Welcome to Buddy Walker's foto gallery , featuring photgraphic memories
from his numerous sightseeing trips in the USA .
February 2001 .
On my way up to the Colorado Rockies I made a stop off at Lookout Mountain ,
which overlooks Denver , Colorado .
This is the grave of William Frederik Cody AKA "Buffalo Bill" , and his wife is
buried next to him .
This pic shows Dan, Tasso, Clive, Me, Colin
and Don Larsen.
We drove up through the Colorado Rockies
to the ski town of Vail , incredible scenery .
We went to visit Don Larsen, who lived
there then .
He had some great photos of the W.D.P.
tour in '59 as well as some of the
Everly Brothers.
He was also a friend of John Denver .
After Clearlake , our journey back to Denver .
Stayed at the Super 8 Motel in Lincoln,
Nebraska .
Ate in Lincoln the night before at a diner
called "Buzzard Billy's".
Here loading, and getting ready to go:
Colin , Tasso and Nancy.
On the way back we took a detour to
Cheyenne, Wyoming .
This is Ogallala, Nebraska .
We had stopped to gas up and fill
the bin (eat).
Ate at the "Cowboy's Rest". Clive (pictured)
had a Buffalo burger. I was very proud
of him !
February 2004 , after landing in Chicago ,
I made my way across Illinois to visit the
"Quad Cities" which Rock Island is part of .
This is a memorial to trains and the history of
the Chicago Rock Island and
Pacific Railroad Co , which was the
inspiration for Lonnie Donegan / Johnny
Cash hit song "The Rock Island Line"
NORTHFIELD , MINNESOTA
Every year now , on September 7th (Buddy Holly's birthday), they stage a re-enactment
of this famous bank raid , and crowds gather in the street to watch this spectacle .
As mentioned on the plaque above , on
September 7th 1876 , the James and Younger
Gang went to Northfield Minnesota to rob the
First National Bank .
Shown opposite is the safe , which was on a
time lock and couldn't be opened until some
days later .
Out of pure frustration , they shot the bank clerk
dead and the townspeople discovered a bank
raid was in progress .
They all rallied round and attacked the gang
from all points .
Inside the bank , this picture shows the
door to the vault .
Everything inside the bank has remained
exactly as it was .
To this day , the only thing changed is the
glass in the windows .
This delightful and historic little detour just
off the I35 , South of Minneapolis , has become
a favourite of mine and I try to call in on most
of my visits .
Jessie and Frank James got away !
2 or 3 members of their gang died later from
their gunshot injuries , and 1 or 2 were shot
and died there on Division Street .
KEARNEY , MISSOURI 2011
Here at the grave of Jesse Woodson James
born Sept 5th 1847 and died April 3rd 1882 .
The entrance to the James Farm from
Jesse James farm road , Clay County .
Jesse James was born in this house , and
grew up with the civil war around him .
The James Farm House
The front of the house .
The site is listed on the national register
of Historic places .
The James Farm House was bought from
the James family by the Clay County ,
Missouri Department of parks ,
Recreation and Historic sites .
The museum and shop, the first
stop on the tour , to see a video and
gather information
The house suffered many attacks , by
gangs and The Pinkerton detective agency ,
who were working for the railroad
Co to flush out the James gang .
The house is well positioned , and
looks lovely in its snowy setting .
In St Joseph Missouri about 30 mins North
of Kansas City .
Jesse James Home , St Joseph, Missouri .
The house from the front . The lounge is
situated to the right of the front door .
The house has been moved 1 block from
its original site , and now sits beside the
Patee House Hotel .
During my tour of the house , in
which most of the contents and
furniture are original .
This is the lounge in the last house
that Jesse lived in with wife Zee ,
who was also his cousin .
Jesse stood on this chair to straighten the
picture at the top .
Bob Ford , a 20 year old new recruit to the
James gang killed Jesse for a $10 000
reward , as shown in the picture .
At the time Jesse was going by the alias
"Thomas Howard" .
Ford has gone down in history as that
"Dirty little coward who shot Mr Howard
and laid poor Jesse in his grave"
This is the entrance to the Patee
House Hotel , which itself housed
the offices of the Pony Express ,
which was set up in 1860 .
