Memorial Day Weekend 2011

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[Day 7 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: We know the lion's head is at Mesker Park Zoo... all we need to do is discover where. I think several people know the location by now but have not given it to me. On which wall of what building? It is not on the West or the South and it is not on the main entrance to the building... have you discovered the lion's head, yet? Check the previous daily clues. See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]

There is so much to do this weekend in the tri-state area, the Vincennes Rendezvous is one great Revolutionary War re-enactment event today & Sunday. Several special Memorial Day ceremonies mostly at cemeteries are planned. A big tradition for our family was to come to Evansville to decorate graves & then go to Mesker Park Zoo and, of course, ride on one of the world's largest Merry-Go-Round in the amusement park that existed just across the road from the all new entrance.

Elmwood Cemetery, Owensboro, Kentucky...

Elmwood is part of Rosewood Elmwood Cemetery with Elmwood being across the road (north side) from the office that sets in front of Rosewood Cemetery. Many of my LONG family are buried in Elmwood including my grandfather, Byron Allen Long, and my great grandfather, James Tobias Long, Jr. James was a veteran of the Civil War of the Union Army and has a military stone. There are several others of this family all in the same area of Section "G" on the northeast end. We spent several hours in the cemetery looking around as we decorated family graves.

Anna B. Brumley

1931-1989

Elmwood Cemetery

Section G

Note the planter made of aluminum and the punch artwork (click on photo to enlarge to see the detail better). I am impressed how it was shaped to fit exactly across the top! This family is of no relation to me and all that I know about them is this marker.

- Photo taken by JGWest

Mesker Park Zoo - Evansville

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[Day 6 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: We know the lion's head is at Mesker Park Zoo... all we need to do is discover where. It is on the outside (exterior wall). Its location on the building is in some way related to my name John West, but different! If you go out one of the exits of this building you will see a huge round grinding stone lying flat to be used like a bench... you will be very close to where the lion is mounted on the wall. Check the previous daily clues. See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]

You can support the zoo by adopting an animal at the zoo. My Ohio Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution has adopted a Bald Eagle each of the last 5 years. The DAR has started adopting an eagle, as well.

From the First Mate's Photo Album... Mesker Zoo

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[Day 5 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: By now, most have figured out that the building with the lion's head is somewhere inside of Mesker Park Zoo... I am pleased that so many were able to get that close to solving the mystery concerning this lion's head. It is not the Kley building where Donna resides (she being the oldest hippo in captivity... she will be 60 this year!). The Knecht Building was torn down about 1989... it held the "big cats" and was the original building for this lion's head. We need to discover which building has the lion's head, now. We also need to know where in or on the building it is. The location is somewhat obscure. I just accidently found it. Check the previous daily clues. See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]

Evansville's Mesker Park Zoo...

This is the old fish pond (no longer in existence).

In the center of the wall you can see another lion's head that water flowed from its mouth. This fish pond was so nice. It was a favorite part of visiting the zoo when I was a kid. I took a picture of the lion's head when I was about 15-17 years old... I have it somewhere!

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An AFROTC buddy of mine from Evansville College (now University of Evansville), Tyrone Bragg figured out that this mystery lion's head was originally on the Knecht Building (named for Karl Knecht, newspaper editorial cartoonist, who was instrumental for getting a zoo started in Evansville). Ty, you are the closest as of this morning!

From the First Mate's Photo Album...

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[Day 4 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: This place attracts people and is the oldest one in Indiana. It has had many "big" celebrities here besides Dora shown below: Jerry & Bunny with Donna. The place has the oldest known to exist in the world! The lion's head hangs on one of many buildings on this site. Check the previous daily clues. See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]

Dora, my grand daughter's favorite a few years ago! Dora visited the place that has the lion's head on a brick wall.

- Photo taken by JGWest

Grandchildren Are Great!

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[Day 3 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: The place where this lion's head exists has several buildings, with the newest building housing some very sensitive items that the building must maintain a constant temperature of about 70-72 degrees year around... the lion's head is on/in an older building See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~ http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]

Here is a very proud grandmother with a new sweat shirt with the names of her grandchildren!

Becky West is showing off the gift from Halle & Evan she got late, last year. I thought this was good timing since my son & family are coming into Evansville to visit... they live near King's Island northeast of Cincinnati. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, I am sure many will have family reunions or other types of get togethers. This coming Sunday, my Selvin High School Freshman Class will have a class reunion (our small high school was closed due to statewide "consolidation" in 1962 making our class the last Selvin Freshman Class). Selvin is in northeastern Warrick Co., IN. Yellow Banks Park & Recreation Center is just north of Selvin... agreat place to enjoy Memorial Day weekend. Friday, Becky & I will be decorating graves of family members, a serious tradition (duty, actually) that Mom faithfully did each year to remember family that had passed on. I drove her around for years, so after she died I ended up doing this each year. Over the years, I have found new information about my family as I went from cemetery to cemetery.

I hope that everyone has a great Memorial Day and may you learn something new about your family history! - JGWest

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

[Day 2 Lion's Head Location Clue/Hint: The building that it is on display is not well known as a meeting place... maybe because it is "bugged." See TSGS Cruiser Blog ~ http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-where-this-lions-head-is-located.html]
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Along the banks of the Ohio River is this monument & plaque in memory of Mt. Vernon's first Cemetery (1816-1973). This is in Posey County, Indiana.
Click on images to enlarge them. Below is a close-up photo of the plaque.

- Photos taken by JGWest

Guess Where This Lion's Head Is Located!

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Have you seen this lion's head before?

Please do not respond here, send your guess to me at jgw.mylines@gmail.com Need more than just the name of where this building is located or the name of the building... where is it placed on or in this building. I will give you a hint - I found it by accident in Evansville, Indiana. I will give a hint everyday until someone gives me the correct answer or I give you the answer on Memorial Day. Good luck!

- Photo taken by JGWest