Subject: Legends of America - September 2019 Newsletter

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Legends of America Newsletter - September 2019
I hope my neighbors aren't up early in the morning. If they are, they might get a look at a desperate man fighting what appears to be imaginary dragons.  

I'm a Ninja Warrior every August and September. The alarm goes off at 4am and I prepare for the battle ahead. Laptop in one hand, I position my small flashlight between its case and my arm, pointing slightly upward to make sure I can see the beasts. 

Outside the back door, my trusty staff (a metal broom handle) awaits. Grabbing it with my free hand, I begin the journey to my office in the cabin out back. Parry, thrust, parry, thrust, twirl and chop, I'm in a fight for my sanity, for nothing is worse than a face full of the beasts lair and the knowledge it's probably in your hair, ready to pounce down on your nose. I've been there, I know. I've also worn caps and have had them tether down from its brim, usually while thinking I was safe in my office. 

People keep telling me "they're harmless, don't kill them", "they eat all the bugs you don't want, leave them alone". But these people aren't being overrun by the beasts, or are at least safe and secure in their beds in the pre-dawn hours. I, in the meantime, don't really care what they eat, or how harmless they are...Orb spiders are some damn creepy uninvited guests. But as long as I have my flashlight and trusty staff, I will valiantly conquer the path. Until, of course, the flashlight goes out, or I forget my broom handle, at which point I'll probably just run into the cabin screaming like a little girl.  

Welcome to Fall

Dave "Spider Ninja" Alexander

Old West Photo Prints from Legends' Photo Print Shop

Whether you're decorating your home, or staging your saloon, we have hundreds of images from the Old West, including People, Mining, Saloons, Women and Gambling, Transportation and more. Just click on the photo you like, then click "Visit Shop" for prints, canvas wraps, and other products. All professionally done and shipped from our print partner here in Missouri and Kansas.  Don't forget to take 10% off as a newsletter subscriber. Use coupon code NEWS10 during checkout. 
What's New on LOA

Here are the latest additions since our last newsletter

We've expanded our information on several Missouri Route 66 towns.
Halltown, Missouri – Where Yesterday Meets Today – Halltown, Missouri, located on old Route 66 is a small village in Lawrence County, about 18 miles west of Springfield.

Paris Springs, Missouri – Revival on the Mother Road – Paris Springs Junction, Missouri is located on old Route 66 in Lawrence County. The village of Paris Springs got its start in the 1850s.

Spencer, Missouri – Quiet Now – The ghost town of Spencer, Missouri is located on Route 66 just a few miles west of Paris Springs Junction.

Onwards to Carthage – Heatonville to Plew – Between Heatonville and Avilla on old route 66, there are several ghost towns including Albatross, Phelps, Rescue, and Plew.

Avilla, Missouri – Avilla has a rich history of Union support during the Civil War and a brief resurgence when Route 66 came through, but today it sits quietly along a ghost town stretch of the Mother Road.

Beyond the Show Me State
Grant County, Nebraska – Ghost Towns on the Plains – Grant County, Nebraska located in the western portion of the state, is the 9th least populous county in the United States and has several near ghost towns.

Grand Riviera Theater – Gone Today – The Grand Riviera Theatre in Detroit, Michigan was once a beautiful theatre that served for generations before it was closed and later demolished in 1999.

Yazoo Land Scandal of Georgia – The Yazoo Land Scandal, also known as the Yazoo Land Fraud, was one of the most significant events following the American Revolution in Georgia history.

The Curse of the Famous Hope Diamond – The Hope Diamond, one of the most famous jewels in the world, has a history dating back almost four centuries. It is also said to be cursed.

Show your Missouri Mother Road Pride with this 11x17" poster, designed by Legends of America and available in our General Store. Take 10% with coupon code NEWS10 in cart view.
Did You Know?
On September 17, 1787, thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the new Constitution for the United States. Many of those who refused to sign did so objecting to the lack of a bill of rights. At least one delegate refused because the new Constitution codified and protected slavery and the slave trade.  

In 2004, an amendment to a spending bill before Congress established September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Before then, the day was simply Citizenship Day.  As part of the bill, Congress mandated that all publicly-funded educational institutions provide education about the Constitution on that day. 

The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass

Along with Fall we think of that magical time when tales of spirits and strange happenings fill the air.  

In our "Ghost Stories From the Old West" we find this railroad tale from author Charles Skinner, written in 1896.  


