Monday morning we broke camp at Lindbergh State Park and set the GPS for Hibbing but ended up in the Land of Oz. as we traveled we learned that Grand Rapids is home to the Judy Garland Birthplace Museum. We learned that Baby Gumm came from a theatrical family and first performed on stage at the age of two and a half.
The family home which has been lovingly restored really gave us a feel for the family life that fostered Judy Garland’s great talent. And there’s a wonderful collection of Wizard of Oz memorabilia.
Most incredible is the carriage that was pulled by a horse of a different color. It served as a prop in quite a few Hollywood films. Then a few years ago it was undergoing restoration when a handwritten inscription was discovered indicating that the carriage had been built expressly for none other than Abraham Lincoln!
All in all it was a fun afternoon with some great memories!
What a wonderful experience and tribute to her. There’s also a pair of ruby slippers in the Smithsonian but they are not as well-preserved as the ones shown here (perhaps they are the original).
These in fact are replicas. And yes, the originals at the Smithsonian definitely show signs of wear. The museum here did own one of the four original pairs but they were stolen in a break in in August 2005.
Just heard that the FBI has announced that the pair of slippers stolen in August 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum have been located!
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/04/644548567/fbi-says-it-has-recovered-stolen-ruby-slippers-missing-for-13-years