Relyance Bank Crown Club members traveled recently to St. Louis, Missouri, where they spent the night at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark before their river cruise.
The next morning, before boarding the American Queen, the steam-powered paddle wheeler, they toured the world-renowned Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, called by Pope Paul VI “the outstanding cathedral of the Americas.”
They saw Union Station, built in 1894. They saw the mansions of Lindell Boulevard, and beautiful Forest Park which contains 14,000 acres. They saw where the World’s Fair was held in 1904. They boarded trams and traveled to the top of the Gateway Arch, known as the Gateway to the West.
Later in the day, they traveled to Alton, Illinois, where they boarded their vessel for seven days. The next morning, the first port on the itinerary was Chester, Illinois, known as the home of Popeye.
The first stop on the tour was the Cohen Memorial Home, located on a beautiful site overlooking the Mississippi River.
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The next stop was the Spinach Can Collectables and Museum. The Courthouse and Randolph County Museum was the next stop and featured displays and artifacts, which showcase treasures from the heritage and long history of Randolph County. The last stop was the Chester Welcome Center, located in Segar Park next to the Chester Bridge overlooking the Mississippi River.
The next day was a steam boating day with onboard activities including River Chat with Riverlorian, line dancing classes, bingo, Showtime “A Southern Celebration” featuring the American Queen Ensemble and late night entertainment, Country Hits in the Engine Room Bar.
Cape Girardeau was the next port and as they stepped off the boat, they saw the most dramatic of the Cape’s murals, The Mississippi River Tales Mural, located on a portion of the downtown floodwall.
Next on the tour was Old St. Vincent’s Church with English Gothic Revival style, which is not only beautiful but extremely rare as very few churches of this style exist in America today.
They paid a visit to the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts River Campus where they saw impressive pieces of art in many different styles.
The next day, they cruised to St. Louis where they enjoyed a guided tour of Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals. The group got a unique look at the home of the Cardinals, from the World Series trophies in the Champions Club to the Cardinals Dugout.
Some in the group also took a guided tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
“From the Prohibition era to Super Bowl commercials, there is nothing more iconic in Budweiser’s history than its team of Clydesdale horses,” a spokesman said.
The group enjoyed touring the stables and seeing these fine animals. After a complete tour, they enjoyed a sample in the outdoor Biergarten.
Grafton, Illinois, was next on the itinerary. Guests relaxed and enjoyed melodies of the great Mississippi River and the beautiful scenery of the cascading bluffs lining the winds of the Great River Road. Next, the group toured the Pere Marquette State Park and Visitor Center.
The last port was Hannibal, Missouri, where they visited Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home and Museum. The town today is picturesque, with homes built right up the bluffs from the river.
The group also toured Ayers Pottery and Elaine Dial and Sue Ryall enjoyed a tour of the shop and working studio where they saw pottery pieces created by an artist, followed by an introduction to basic wheel throwing from a master potter. Then they were ready to suit up and try it. They were able to create their own work of art and an unforgettable memory.
The Big River Train Town was another gem in Hannibal and was packed with more toy trains than you could imagine. The group enjoyed authentic replicas as they moved swiftly along the tracks and learned the history of the models and trains they were made after.
Members participating in the trip were Elaine and Tommy Dial, Kay and John Garrison, Sue and Neb Ryall, Rita and George Sevall, Doris Waugh, Dwight Shatto, Martha Taylor, Patricia Bethea, Mike Brewer and Cindy Cullins, Crown Club director.