In this, our last adventure in Springfield, Mo., we are exploring more of the city’s popular attractions.
HISTORIC C STREET
Extending about 12 blocks from Grant Avenue to Washington Avenue between Commercial and Pacific streets, the Historic C Street District (short for Commercial Street) was where the new Frisco rail line traversed through town, transforming the area into a hub of commerce, culture and other activities.
Today, the district offers an eclectic mix of artistic, entertainment and shopping entities and professional services, from vintage boutiques to coffee shops, flea markets, a gourmet chocolate factory, wine bars, pubs, stained glass studios and locally owned restaurants.
While in the area, be sure to explore the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge. Built in 1902 over the original 13 railroad tracks in an effort to connect residents to the business district, it extends 562 feet, making it the country’s oldest and longest pedestrian footbridge.
LEGENDS OF THE SHOW ME STATE
Billed as a place that celebrates the past and inspires the future, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of Missouri’s exceptional sports heritage.
Founded in 1994 and located on E. Stan Musial Drive-named in honor of the St. Louis Cardinals great (who played from 1941-1963) and baseball hall of famer-just a stone’s throw from the intersection of Interstates 60 and 65, the Hall is a two-story, 32,000 -square-foot building with more than 4,000 sports archives.
Upon arrival, the first thing to grab your attention here are the life-size bronze busts and statues along the Legends Walkway, each honoring a legend of their own game. You’ll find golfer Payne Stewart, WNBA great Jackie Marie Stiles, baseball manager Whitey Herzog, football legend and sportscaster Dan Dierdorf, baseball icon Ozzie Smith and scores of others waiting to usher you through the doors.
Inside, whether you are a casual fan or sports fanatic, there is something for everyone, from baseball to auto racing, golf, tennis, sports medicine, basketball, football, bowling, track and field and hockey at both the collegiate and professional levels.
In addition to archival displays chock full of photographs, trophies, medals, autographed sports gear, newspaper clippings, uniforms and more, the Hall has done a wonderful job of incorporating numerous interactive exhibits. Among them is a basketball shooting area, a mini putting green and a race car in which you can experience the thrill of the ride.
This awe-inspiring state treasure also encompasses the Legends Wall, honoring to date 22 legends “selected from the thousands of athletes, coaches and contributors who have contributed to Missouri sports over the past decades [and] who have…made an impact upon the face of Missouri sports in such a way that their names are viewed in iconic stature,” according to the Hall.
Thus far, more than 300 individuals have been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Among them are greats such as “Phog” Allen (basketball), Lamar Hunt (football), Opal Hill (golf), “Cotton” Fitzsimmons (basketball), Don Carter (bowling), Casey Stengel (baseball), Volney Ashford (football), Harriet Bland Green (track and field), Joe Garagiola and Mahlon Aldridge (sports media), “Yogi” Berra (baseball), Satchel Paige (baseball), Dr. E.A. Porter (sports medicine) and, of course, Stan Musial. This is just the beginning of some of the great personalities and legacies found here.
AN UNDERGROUND NATURAL WONDER
On our way out of town we stopped at one last attraction, Fantastic Caverns. Located approximately 15 minutes northwest of Springfield, Fantastic Caverns-one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state and one of more than 6,500 known caves that dot the Missouri landscape-is unique for many reasons.
It was discovered in 1862 by a farmer who was out walking his dog in the rolling hills of what was once a wide-open expanse. About five years later, a newspaper ad seeking explorers was answered by 12 brave women from Springfield who ventured into what turned out to be a massive cave formed by rivers that had carved their way into the surface of the Ozarks, ultimately forming valleys, canyons and caves.
The drive from the highway to Fantastic Caverns is breathtaking, offering picturesque views of the rolling hills and surrounding countryside along quiet two-lane country roads in what is really a residential neighborhood. If it weren’t for the signs directing you to the caverns, you would never know you were on your way to a tourist attraction, much less one of this magnitude. Up until the last turn, you are literally surrounded by nothing but the beauty of the Ozarks. The grounds itself are scenic as well, with the main building set against a backdrop of soaring trees and open, green spaces.
Today, Fantastic Caverns is America’s only ride-through cave, bringing visitors of all ages to its natural and well-preserved splendor via jeep-drawn trams. The one-hour tour-an all-weather attraction since the temperature hovers at a constant 60 degrees year-round-yields thousands of fascinating cave formations. These formations are still growing (albeit at such a slow rate that most people would not notice a change in their lifetime), so visitors are asked not to touch them, as the natural oils in our skin can actually retard thousands of years of growth. However, there is one spot at the beginning of the tour that you can touch to get a real feel of the cave.
What in my mind really sets Fantastic Caverns apart from other caves-aside from its historic significance-is that it is family-owned and part of a science research program that strongly supports conservation and educational programs.
Before or after the tour, be sure to roam the grounds, where you can picnic (in season) or take a short walk to the Canyon Trail brimming with wildlife, limestone bluffs and a hardwood forest. The half-mile trail winds through a portion of a primitive, collapsed cave along the Little Sac River and ends up at Indian Spring, a wet weather spring that flows only during the rainy months and drains the lower River Sanctuary passage of Fantastic Caverns.
TIME TO GO HOME
Well! I hope you enjoyed this adventure in Springfield. There is so much to see and do, and a feature series does not quite cover it all, but rest assured that the “Middle of Everywhere” is a worthy travel destination.
Lysa Allman-Baldwin writes for numerous online and print publications, including as the cultural travel writer for www.Examiner.com and as a senior travel writer for SoulOfAmerica.com, an Afrocentric travel website. Lysa can be reached at lallmanbaldwin@kc.rr.com.