Greetings Fellow Travelers,

As you are well-aware, most of my works come from my trips along the open road or from my own history. However, another part of my journeys include reenacting history itself, in particular that war that set brother against brother, the Civil War.

Early in the fall each year, our group of Civil War reenactors, the Army of the Southwest, engage in a reenactment in Corydon, Iowa. This small town is located in Southeast Iowa on Highway 2. Now most towns in this area of my great state are farm-based communities, with a low population in the town itself. This reenactment takes places in the picturesque setting of the local park, with beautiful trees, a rolling landscape, and a quaint lake.

As a reenactor, I often vary between acting as a soldier for North or the South during our battles. When we are back camp-side, I take on a different role as a war correspondent. However, many of my fellow reenactors maintain their role as a solider while relaxing by the fires, which often inspires my art. I quickly sketched out the work below during this most recent event.

As the weather this year during our reenactment was not as inviting as years before, I decided to journey down the road about six miles to one of those other small towns, Allerton, Iowa. Now I happened across Allerton during a class reunion of sorts, which seemed to include former students from all the past graduating years. This reunion has a parade, a luncheon at the fire station, and activities to celebrate across the businesses in the community. I was fortunate enough to find a room at the Inn of the Six-Toed Cat, the local, and only, bed and breakfast in town. Now while I could regale you with the story behind this unique name, it is better coming from the cat’s mouth itself: Story of the Inn

As I sat on the porch, enjoying the scenes of this old, unique inn, I took in the stormy weather around me. This weather did not seem to dampen the celebrations around the town, as I heard the sounds of folks coming together to share their heritage. Most years, as a part of the reunion celebrations, the Inn hosts a dinner with General Ulysses S. Grant. However, General Grant was unavailable this year, so in order to substitute for the man himself, I created the work below. 

If you ever find yourself looking to embrace some local culture in Southeast Iowa, take a rest in Allerton and perhaps General Grant or a six-toed cat may stop by to make your visit as memorable as my own.

From the Open Road,

Lincoln Highway Johnny