A Mr Thomas Howard was a
frequent visitor to the
bar and restaurant, and indeed
dances held in the Grand ballroom
on the 1st floor , it is said ,
he was well known.
The legend of the Pony Express , a 2000
miles ride leaving St Joseph to deliver mail
to Sacramento California . This would be
the starting point .
Riders would change horses at every
15 miles at the relay stations en route .
While the riders would stay at the hotel ,
the horses were cared for in the stables
just a walk down the road .
This is a fine statue of horse and
rider in downtown
St Joseph ,Missouri .
Both the hotel and the stables are
wonderful
museums , much has been done to
preserve the legacy .
--------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY , MISSOURI , 2011
Back in Kansas City , Missouri and not
far from my hotel was the
Harley - Davidson factory .
I did the factory tour , here with tour
guide James .
This was in the shop and reception
area .
The factory tour is superb , starting
with a great video , you are then taken
to the factory floor , and each step of
manufacturing is explained .
Each guest is kitted out with a head
mic reciever, so you can hear the tour
guide clearly over the noise of
machinery .
I've never owned a "Harley" but I love
'em and their history also .
In the afternoon I went to downtown Kansas City and visited Union Station .
What a building and 2nd only in size to Grand Central in N.Y.C.
What a history of trains to be had there , sadly now all gone .
A beautiful building and I so enjoyed my visit there .
---------------------------------------------
WINTERSET , MADISON COUNTY , IOWA
During my visits to Iowa in the last few years , I have become fascinated with Winterset ,
Madison County , firstly as it is the birthplace of John Wayne , and secondly famous as
the location for the 1995 movie "The Bridges Of Madison County" ,
starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep .
This is "Francesca's" house in the movie .
Note just parked in the front garden is
"Robert Kincaid's" green chevvy truck still
remaining from the movie shoot .
Originally there were 19 bridges , now only 6 remain !
They are now protected by the American equivalent of our National Trust .
Shown below is the Holliwell Bridge , the longest of the 6 bridges , at 117 feet in length .
Shots of this bridge were used in the movie .
This is The Northside Cafe , in the town square of Winterset .
Memorabilia from the movie adorns the back walls .
Note the 4th bar stool on the right , where Clint Eastwood's character "Robert Kincaid" ,
sat in a scene from the movie .
This is me sat on that 4th bar stool , enjoying lots of coffee and waiting for my
"Eggs over easy on Rye" .
This is a bar across the road from The Northside Cafe , called The Pheasant Run .
For the movie , Hollywood moved in and gutted it , creating "The Blue Note" .
When they left , they took all with them but forgot to take the table and 2 stools on which
the 2 stars sat sharing a beer in a scene from the movie .
This is me sitting on the stool which Clint sat on in the movie !
This is the birthplace of John Wayne , just off the main square in Winterset .
The actual tour of the small 4 - roomed mainly wooden house is amazing .
Just next door is the shop selling the tickets for the tour and all the merchandise .
Pictured is the bronze statue commissioned by Wayne's seven children .
This will take pride of place in a new centre being built just behind the original
birthplace .
During my 2011 return trip I drove from Kansas City to Clearlake , Iowa , about 350 miles .
I stopped again in Winterset Iowa after a 200 mile drive to stay couple of nights with friends .
I love this little town and had a lovely stay .
The Bronze statue presented by John Wayne's children to the birthplace just over 2 years
ago has now been erected on a corner , just along John Wayne Drive .
It looks superb !!!
Pictured with friends , Dan and Nancy from Denver , Colorado , who I was staying with ,
and Clive Harvey .
Dan , Nancy , Clive , Tasso from Australia , Colin , myself and The Duke , whose movie
"The Searchers" inspired Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison to use Wayne's often used phrase
during that movie , as the title of his first big hit song
"That'll Be The Day" .
This is the Roseman Bridge , built in 1883 and is the main bridge featured in the movie .
Photographed from any angle , it is always beautiful !
The log cabin official souvenir shop ,
owned by Wyman Wilson , a friend of
mine who was Clint's location advisor
for the movie
Having been to Winterset now a few
times (for the yearly Buddy Holly
anniversary celebrations in Clearlake ,
just 150 miles North) , I'm looking over
my shoulder at the Roseman Bridge
for the last time .
I have vowed to return again to Iowa
when there is no snow and the
weather is a lot warmer !
