Midwest travel links for September 2010

Check out some of these great Midwest-related stories I read online this past month:

Watch Detroit Lives with Johnny Knoxville-Living in the Detroit area, we get weary of the pessimism and negativity we see in the media and online about our hometown. I loved seeing see a little love for my hometown coming from, of all places, Johnny Knoxville! Becks at Detroit Moxie shares links to a short documentary film that follows Knoxville around town as he talks with folks who represent hope for Detroit's future.
Detroit Lives!-Aaron, who focuses on urban revitalization and helping cities thrive in the 21st century at The Urbanophile, shares the links to the same documentary and sees it as a great example of those answering the call to craft their own destiny. This post also contains a nice list of links of thoughtful articles about Detroit and some positive possibilities for the city's future.
Revisiting ArtPrize's Big Ten-The inaugural ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, generated tons of buzz last year as artists created an eclectic collection of artwork, competing for a $250,000 top prize determined by the votes of viewers. Brian presents a look back at the top 10 placing artists from last year as the 2010 ArtPrize competition continues to generate excitement as it draws to a conclusion this month.
A Morning at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge-Nicole shares her family's adventure at the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge near Seymour, Indiana, on the Indiana Insider Blog. Her family especially enjoyed the refuge's toddler-friendly trails, nature center, and a mid-1800s cabin and barn on the grounds.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Peninsula, Ohio-John shares his photographs of this pleasant little Ohio village near the national park on the Tamron Angle of View blog. Peninsula is part of the larger Akron area and less than an hour from downtown Cleveland, but it retains a nostalgic appeal and historic importance because of its connection to the Ohio & Eric Canal and the nation's westward development in the early 1800s. Read about my own visit to Peninsula at A pleasant Peninsula in Ohio.
Soldiering On-Detroitblogger John shares the story of one man's effort to bring the story of the African-American Buffalo Soldier units to life. The Buffalo Solider units first formed in the U.S. Army in 1866, serving in military campaigns in the western United States, as well as in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and the Mexican Expedition.
Fifty Fascinating Flour City Facts-Don't know much about Minneapolis? Check out this post at Nokohaha for 50 fun facts about this Minnesota city, its people, and its history.
Second City History-If you love vintage postcards, be sure to check out this beautiful collection of vintage views of Chicago. Lindsey shares these great images from the Chicago Postcard Museum at Travel Between the Pages.
The James A. Garfield Monument-Christopher shares some great turn-of-the-twentieth-century views of this impressive monument to President Garfield in Cleveland, Ohio's Lake View Cemetery at the Cleveland Area History blog. It was especially interesting to me to see how different the monument looked in its early days, compared to how it appears today. Check out my stories about Lake View Cemetery and the Garfield Monument to see more photos of them as they appear today.
'Around Cincy' video shows off Cincinnati's vibrant Fountain Square-Randy shares a link to a short video tour around the city on a beautiful summer day at UrbanCincy.
Ohio Caverns in West Liberty, Ohio Review-Go underground with Sandy to explore some caverns at Explore Ohio with Sandy. This short video tour features some amazing images and cool sound effects!
Clinton, Indiana: Italian Roots Run Deep-Jessica visits this little Italian enclave at the Little Indiana blog, exploring the Italian roots of the coal mine workers who called Clinton home and the little architectural touches that reflect that heritage.