Revisiting Stars Hollow

Gilmore Girls rates as one of my all-time favorite TV shows. When it ended in 2007 I was so sad. When a four episode revival of the show was announced last week I naturally thought great! Although I'm not sure how I will get to see it since it is going to be on Netflix. Each episode is said to represent a season. For me the most appropriate season will be Fall because it was in the autumn, almost exactly ten years ago that I discovered Iowa had its own Stars Hollow.

After staying overnight in Burlington on a 20th anniversary trip to SE Iowa, we left there to drive to Katrina and Brad's in Muscatine for an early Thanksgiving dinner with the family. It was just north of Burlington where we saw the signs for Stars Hollow - at least that's the way I remembered it.

The Des Moines County park and preserve was a peaceful landscape of woodlands and prairie which we had all to ourselves that morning. Limestone bluffs and rock formations formed a backdrop for Flint Creek which flows through the 184 acre park. We could hear bird calls and the chatter of squirrels. "It's our own Stars Hollow!", I remember saying to Bud.

We followed a trail to one of the three caves where I took this photo of Bud at Starr's Cave. It is the only natural cave and home to several species of bats. The other two, Devil's Kitchen and Crinoid Cavern were made by the blasting of mineral prospectors in the 1920's.

This building which was once the barn of the Starr family was converted to a bar and restaurant in the 1970's known as the Sycamore Inn. It is now used as an environmental education facility and nature center.

This picture was taken that same weekend and I remember it as also being at Stars Hollow. But when I look closely I see I had different clothes on. So much for my memory. But the terrain is so similar.

Memory has failed me, too, in the name of this park, it isn't Stars Hollow, it is Starr's Cave Park and Preserve. Maybe it is time for me to revisit Stars Hollow?