JAKE THE ALLIGATOR MAN

If anyone regularly picks up the National Enquirer at your local supermarket, or if you think that any of those types of publications that seem to focus on alien abductions, are the gospel, then stop reading right now!  Located within Marsh's Free Museum/trinket store here in Long Beach, is a display that I'm sure some folks think is as real as those stories in the tabloids. 

Jake the alligator man has been on display inside Marsh's for decades, and the town actually celebrates this supposedly half man, half reptile's birthday in early August.  It's all "tongue in cheek" of course, unless you happen to fit in that tabloid box, and believe that if it's in print, it must be true.  The wall behind Jake's display case is filled with framed stories, all from those check out stand publications that focus on the unbelievable.  Nancy had never seen Jake, so Marsh's was one of our first stops yesterday.

We just missed the International Kite Festival, that takes place each year in August, in the sands of Long Beach.  There is however, a kite related attraction here in Long Beach, that we've never visited.
The World Kite Museum is located on one of the back streets, and it took me all of about 10 minutes to check it out.  Not a whole lot to see, probably because my interest level in kites is about -1 on a scale of 1-10.  There were a couple of displays about WWII kites that I did find interesting, but that was about it.

Next stop was the North Head Lighthouse, located on Cape Disappointment.  This lighthouse is no longer functional, but it served for many years, along with the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, as the two beacons that stood guard over the north entrance to the Columbia River.  Due to an all day foggy environment, the views of the ocean, and the Columbia River Bar were not as good as what we've been able to see in past visits.

From the lighthouse, we drove out to what was Fort Canby, a former military installation that protected the north entrance to the Columbia River with big cannons.  This site is now occupied by the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, that details the history of the Corps of Discovery's epic journey west.   The displays, the movie, and the historical descriptions of the journey are done exceptionally well, and worth the $5 admission fee.

This relief map of where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, is inside the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.

Patty and I caught the 4pm matinee at the local theater, where we enjoyed watching "The Butler", a movie based on a true story.  It's a pretty good movie about the real life of Eugene Allen, who served 8 presidents in the White House.  I wouldn't be surprised if this movie generates a few Oscar nominations.  

It's still foggy & dreary this morning, but the girls have a farmers market/artsy-fartsy thing on their radar, that takes place on Saturdays in Ilwaco.   Maybe there's a hardware or gun store nearby.