While on the road seeking insights from nature, gaining knowledge from museums or satisfying cravings for beauty, take a break from the beaten paths to learn more about the lives and times of some of America's most beloved celebrities. To find out the answers and much more, take a trip down celebrity lane and visit the roots of the renowned. Today, the home near Oologah, Okla., is part of a living-history ranch and is open to the public. In nearby Claremore, the Will Rogers Museum honors the cowboy, trick-roper, Broadway and movie star, radio commentator, newspaper columnist, author and philosopher. Eight galleries brim with interactive television programs, artifacts, saddles, photographs and manuscripts.
Films play in a dozen theaters, and a children's museum entertains young fans.
In front of the museum is a sunken garden where Rogers and his family are buried. There, the Judy Garland Birthplace pays tribute to the actress who performed on stages throughout northeast and north-central Minnesota before moving to Hollywood and signing her first movie contract at age 13. Also on site is the Leah Miner Garden Memorial, which has an Oz-like field of poppies and a yellow brick path for visitors to follow as they stroll through the garden. The Judy Garland Children's Museum, scheduled for completion in 2000, will feature permanent and changing exhibits on Judy and the Wizard of Oz , including a carriage once owned by President Lincoln and used in the movie. Visitors can view the exhibits at the museum's temporary quarters, also located in Grand Rapids.