Edit: I should mention that the most sobering thing I saw that whole trip was this massive bridge over the Mississippi. We were in rural Mississippi heading west and it was flat country when we saw this huge structure looming on the horizon. It must have been 6 miles away when we first spotted it and it just kept getting bigger and bigger and scared the crap out of both of us. I have somewhat of a bridge phobia anyway, so anticipating crossing that behemoth was worse than actually crossing it.
Grant Miniseries
- Thread starter cyson
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Edit: I should mention that the most sobering thing I saw that whole trip was this massive bridge over the Mississippi. We were in rural Mississippi heading west and it was flat country when we saw this huge structure looming on the horizon. It must have been 6 miles away when we first spotted it and it just kept getting bigger and bigger and scared the crap out of both of us. I have somewhat of a bridge phobia anyway, so anticipating crossing that behemoth was worse than actually crossing it.
This wikipedia version makes no mention (other than "my enemy is the white people") of the many racist comments Ali made early in his career. One of the more ridiculous included why he lost his fight with Frazier-- "white judges".
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Living in Eastern Iowa my wife and I go to Galena ,IL on a regular basis. Long time home of the Grant family and a lot of cool Grant info/memorabilia in that town. There is also a lot of good food and shopping.
The original painting of the Surrender at Appomattox is in the Grant Museum in Galena. That thing is huge. Has to be 12 feet long.
The original painting of the Surrender at Appomattox is in the Grant Museum in Galena. That thing is huge. Has to be 12 feet long.
I thought you literally did not know I was talking about Muhammad Ali -- not that you were questioning his inclusion due to some controversies surrounding him.
No figure on such a list is going to come without controversy. Washington owned slaves, Jefferson owned slaves (and worse), and Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower are documented to have had extramarital affairs, to give examples.
I was more thinking to myself, if you asked 100 people on the street for the greatest of Americans, and you tried not to only pick old white dudes while doing it, who would you come up with. I thought a sporting figure would make sense, thought Babe Ruth for a second as a cultural icon, but then Ali popped into mind and I went with him instead.
I would be happy to discuss the historical controversies around any of these figures with you if you want. It is fun. But I was going for what people would say.
One man they would not say often -- Grant (and probably Sherman, too). Lincoln kind of sucks up all the attention around the Civil War, and not without reason, but Grant was utterly necessary for Lincoln's eventual political successes.
Which is unfortunate and ultimately my point.
My knowledge of Grant was pretty much limited to what I learned in school. So my perception pretty much fell in line with the ruthless general, drunk and corrupt president mantra. I am somewhat embarrassed as I grew up in Dubuque and feel guilty I am not more knowledgeable of such an important American who lived 20 miles away.
The first 2 episodes were very good, but I really enjoyed the final episode most. Grant was much more than a Civil War General. His leadership during the immediate period after Lee's surrender and then his 8 years as Presidency are part of America's lost history. I walked away after watching the documentary that if Lincoln is considered one of America's greatest leaders than Grant should also be. It could be argued that Grant had greater impact.
Excited to read Grant's memoir based on the show.
The first 2 episodes were very good, but I really enjoyed the final episode most. Grant was much more than a Civil War General. His leadership during the immediate period after Lee's surrender and then his 8 years as Presidency are part of America's lost history. I walked away after watching the documentary that if Lincoln is considered one of America's greatest leaders than Grant should also be. It could be argued that Grant had greater impact.
Excited to read Grant's memoir based on the show.
Here is a nice compilation of photos of Grant’s funeral procession in 1885, 7 miles long in NYC, to his temporary tomb.
The 7 mile funeral procession reportedly is/was the longest ever in the U.S.
And an article on the 1897 procession to dedicate the permanent tomb, 12 years later, on what would have been Grant’s 75th birthday. The memorial reportedly is/was the largest tomb in North America:
General Dodge was grand marshal of parade at dedication of Grant Memorial
https://www.nonpareilonline.com/new...cle_7c4124ea-45a9-11e8-b713-47bb8cb2291b.html
President and Mrs. Grant’s tomb was refurbished in 1997, the 175th anniversary of his birth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant's_Tomb
The 7 mile funeral procession reportedly is/was the longest ever in the U.S.
And an article on the 1897 procession to dedicate the permanent tomb, 12 years later, on what would have been Grant’s 75th birthday. The memorial reportedly is/was the largest tomb in North America:
General Dodge was grand marshal of parade at dedication of Grant Memorial
https://www.nonpareilonline.com/new...cle_7c4124ea-45a9-11e8-b713-47bb8cb2291b.html
President and Mrs. Grant’s tomb was refurbished in 1997, the 175th anniversary of his birth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant's_Tomb
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Below is more information on the Dodge House in Council Bluffs, which is now a museum, and on General Dodge. The Dodge House seems interesting to me, worth a stop perhaps to some here, who might also be visiting other attractions in the area. Besides specific artifacts and history, it seems like a window into that era. It is closed now due to Covid-19, but I guess Christmas is a big thing there, so we’ll see. At this link are eight photos of the Dodge House, including interior:
https://www.omaha.com/the-dodge-house/collection_aeb299f4-8ad1-11e4-9c8e-c73f54a348ea.html
According to the website for Terrace Hill — the Dodge House, Terrace Hill, and the Chicago Water Tower (which famously survived the fire) were all designed by the same Chicago architect:
https://terracehill.iowa.gov/william-warren-boyington
The Dodge House
Terrace Hill (the governor’s mansion in Des Moines, closed for tours currently because of Covid-19):
Here is a link to the official site of the Historic General Dodge House
http://www.dodgehouse.org/
And another to the story and pictures of the statue of an angel that came to Mrs. Dodge in a dream, by the sculptor who did the Lincoln Memorial, at the edge of Fairview Cemetery in Council Bluffs:
https://www.omaha.com/lifestyles/th...cle_440a1d50-77ba-5b7e-9c52-40462510c759.html
Finally, more specific background on General Dodge than what I posted earlier:
Grenville Dodge (1831-1916)
http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/spy/pages/dodge.html
Message Board (one reference there is to IPTV)
http://shilohdiscussiongroup.com/topic/1711-grenville-dodge-spy-master/
https://www.omaha.com/the-dodge-house/collection_aeb299f4-8ad1-11e4-9c8e-c73f54a348ea.html
According to the website for Terrace Hill — the Dodge House, Terrace Hill, and the Chicago Water Tower (which famously survived the fire) were all designed by the same Chicago architect:
https://terracehill.iowa.gov/william-warren-boyington
The Dodge House
Terrace Hill (the governor’s mansion in Des Moines, closed for tours currently because of Covid-19):
Here is a link to the official site of the Historic General Dodge House
http://www.dodgehouse.org/
And another to the story and pictures of the statue of an angel that came to Mrs. Dodge in a dream, by the sculptor who did the Lincoln Memorial, at the edge of Fairview Cemetery in Council Bluffs:
https://www.omaha.com/lifestyles/th...cle_440a1d50-77ba-5b7e-9c52-40462510c759.html
Finally, more specific background on General Dodge than what I posted earlier:
Grenville Dodge (1831-1916)
http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/spy/pages/dodge.html
Message Board (one reference there is to IPTV)
http://shilohdiscussiongroup.com/topic/1711-grenville-dodge-spy-master/
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