Paranormal Book Package

Package of three books for those interested in the paranormal and psychic phenomena. Read about astrology, astral projections, ghosts, UFO's, life after death, and much more. Deeply discounted. A great deal for those who are interested in the world of the weird. All 3 books "Unused-New Condition". Limited Supply - Free Shipping in the U.S. From our General Store. Take 10% with coupon code NEWS10 in cart view.
The Chuck Wagon - Real Queen of the Cattle Trail
Outside of the “round-up,” there just might be no more identifiable image for the cowboy and cattle trail of the Old West than that of the Chuck Wagon.

Some people may think that a Chuck Wagon was part of every traveling caravan, however, this was not the case. The Chuck Wagon was invented specifically for the use of the Texas cowboys who were driving their herds along the trail to the closest railhead or market.

While some form of mobile kitchens did exist along the overland trails and had for generations, the invention of the Chuck Wagon is attributed to Charles Goodnight, a Texas rancher and co-founder of the Goodnight-Loving Trail.

Popular on Facebook 

In case you missed them..here are some articles that have received the most interaction on our Facebook fan pages over the past month. 

Kenton & No Man’s Land - A post office was established here on September 8, 1886. Today the Oklahoma town supports only a few residents and a lot of history.

Timucua Tribe – Lost Today - The Timucua probably numbered between 200,000 and 300,000 people organized into various chiefdoms speaking a common language.

(From our primary Legends' Facebook Page)
The Bloody Benders – Serial Killers of Kansas - In the 19th century, the Benders were a family of mass murderers living near the small town of Cherryvale.


Thank you for your support!

We can't say enough how much your support keeps us motivated in sharing our love of American History and travel destinations. Our primary funding is through our General Store and Photo Print Shop, but your donations through our Tip Jar have also played a large role and continue to help with our server and technical costs. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Supporting our love of history since 2003, Legends' General Store is a great place to find unique gifts, books, DVD's, wall art, Native American inspired herbal remedies, t-shirts, postcards and much more.  As a newsletter subscriber, save 10% off any item. Just use coupon code NEWS10 in cart view.


Providing a wide range of photo prints and products from vintage images to our current travels. Thousands to choose from, including historic travel destinations, old west, native american, art and more available in many print sizes, including canvas and print wraps. Or put your favorite on a calendar, coffee mug or t-shirt. Just select an image and browse our many products in the Photo Shop.  As a newsletter subscriber, save 10% on all prints. Just use coupon code News10 during checkout. 

What Our Readers are saying: 

Hey all, you guys did a top notch job on all the prints I ordered and they just put my 1800’s saloon over the top! I was so impressed by the quality and the packaging. Thank you again, we will be forever Arizona customers! - Jamie (Legends Photo Print Customer)

Very interesting read. Being from Eastland County it was of special interest to me. I had never heard this story so it made my hometown come alive. I would bet there are many more stories such as this from other families living in Eastland and Eastland County that are just as interesting. - Clarence (Ref: Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock - Cowboy Gunfighter)

We too have seen the lights in the Cemetery. In the 1970’s our family and several others visited on a foggy night and saw some floating and much larger than any tomb stone nearly 10 feet high. An old miner who lived in town in a house made of cement bricks that each had beautiful and varied stones pressed into its face, told us that there is a phosphorous deposit there. The lights predate the Cemetery and were visible to trains that once passed through according to him.- Amy (Ref: Ghost Lights of the Silver Cliff, Colorado Cemetery)

You missed the Whiting Bros. service station & motel at Gray Mountain, Az. just south of the Navajo Reservation boundary on US89. A good friend of mine at the time used to work there back in the 70’s as his brother-in law managed the complex. The buildings seem to be still standing but abandoned. The unusual above ground fuel tanks are still there, now painted with Navajo art but retaining the Whiting Bros yellow crowns! - D (Ref: Whiting Bros on the Mother Road)

I am the Front Desk Manager of the Historic St. James Hotel & Saloon in Cimarron, NM. This is a pretty good reference that I like to refer people to. However, I wanted to let you know that a lot of the description and photos of the hotel are outdated. You can refer to our website http://www.exstjames.com for more up to date photos. - Thea (Ref: Haunted St. James Hotel in Cimarron)

Are we having fun now?, I love your life and enjoy reading about it, keep it up, sorry about your breakdowns, that’s life. - Norm (Ref: August Newsletter) Thanks Norm, it’s a life we wouldn’t trade, breakdowns and all. Thanks for being a Newsletter reader!



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