Destination Heartland

Cynthia Clampitt is a food historian and travel writer. She is the author of Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland and Waltzing Australia.

"Clampitt's work reminds readers of the importance of local history in explaining the intricate history of the United States." --Missouri Historical Review "For the author, traditions, the built environment, historic events, learning, eating, and travel by car are a way of life that she encourages her readers to emulate. . . . History lovers will gain a useful, interesting, and convincing book that will bring back memories of places visited while revealing enticing new possibilities nearby or just a few miles away." --Nebraska History Magazine "For one looking for a fun and historic place to visit, Clampitt's book is chockful of ideas and offers an easy way to explore possibilities. What might be difficult is choosing where to go first." --Illinois Times "This is a rich and varied collection with something for everyone, even though Clampitt says her book is far from a comprehensive listing. But if you take this book along as a travel companion to the Midwest, you will be kept busy!" --Women on the Road "A buoyant guide. . . . In Destination Heartland it pays to go into the heart of the heart of the country." --NewCity "Clampitt's brilliant new book offers a literal roadmap for those curious souls seeking a guided tour of Midwest, the nation's lost region, whose deep history we would all benefit from finding."--Jon Lauck, author of The Lost Region: Toward a Revival of Midwestern History "Places I knew and places I now want to go! Cynthia Clampitt offers interesting information on these locations and what to eat along the way. This book should be kept in the car to refer to as you drive around. I truly love this book!"--Leah Joy Axelrod, former president, Illinois Historical Society

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1: Creating and Defining the MidwestChapter 2: Witnessing HistoryLiving-history venues and open-air museums: places to watch what life was like.Chapter 3: Perusing HistoryVintage sites, historic homes, museums large and smallChapter 4: Exploring HistoryHistoric towns, enclaves, and sprawling destinationsChapter 5: Experiencing HistoryParticipating, reenacting, volunteering, and other opportunitiesChapter 6: Eating and Sleeping HistoryHistoric inns and dining venuesChapter 7: Locating More HistoryResources for finding more places, whether near you or elsewhere in the MidwestAppendix A: Destinations by StateAppendix B: Order of StatehoodNotesSources