Day 41 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Wednesday June 11th, day 41 of our 2025 summer adventure. After our walk, we headed to Marcia & Larry's. On our way to Kentucky, we passes a drive-in theater. The Holiday Drive-In, located in Reo, Indiana, first began showing movies in 1955, but has been operating under the current ownership since 1978. After experiencing years of popularity during the 50s and 60s, drive-in theaters took a downturn in the 70s. 

Darrell Moseley purchased the closed down Holiday Drive-In in 1978, and it is now one of the oldest drive-ins in the United States still in operation. In 1980, the drive-in added a second screen, a third and fourth in 1992, and a fifth in 1995. The drive-in just recently added its sixth screen to increase the number of movies that could be shown to 12 in a single evening. They are just a mom and pop operation. It’s a small family business — they’re not affiliated with anybody. It’s kind of a niche market. Every drive-in out there is unique to itself. They are unique because they can play so many movies at a time. Take in a double feature under a blanket of stars at one of the few remaining drive-in theaters in the U.S. See the big stars on one of their six big screens. 

We crossed into Kentucky on the "blue bridge." The Glover Cary Bridge, commonly known as the Blue Bridge. It is a vital link between downtown Owensboro and southern Indiana since 1940. 

Owensboro, Kentucky is best known as the Bluegrass Music Capital of the World. It also holds a reputation for its unique style of barbecue, particularly mutton barbecue. Additionally, Owensboro is home to the International Bluegrass Music Museum and the Green River Distilling Company, a historic bourbon distillery. 

The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the world's only facility dedicated to the history and preservation of the history of the genre that originated in western Kentucky. It is Located on the riverfront in downtown Owensboro, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum is a state-of-the-art institution which shines a light on the cultural music of Kentucky… Bluegrass. 

We started out in the "picking parlor" immersing ourselves in the sounds of the music Charlie & I love! 

If I was musically inclined, I would pick up the mandolin!

The Hall of Fame tells the story of the greats who played the music, including Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, and more and continues the story to present day leaders in the genre. From Alison Krauss and Kentucky greats Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush, to those who’ve taken bluegrass music to further heights.

We saw an exhibit of The Kody Norris Show, a band we have seen many times.

The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum invites you to interact with history through exhibitions. There was a display about many festivals around the country. We have even been to a few of them showcased!

We also watched a video by Joe Mullins on "Industrial Bluegrass" from the great state of Ohio!

The sights and sounds of a genre which was built on the foundations of gospel, jazz, and blues by the Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe. A Kentucky native from neighboring Ohio County, Monroe cultivated bluegrass music as a sound built on rhythm and harmonies. 

Founded by the IBMA in 1991, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (initially named of “Hall of Honor”) is the bluegrass music industry’s tribute to the pioneers of the music and the people who have made it great.

 

Some of our favorites are featured in this hall of fame!

There was even an exhibit on Jerry Garcia and his contribution to Bluegrass. All the items are on loan from the Garcia family! 

There was even a reference to the Ben & Jerry flavor, Cherry Garcia... just for Larry!

The museum also has live music in its 450-seat theatre.

We enjoyed lunch at the Moonlite Bar-B-Q in Owensboro. A world-famous restaurant and buffet with homemade sides, muttun BBQ, burgoo, and desserts, plus a full salad bar. Over the last sixty two plus years, Moonlite Bar-B-Q has grown into a very special business. In this time of large chains and merged companies Moonlite has grown as a family business. 

Children and grandchildren work together to keep things going and growing at a slow, steady rate that now requires a staff of over 120 dedicated team members working various facets of the business. These areas now include a 350 seat restaurant, a USDA inspected processing plant, an extensive catering department, a wholesale division serving the region with Barbecue and related products through distributors in a four state area, as well as a busy carryout department. All this from a thirty seat, roadside restaurant in 1963.

Marcia & Larry took us back to Evansville IN via Henderson KY. We crossed the 3rd bridge over the Ohio River. The Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Twin Bridges, (usually referred to as simply The Twin Bridges. We have now used all 3 bridges to go into or out of Indiana. 

 

The girls headed out to Marcia's favorite consignment shop. Debbie and I each got a few items, but Marcia was empty handed! But, she tried hard to talk me into buying these shoes! 

We ended the day at Hacienda "Happy Hour." No one was hungry, but the margaritas were only $2!

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!