Sunday, August 25, 2013

Riding along 224 on a tractor

The big Oliver 1855 goes amazingly fast for a tractor.  Cliff says it's because it has hydraul-shift.  It goes fast enough that our hair blows back when we're up to full speed, and if it weren't for cars behind us needing to pass, it almost feels like being on a motorcycle.  I thoroughly enjoyed our ride to Lexington and back.  
224 highway started life as the Santa Fe Trail.  After automobiles came on the scene, it was 24 highway, the main thoroughfare (at least in these parts) going east and west.  Later on a new 24 was put in, and this small stretch between Napoleon and Lexington became 224.  You will see lots of motorcycles traveling this historic stretch along the Missouri River.  


There are people living here and there along this route, but there are also abandoned houses like this one that remind me what the road was like in its heyday.  


I took this shot as we were leaving Lexington.  Local folks call this street "Irish-town Hill Road".  Those bricks are very slick in winter when coated with ice or packed snow. 


    We caught up with the owner of the local peach orchard, Larry, and he motioned us past him, knowing we had a faster tractor.  


Yesterday I thought someone was living in this house.  Looking at the picture, I'm not so sure.  


This is the outbuilding that goes with the house.  Now I realize why I knew the place was inhabited.  


What's left of an old service station.


Here's what it looks like in winter.  


This is the Peckerwood Club, somewhat infamous in its early days.  It was still open for business when we moved here in 1975.  I believe it closed for good in the 80's.  


Ah, civilization!  Just before you enter our little town, you come upon the Sni Mini-mart.  The only store or service station around.  


And here, also on the banks of the Sni, is Catfish Charlie's.  We don't eat there often, but the food is good.  Our tractor club group likes going there.

10 comments:

  1. Back in the early days, the Peckerwood Club was said to be Al Capone's favorite stop on his way from Chicago to KC. Oh the tales those buildings could tell.

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    1. Anonymous11:00 PM

      I was the little boy who lived with Dick perry at the old Spanish bar on 224 AL capone came to his bar one night and had 3 men bet him up they thought he called the cops on him when he was up at pecker wood club I cried and asked them to stop it after about 30 minutes went by somebody called down and told Dick that they could come back now that they were a fight in the parking lot and they were gone now Dick told me that I saved his life that night because they stopped hitting him and I can't find anyone to help me find out where the old stone house is and I was in his will the only one in it never got notified to come to court his sister Gussie E perry had the will and told me it was all mine and the stocks and bonds I can not get anyone to help me because I don't have any pruff sorry for my spelling I have been trying to find out anything since 1980 he told me that I was his son and my mom did two only thing that I can think of is that the will got changed when Gussie got sick if you new Dick perry perry please let me know and God Bless you for reading this she lived at the stone house.

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    2. I'm sorry, but all I know about the place is what others have told me. My husband and I were only in the establishment once, in the 1980's

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  2. What a great ride you all had and to think you're now passing up others in your tractor. Now that is something. Glad you enjoyed the ride!

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  3. Your tractor is a monster compared to Larry's! :) I love the pictorial tour; it's always interesting to see and hear about where people live.

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  4. I enjoyed that ride-along!

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  5. What a nice tractor ride. Enjoyed being invited along.

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  6. My dad and 2 of my brothers worked at that filling station on 224 back in the late 50s early 60s for Richard Perry nick name Dick.

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  7. Gussie Perry work at the packer wood club Richard Perry owned it he past away 1976 and she past away 1977 i was the little boy that lived with him i do not know why his bar was not taken he lived in it never found out what happened to it i miss liven there and playing in the river good old days.

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  8. There is no septic tank for waste. They tell me that is why the building cannot be used any more.

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