A good vacation spot and it's close

To the Editor,

Summer is here, school is out, and the lure of the open road has caught us again. With the high price of gasoline, some folks are looking for a "one tankful vacation.'

Within the last year, a new vacation spot has opened across the Mississippi River in Union City, Tenn. This small city in Tennessee is now home for the "The Discovery Park of America." An ultra modern park offering a world class educational experience for adults and children.

The day I visited the park, I was told that spring field trips for schools, averaged nearly 1,000 students per day. The three story building house 10 exhibit galleries for science, nature, technology, art and history, an earthquake simulator, and a concert hall.

Outdoors, on 50 acres, contains gardens, bridges, waterfalls, a replica of the liberty bell, log cabins, train station, old church and a large aquarium.

The park is located near Reelfoot Lake, which was formed by the great earthquake of 1811-12.

The earthquake caused the Mississippi River to run backwards, and formed the present day Reelfoot Lake.

Carl Perkins, a pioneer rock 'n' singer, has a visitor center, nearby.

You might expect a park of this quality in the big cities, but this one is only a days drive and less than a tankful from Poplar Bluff.

Flavian Halter

Poplar Bluff, Mo.