New Experiences

Yesterday, I left home at 6:30 a.m. to travel with a friend to Sheridan, Wyoming, because she was having some work done on her new truck there (we don't have this particular dealership in our town).  Sheridan is about 100 miles away, so it takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to get there.  It was a gorgeous day, and the drive was nice.  That early in the morning, we got to see quite a few animals that hadn't yet bedded down for the day.

Once we got there and dropped the vehicle off, the dealership was kind enough to loan us a car for the day while they worked on hers.  So, we headed out for some breakfast and to take care of some errands.  There are a few stores in Sheridan where we can get things we don't have at home, so we took our lists, and got everything we needed.  By the time we finished with our shopping, it was time for lunch, so we got that taken care of.

Whenever my friend has had a vehicle serviced at this particular place, they've been pretty quick, and are usually finished by the time we're done with lunch.  Though they thought it would be about the same this time, it wasn't.  They ran into some things that took longer than originally thought, so we found out that they wouldn't be finished with her truck until around 5 p.m.  So we headed out to find some things to keep us occupied.  The weather really was perfect yesterday, sunny and warm, so we weren't too upset about spending a little more time in Sheridan.

We decided to explore the Trail End State Historic Site.  It is a mansion, carriage house, and beautiful grounds that were built by the John B. Kendrick family.  Mr. Kendrick is a former Wyoming Governor and U.S. Senator.  The house was completed in 1913, and the Kendrick family lived there until 1961.  The house consists of the basement, main level, second floor family and guest bedrooms, third floor female staff quarters (male staff was housed in the basement), and the entire top floor is a ballroom with musicians' loft.  The house is filled with a lot of the original furnishings, rugs, and decorations.  It is fascinating to see many modern conveniences in this house, that I had no idea even existed in 1913, such as a central vacuum system that was accessible in each room!  On display in the cabinet where they were kept, are several of the original hoses and pieces of equipment that the maids would carry from room to room as they did the vacuuming.  There was also an intercom system and an elevator installed when the house was built.  I was amazed!  Throughout the entire house is very ornate woodwork, mostly in teak or oak.  Many of the curtains and rugs in the rooms are the originals, and while somewhat worn, they are still beautiful.  There are several marble fireplaces and mantles in the house, and ornately carved marble window frames and sills in the bathrooms.  Speaking of bathrooms, there are twelve in that house, including guest bedrooms each having their own private baths. 

I wish I had been able to get more or better pictures.  Flash photography is not allowed, as it can do damage to very old things, and the house is not lit well enough for much photography without the flash.  I did snap a few photos, but they are dim and a bit blurry from the shutter staying open a bit longer due to the lack of light.  But, they will give you an idea of what we saw.

Front entrance of the Kendrick residence.

South side of the home.

The master bedroom, with two double beds, and large bath.

Part of the ballroom.

We also took a walk around the grounds and gardens of the property.  It is all very beautiful and peaceful.  For the children and grandchildren growing up there, it would have been a wonderful place to play and experience the outdoors.

Yard and driveway at the front entrance of the home.

After we left Trail End, we found a park along the river, and just enjoyed the day.  Later, we got some ice cream, then took a drive on some random road in the country.  I don't have any idea where we were, but it was beautiful.

Finally, at about 5:30 p.m., the work was done on my friend's truck, so we headed for home.  It was a very nice day, spent with a great friend, and so much fun doing some new things.

How was your Wednesday?