The Lure of Roadside Attractions

One of my favorite things about road travel is getting to experience the attractions in small towns. It’s fun to see and learn about local history or culture. And because these places aren’t often busy, the attendant is often eager to chat and is also a great resource for local referrals. The tiny town of Cottonwood, Idaho, population 900,  offered two such attractions.

The first was the Monastery of St. Gertrude. I followed the signs up a winding three-mile hill, and perched overlooking a pretty valley was this cool place with a first-rate museum.

 

Much of it was local history, but there was an entire section devoted to the history of the nuns for whom the convent is home. Like many orders of nuns, their founders arrived from Europe in the late 1880’s, and they were heavily involved in education and health care. As nun vocations fell off in the 70’a, the school closed and the nuns turned to working on social justice issues and in the community. Today the Monastery has an active spiritual retreat center, and also sponsors an annual Raspberry Festival.

 

I was educated by nuns from K-12 and in college. Many in the early years were the stereotypical knuckle rappers. However, the nuns that were on the faculty in college were just a few years older than we were and so much more interesting. I will lalways have a soft spot in my heart for the sisters.

 

As for the woman working the St. Gertrude museum, she and I talked for quite awhile about hopes and dreams and plans for the future. Love that stuff.

 

On the way out of town, I passed a place called Bark Park. I flipped a U-turn, headed back, and walked up with the question, “What is this place”?  My first two guesses, a doggie day care or a fenced dog park, were both wrong.

Turns out it’s a Bed & Breakfast. Hilarious. I stayed and chatted with the person in charge for a long-time.

True to form, the woman at the Bark Park recommended a great lunch stop  in the next tiny town, Craigmont, Idaho. Population 501. It was my first sit-down restaurant meal since we left Phoenix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments!