CITY DAILY PHOTO DECEMBER THEME - LOCAL HISTORY

A statue of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark (and a goofy looking dog) in a small boat at the Mississippi River. Lewis and Clark, with their band known as the Corps of Discovery, set out in 1806 at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson to explore the vast lands recently acquired from France in what was called the Louisiana Purchase. (It helped finance the Napoleonic Wars.) They eventually reached what is now Oregon and the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River. And it all started here.             

LAST BEND IN THE PATH

As visitors approach the end of the walk through Garden Glow, the path takes them by the reflecting pool with a view of the Climatron, a geodesic dome comprising four climate zones, controlled without partitions by a sophisticated air flow system.

That's it for this tour. Tomorrow is City Daily Photo theme day, local history. I'll be in Chicago for the weekend, looking for images. And be sure to stop by on Tuesday. It's a significant day in the history of this endeavor.                         

STARS AND STRIPES

On what the botanical garden calls its central axis, a reflecting pool is covered with twinkling LEDs, pulsing through in changing, multicolored stripes. What can't you do with electronic lighting these days?              

HALLOWEEN LEFTOVER?

Toward the end of the Garden Glow walk through the botanical garden, visitors come across a large, old tree wound tightly with bright blue lights. It looks the same every year and, frankly, seems a little dull after the first time or two. Of course I took a few shots but thought I should edit it into something different. This is suitably spooky.                     

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Another light tunnel at Garden Glow. My granddaughter Ellie, in the foreground, may end up somewhere unexpected but she will be fine as long as Lambie stays on her shoulder.          

FOUR VIEWS OF HENRY SHAW'S HOUSE

Yesterday's post mentioned Henry Shaw, the wealthy 19th Century businessman and philanthropist who founded the botanical garden and adjacent large city park. He built a grand home on the grounds, which has been restored and is open to visitors. Amazing light displays are projected onto it during Garden Glow. They change and move to music, with new versions every year.          

OBSERVATORY

Not in the astronomical sense we usually think of. The Missouri Botanical Garden, founded in 1859, and adjacent Tower Grove Park are part of the legacy of businessman and philanthropist Henry Shaw. The story is that Shaw built this structure to survey his estate. Unfortunately, the Garden doesn't let visitors to climb to the top.