World-Famous)

– Travel to North Evansville

* Vandalia, IL Hist. State Capitol, Lincoln Site

– Dinner at Stoll’s Country Inn

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express

Day 5 – North Evansville to Bowling Green, KY

– Lincoln City, IN

* Lincoln Boyhood Nat. Memorial

* Lincoln Living Historical Farm

– Travel to Hodgenville, KY

– Hodgenville, KY

*The Lincoln Museum

* Lincoln Birthplace Nat. Hist. Site

* Lincoln Sinking Spring Farm

* Lincoln Knob Creek Farm

– Travel to Bowling Green, KY

Included Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 6 – Bowling Green to Little Rock, AR

– Travel to Little Rock through beautiful Tennessee

* Lunch at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch Kitchen

– Arkansas Welcome Center, West Memphis

– Little Rock Sites

* Arkansas State Capitol

* Govenor’s Mansion

* Central High School Hist. Civil Rights Site

– Murry’s Dinner Playhouse

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Show

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 7 – Little Rock to Hope, AR

– Little Rock

* Clinton Presidential Center, Library & Museum

– Hot Springs, AR

* Clinton Boyhood Home

* Clinton Boyhood Church where he was baptized

* Clinton High School where he graduated

– Hope, AR (Hometown of Bill Clinton & Mike Huckabee)

* Hope Visitors Center Museum. Meet Margaret, proud Curator.

* Clinton Birthplace & First Home; Nat. Hist. Site

* Boyhood Home of Bill Clinton

– Dinner at Sheba’s Restaurant

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Hampton Inn (Brand new!)

Day 8 – Hope to Joplin, MO

– Travel to Fayetteville, AR

* A beautiful back roads, springtime drive through western Arkansas and the Ozarks.

– Fayetteville, AR

* Clinton House Museum

* University of Arkansas

– Lunch in Bill & Hillary’s First Home

– Wal Mart Museum, Bentonville, AR

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Drury reception)

Hotel: Drury Inn 

Day 9 – Joplin to Independence, MO

– Lamar, MO

* Truman Birthplace Hist. Site

– Grandview, MO

* Truman Farm Home Nat. Hist. Site

– Independence, MO

* Truman Pres. Museum & Library

* Noland House (where Harry met Bess)

* Truman House (Summer “White House” 1945-1953)

– Farewell Dinner at The Corner Café

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Drury Inn (Beautiful new), Blue Springs, MO

Day 10 – Independence to Home

– Travel home through Northern Missouri and Iowa

– Lunch at Machine Shed Restaurant in West DesMoines

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour Bonus

Even though this tour is specifically designed to explore the lives and history of our former presidents, we have intentionally planned it for the last of April. Traveling through the hills of Southern Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri during the peak of Springtime in this beautiful part of our country, is definitely an “added perk” of this adventure!