George Washington Carver National Monument

Once again, I'm totally behind with the blog since we're moving faster than I can review on sites.  So, I'll be making a few short and sweet posts and hopefully get back to where we are.  Last summer, we took Hunter and Cierra, our oldest two grandkids to Tuskegee, Alabama where they went to the Tuskegee Institute and learned about George Washington Carver as an adult and scientist.  June 11th, I was in Diamond, Missouri just 15 miles south of where we are staying and visited the George Washington Carver National Monument where he was born as a slave back in the 1860s and died in 1943.  I found him to be an amazing man and was excited to learn about his youth in this location and how to became close to God through his spiritual connection with nature. 

The visitors center is a wonderful place.  Full of two-story exhibits about his youth and adulthood.  There is also a lovely bookstore where I bought two postcards to send to the grandkids.

I really enjoyed the Visitor Center brochure about George.

George was the son of Mary, who was purchased by Moses Carver and his wife Susan for $800 and George's father is believed to be a slave on another farm nearby.  He was born in a dirt floor cabin about 1/4 mile from the Carvers.

When George was an infant, he and Mary were stolen by outlaws from Moses Carver and Mr. Carver hired a man to hunt them down and return Mary and George to him.  Moses was found - dying from whooping cough, however they never found Mary.  Moses and Susan Carver raised George - although he never lived in their house.

While living on Moses' Carver property, George fell in love with nature and his feeble health afforded him more free time.  He said, "Day after day I spent in the woods alone in order to collect my floral beauties and put them in my little garden I had hidden in brush".  Plants thrived in George's care and he was soon dubbed, "The Plant Doctor".

Turtles in the swamp

George created things from plants he found in the woods, which I found amazing!

He later lived with his Aunt Mariah Watkins in Neosho, Missouri - a town just a few miles from Diamond.

George's small 2-page autobiographical sketch is short yet informative.  The Visitor Center has their movie online and you can watch it here to learn about George.  I enjoyed walking the mile around the property and also the Carver family cemetery.

My favorite part of the entire visit was walking around the Prairie Restoration Area and walking in the same areas George would have walked as a boy.  Each plaque on the trail inspired me.  I was surprised to learn George awakened each morning at 4 a.m. to be alone and pray.  He was inquisitive and would also ask, "I wonder how..." or "I wonder if..."  He was always full of questions and curiosity and I'm sure that's what made him such a great scientist and botanist.  I think his wanting to "know" is how he became the man he became.

This is a wonderful national historical site and I'd rate it 5 stars.  The walk in around the property was quiet and peaceful - full of sounds of birds, bugs and rustling leaves.  Although the day was hot - the walk was very inspiring and a must-do for visitors who come to learn about this site.