Welcome to Buddy Walker's foto gallery , featuring
photgraphic memories from his numerous sightseeing
trips in the USA .
February 2001 .
On my way up to the Colorado Rockies I made a stop off
at Lookout Mountain ,
which overlooks Denver , Colorado .
This is the grave of William Frederik Cody
AKA "Buffalo Bill" , and his wife is buried next to him .
This pic shows Dan, Tasso, Clive, Me, Colin and Don Larsen.
We drove up through the Colorado Rockies to the ski town
of Vail , incredible scenery .
We went to visit Don Larsen, who lived there then .
He had some great photos of the W.D.P.
tour in '59 as well as some of the Everly Brothers.
He was also a friend of John Denver .
After Clearlake , our journey back to Denver .
Stayed at the Super 8 Motel in Lincoln, Nebraska .
Ate in Lincoln the night before at a diner called
"Buzzard Billy's".
Here loading, and getting ready to go:
Colin , Tasso and Nancy.
On the way back we took a detour to Cheyenne, Wyoming .
This is Ogallala, Nebraska .
We had stopped to gas up and fill the bin (eat).
Ate at the "Cowboy's Rest". Clive (pictured) had a
Buffalo burger. I was very proud of him !
February 2004 , after landing in Chicago , I made my way
across Illinois to visit the "Quad Cities" which
Rock Island is part of .
This is a memorial to trains and the history of the
Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Co ,
which was the inspiration for the Lonnie Donegan /
Johnny Cash hit song "The Rock Island Line"
NORTHFIELD , MINNESOTA
As mentioned on the plaque above ,
on September 7th 1876 , the James and Younger Gang
went to Northfield Minnesota to rob the First National Bank .
Shown below is the safe , which was on a time lock and
couldn't be opened until some days later .
Out of pure frustration , they shot the bank clerk dead and
the townspeople discovered a bank raid was in progress .
They all rallied round and attacked the gang from all points .
Inside the bank , this picture shows the door to the vault .
Everything inside the bank has remained exactly as it was .
To this day , the only thing changed is the glass in the
windows .
This delightful and historic little detour just off the I35 ,
South of Minneapolis , has become a favourite of mine and
I try to call in on most of my visits .
Jessie and Frank James got away !
2 or 3 members of their gang died later from their gunshot
injuries , and 1 or 2 were shot and died there on
Division Street .
Every year now , on
September 7th (Buddy Holly's
birthday), they stage a
re-enactment of this famous bank
raid , and crowds gather in the
street to watch this spectacle .
KEARNEY , MISSOURI 2011
Here at the grave of Jesse Woodson James
born Sept 5th 1847 and died April 3rd 1882 .
The entrance to the James Farm from
Jesse James farm road , Clay County .
Jesse James was born in this house , and grew up with
the civil war around him .
The James Farm House
The front of the house .
The site is listed on the national register of Historic places .
The James Farm House was bought from the James family
by the Clay County , Missouri Department of parks ,
Recreation and Historic sites .
The museum and shop, the first stop on the tour ,
to see a video and gather information
The house suffered many attacks , by gangs and
The Pinkerton detective agency , who were working for
the railroad Co to flush out the James gang .
The house is well positioned , and looks lovely in
its snowy setting .
In St Joseph Missouri about 30 mins North of Kansas City .
Jesse James Home , St Joseph, Missouri .
The house from the front . The lounge is situated to the
right of the front door .
The house has been moved 1 block from its original site ,
and now sits beside thePatee House Hotel .
During my tour of the house , in which most of the
contents and furniture are original .
This is the lounge in the last house that Jesse lived
in with wife Zee , who was also his cousin .
Jesse stood on this chair to straighten the picture
at the top .
Bob Ford , a 20 year old new recruit to the James gang
killed Jesse for a $10 000 reward , as shown in the picture .
At the time Jesse was going by the alias "Thomas Howard" .
Ford has gone down in history as that "Dirty little coward
who shot Mr Howard and laid poor Jesse in his grave"
This is the entrance to the Patee House Hotel , which
itself housed the offices of the Pony Express ,
which was set up in 1860 .
A Mr Thomas Howard was a frequent visitor to the
bar and restaurant, and indeed dances held in the
Grand ballroom on the 1st floor , it is said ,
he was well known.
