We were up and out early from the hotel which was ten shades of maddening primarily because I couldn’t locate our room in the maze of buildings with confusing number systems with little signage. After failing to pick up a light breakfast for Matt, I instead found myself directed to copious scrapbooking events with rooms full of… yes you guessed it… scrapbooks and tables. I gave up trying to find my room within the maze of corridors, and resorted to leaving the hotel in order to circumnavigate several car parks before re-entering the building to the room. It took a while to find my equilibrium.
We spent today in the Henry Ford Museum which was full of treasures and emotional moments, such as sitting on the original Rosa Parks’ bus which has been restored. The bus number above the driver seat hadn’t been touched, and we heard a recording from Rosa describing the day where she was arrested for failing to move to the segregated section of the bus. The well documented incident really hit me and I had a moment.
We then saw protected behind glass, the padded rocking chair in which Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. He was at a theatre and had been shot from behind, before dying later that evening. We also saw one of the few original copies of the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, which had faded but was so incredibly important. The museum also showcased the presidential vehicles, racing vehicles, trains, and heavy machinery and so much more.
I wanted to have a flat penny of the Rosa Parks bus, but the machine wasn’t working. Matt had spoken to someone who may arrange to post one to us, so that we can add to our growing collection.
In the hotel this evening, the host mentioned the remains of a fort in Defiance near a library which we will try to find in the morning.
