See America First Series: #4 - Warsaw and Memphis

So you're dreaming of touring the elegant palaces and castles of Warsaw, Poland... but the ledger balance won't cooperate? Why not try Warsaw, Indiana, along the historic Lincoln Highway?

Warsaw was twice named as one of the "Top 100 Small Towns in America". It's motto is "Live, work, and play."

Recreation is everywhere in Warsaw and the surrounding county. The county has 103 lakes on over 3,000 acres, with three right in Warsaw, offering every kind of water sports. This has earned Warsaw the nickname "Lake City".

The Wagon Wheel Playhouse, a theater in the round, hosts concerts and plays throughout the year. The CCAC (City-County Athletic Complex) on the west side of Warsaw boasts over 3,000 softball and soccer games each year. In addition, more than 20 golf courses are located within 45 minutes of Warsaw.

Other claims to fame... Warsaw, home to three orthopedic device manufacturers, is known as the Orthopedic Manufacturing Capital of the World. DePuy Manufacturing Company, founded in 1895, was the very first orthopedic device manufacturer. Zimmer, Inc is the largest and most successful Orthopedic Manufacturer in the world. Biomet is the smallest of the three. In addition, it has the largest printing press in the world. It is also home to Da-Lite (the largest manufacturer of projection screens) and Little Crow Foods (the makers of the famous CoCo Wheats breakfast cereal). Hosted tours of all of these facilities are conducted on request.

The Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a complete listing of the sites of interest to tourists on request.

Or Perhaps you have wondered about the pyramids, mummies, and gilded bronze images of Egyptian Gods that can be found in Memphis, Egypt and hoped to travel there. Oh, no! Not that money thing again... Well, Memphis, Tennessee, boasts a major collection about its namesake city, so why not go there?

The two cities have many amazing similarities if one knows where to look. The University of Memphis is dedicated to the study of the art and culture of ancient Egypt. Its exhibit shows how religious objects were mass produced. The exhibit also includes items as simple as small beads and amulets that were used by ancient Egyptians much like the Saint Christopher Medal and rabbits' feet are used by Americans today. There are many opportunities for tourists to participate and learn.

The University borrows some of the bronze images of the gods from other universities, such as the gilded and inlaid bronze image of Ptah, the chief god of ancient Memphis borrowed from the University of Pennsylvania. These inter-university loans keep the collection interesting and diverse.

A major attraction is Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley. It is the second most-visited house in the US (after the White House) with over 600,000 visitors each year.

Museums include:
The National Civil Rights Museum, located in the former Lorraine Hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated

Brooks Museum of Art, which includes works of Italian, British, and French Impressionists as well as 20th Century artists and students

Peabody Place Museum, with Chinese art
The Dixon Museum, with works by Monet, Degas and Renoir and outdoor gardens and Greek sculptures

The Children's Museum with its simulated grocery store, wood skyscraper maze, and full scale models of a fire engine and airplane fuselage.

There is something for everyone in Memphis.