The legend of the Pony Express , a 2000 miles ride leaving
St Joseph to deliver mail to Sacramento California .
This would be the starting point .
Riders would change horses at every 15 miles at the relay
stations en route .
While the riders would stay at the hotel , the horses were
cared for in the stables just a walk down the road .
This is a fine statue of horse and rider in downtown
St Joseph ,Missouri .
Both the hotel and the stables are wonderful
museums , much has been done to preserve the legacy .
--------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY , MISSOURI , 2011
Back in Kansas City , Missouri and not far from my hotel
was the Harley - Davidson factory .
I did the factory tour , here with tour guide James .
This was in the shop and reception area .
The factory tour is superb , starting with a great video ,
you are then taken to the factory floor , and each step of
manufacturing is explained .
Each guest is kitted out with a head mic reciever, so you
can hear the tour guide clearly over the noise of machinery .
I've never owned a "Harley" but I love
'em and their history also .
In the afternoon I went to downtown Kansas City and
visited Union Station .
What a building and 2nd only in size to Grand Central
in N.Y.C.
What a history of trains to be had there , sadly now
all gone .
A beautiful building and I so enjoyed my visit there .
---------------------------------------------
WINTERSET , MADISON COUNTY , IOWA
During my visits to Iowa in the last few years , I have
become fascinated with Winterset ,
Madison County , firstly as it is the birthplace of
John Wayne , and secondly famous as the location for the
1995 movie "The Bridges Of Madison County" ,
starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep .
This is "Francesca's" house in the movie .
Note just parked in the front garden is
"Robert Kincaid's" green chevvy truck still remaining
from the movie shoot .
Originally there were 19 bridges , now only 6 remain !
They are now protected by the American equivalent of our
National Trust .
Shown below is the Holliwell Bridge , the longest of the
6 bridges , at 117 feet in length .
Shots of this bridge were used in the movie .
This is The Northside Cafe , in the town square of Winterset .
Memorabilia from the movie adorns the back walls .
Note the 4th bar stool on the right , where Clint Eastwood's
character "Robert Kincaid" , sat in
a scene from the movie .
This is me sat on that 4th bar stool , enjoying lots of
coffee and waiting for my
"Eggs over easy on Rye" .
This is a bar across the road from The Northside Cafe ,
called The Pheasant Run .
For the movie , Hollywood moved in and gutted it ,
creating "The Blue Note" .
When they left , they took all with them but forgot to take
the table and 2 stools on which the 2 stars sat sharing a
beer in a scene from the movie .
This is me sitting on the stool which Clint sat on
in the movie !
This is the birthplace of John Wayne , just off the main
square in Winterset .
The actual tour of the small 4 - roomed mainly wooden
house is amazing .
Just next door is the shop selling the tickets for the tour
and all the merchandise .
Pictured is the bronze statue commissioned by Wayne's
seven children .
This will take pride of place in a new centre being built
just behind the original birthplace .
During my 2011 return trip I drove from Kansas City
to Clearlake , Iowa , about 350 miles .
I stopped again in Winterset Iowa after a 200 mile drive to
stay couple of nights with friends .
I love this little town and had a lovely stay .
The Bronze statue presented by John Wayne's children to
the birthplace just over 2 years ago has now been erected
on a corner , just along John Wayne Drive .
It looks superb !!!
Pictured with friends , Dan and Nancy from Denver ,
Colorado , who I was staying with , and Clive Harvey .
Dan , Nancy , Clive , Tasso from Australia , Colin , myself
and The Duke , whose movie
"The Searchers" inspired Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison
to use Wayne's often used phrase
during that movie , as the title of his first big hit song
"That'll Be The Day" .
This is the Roseman Bridge , built in 1883 and is the main
bridge featured in the movie .
Photographed from any angle , it is always beautiful !
The log cabin official souvenir shop , owned by
Wyman Wilson , a friend of mine who was Clint's location
advisor for the movie
Having been to Winterset now a few times (for the yearly
Buddy Holly anniversary celebrations in Clearlake , just
150 miles North) , I'm looking over my shoulder at the
Roseman Bridge for the last time .
I have vowed to return again to Iowa when there is no
snow and the weather is a lot warmer !
