Train trip ..... part IV

The next morning we woke up in Nebraska, resulting in a dramatic change in the scenery from the mountains of the West to the expansive farmland of the Great Plains, described as “America’s Lingering Wild” by author Michael Forsberg.  While some may consider this part of the trip boring, I found it both beautiful and comforting as we travelled through the seemingly endless fields that feed the world with its agricultural bounty. Also, mingling with the good-natured Midwesterners gave me joy and reminded me of the good fortune I have had to spend most of my adult life in this region of the United States.   

The Plains have their own allure, and one of the more memorable moments of the trip was the crossing of the mighty Mississippi, the river border between Iowa and Illinois. The Mississippi is the largest river in North America, from its origin in Lake Itasca, Minnesota to its mouth near New Orleans at the Gulf of Mexico, spanning 2,320 miles or 3,712 kilometers. The train stopped for 10 minutes so we could see bald eagles perched on the trees along river’s banks. I noticed that several of the passengers on this part of the trip were Amish, a close-knit community with their unique traditional culture and populations in the central and eastern states of the country. It was heart warming to see them enjoying each other company and showing respect to their elders.  

As we continued east, we made a brief stop in Naperville and began passing by Chicago’s western suburbs. The suburb which brought back fond memories was Hinsdale, Illinois; where I bought a charming little house in the middle1980’s to start our family and raise our three little boys at the time, George, John and Mark. 

Our train then eased into our final destination of Chicago, Illinois; one of the World’s great cities. 

Chicago is home to the iconic Union Station, one of the busiest railway stations in United States. The current building went into operation in 1925, contains 24 railroad tracks, 10 of which come from the north and 14 from the south, and handles over 120,000 passengers daily.  Several famous lines; such as the Empire Builder, which links Chicago to Seattle, the California Zephyr, the one we rode from San Francisco to Chicago, the Southwest Chief that takes passengers from Chicago to Los Angeles, and the City of New Orleans, which joins these two great cities originate or end at the Union Station. In addition to the functionality it provides for the city and the country, the Beaux-Arts styling of this great terminal reflects Chicago’s strong and unique architectural heritage.

Itinerary

My son and I started our trip in Orlando, Florida and thus far we have driven our friend's car thru the States of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.  Although these southern States have commonalities each has distinct culture and flag.  I decided therefore to portrait the flags of these States and give a brief history.

The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire, the St. Andrew's Cross, on a white background, with the State seal  superimposed on the center stating in God we Trust. The term "Five Flags over Florida" usually refers to the five governments that have exerted sovereignty over all or part of Florida: the flags of Spain, France, UK, the US and the Confederacy.  

The current flag of the State of Alabama is a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white.  The cross of St. Andrew is a diagonal cross, known in as a saltire. 

The flag of the State of Mississippi is the sole remaining U.S. state flag which bears the Confederate battle flag’s saltire.

The flag of the State of Louisiana consists of a "pelican in her piety" representing a mother pelican wounding her breast to feed her young from the blood. The mother pelican's head and outspread wings covering the three pelican chicks nested below her form a stylized flour-de-lis, another emblem of similar significance often depicted in Louisiana. This symbol is emblematic of Christian charity is also found on the state seal.  

The Texas flag is known as the "Lone Star Flag".  The Flag's code assigns the following symbolism to the colors of the Texas flag: blue stands for loyalty, white for purity, and red for bravery. The code also states that single (lone) star "represents all of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, State, and Country." The "lone star" is, in fact, an older symbol predating the flag which was used to symbolize Texans' solidarity in declaring independence from Mexico.  It is still seen today as a symbol of Texas' independent spirit, and gave rise to the state's official nickname "The Lone Star State".  The idea of the single red stripe and single white stripe actually dates back to the short-lived Republic of Fredonia,  a small state near modern Nacogdoches which seceded from Mexico in 1826 before being forcibly re-integrated. The new state was formed through an alliance between local Anglo settlers and Native American tribes and the Fredonian flag used a white and red to symbolize the two ethnic groups from which the state was formed.

The flag of the State of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers on a sky blue field. The Osage shield is covered by two symbols of peace: the calumet representing Native Americans, and the olive branch representing European Americans. Six golden brown crosses, Native American symbols for stars, are spaced on the shield. The blue field represents the first official flag flown by any Native American Nation, the Choctaw flag. The blue field also represents devotion. The shield surmounted by the calumet and olive branch represents defensive or protective warfare, showing a love of peace by a united people.