Here and There

Scott and Jackie's Travels – Thousand Trails Reviews, Campground Reviews, Fulltime RVing, European Travel

Tag: history

2019 – Sightseeing the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing – York Springs, PA

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Looking at the map of the area around York, PA Scott saw that the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing was near our campground so we decided to check it out. Honestly, neither of us are race fans but Scott said he was about burned out on Revolutionary and Civil War history and ready for a change of pace. We assumed that this museum, being a bit off the beaten track and open at only limited times, would be a smaller one. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find it to be packed full of interesting cars and other racing memorabilia. In spite of the large collection, the Museum entrance fee is by donation only. This facility is a nonprofit staffed with volunteers taking care of everything. We enjoyed seeing the wide variety of racing cars, plus motorcycles and other racing gear. There is an amazing amount of information about the cars and drivers plus jackets, helmets and other clothing along with biographies, photos, trophies and other items. Even those like us who aren’t racing fans will find this to be a great museum visit.

2019 – Sightseeing the Northern Neck of Virginia

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There’s a lot to see and do in and near the Northern Neck of Virginia and we’ve enjoyed visiting and revisiting several spots. I’ve already done sightseeing reviews of the George Washington Birthplace and the Museum of the Bible. I’m doing this post as a sort of wrap-up of the other places we visited. Some of these are big, well known places and others have more local flavor, like the nice beach in the town of Colonial Beach and the local Ice Cream stand.

It is amazing to realize that eight Presidents of the United States were born in Virginia and that of those eight, two: Washington and Monroe were born just a few miles apart near here. We visited both birthplaces. Then, the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee, who was first offered command of the Union Army by Abraham Lincoln was also born nearby.

Stratford Hall

Robert E. Lee’s birthplace is Stratford Hall. This was the home of his ancestors, two of them signers of the Declaration of Independence: Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee. We enjoyed an audio tour as we walked through the two story mansion. The grounds are extensive with many outbuildings including an outdoor kitchen and smokehouse. We drove out to the Potomac overlook with its cliffs and beach below. The River is an impressive 5 miles wide at that point. We also drove to the grist mill and saw where the wharf for merchant ships that traveled the Potomac brought the wares of the world right to this majestic plantation.

Westmoreland Berry Farm

Another sightseeing trip we took was a short drive to Westmoreland Berry Farm. There were more people there than I expected on a Friday morning. The store has in-season produce. At the time of our June visit they had blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. There are also a variety of jams and fruit salsas available along with BBQ sauces. We picked a small batch of blueberries to take home. Beside the store is a large lawn with a huge chair for photo ops, corn hole games, a swing set, and a long downhill slide using sacks. I think the main draw is the climbing goats who climb up a ladder, across the walkway over the road, and then pull a rope to get a cup of goat feed. There are also goats that people pet and hand feed. We had a fun time in the place with lots of local flavor.

Fredericksburg Battleground

In December of 1862 the Union Army attacked Fredericksburg, VA and crossed the river to meet Robert E. Lee’s troops who were holding Marie’s Height with its high ground and sunken road with a rock wall in front of it. The Confederate Army used that wall for cover and the hill above it for canon emplacements. The Union Army had to come across a wide open field. Although they had more men and sent seven waves of attackers they could not overcome the Confederacy that day. The Visitors Center has many displays and artifacts from the battle. It gives an idea of the people who lived there and how they felt about the war. It also gave us a glimpse into their lives and how the war impacted them. The National Parks Service Ranger was an excellent guide who gave us an overview of the battle as we walked along that sunken road. One house from that battle is still standing and is undergoing renovation to keep it available. We could see bullet holes in the walls from the battle. The nearby National Cemetery is where many Union soldiers are buried, many of them give up their lives trying to take that very hill in the battle of Frederiksberg. We were humbled to be on, what the Ranger said, was the most fought over ground in the entire country.

Father’s Day Colonial Beach Car Show

We just happened onto a great car show. We went into Colonial Beach for church on Sunday morning and just a few blocks from the church a big car show was going on. We had fun walking around, checking out all the cars that were on display. People come from miles around to see this car show, we just happened to be at the right place at the right time to see it.

As you can see the Northern Neck of Virginia has a lot to offer. We’ve enjoyed our time here.

2019 – Sightseeing the Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC

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I had a wonderful time at the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. From our campground we drove about an hour and a half the most southern stop on the Metro green line subway station. After a thirty minute ride it was just a few blocks to the museum. It was well worth the effort. The museum has six floors with something for everyone who has any interest in the Bible, history, or archeology.

I think the absolute highlight of a day filled with highlights was the “Stories of the Bible” area. The multi media presentations are terrific and informative. “The Hebrew Bible” started with Creation and went through the prophets. The dialogue continued as we walked from area to area. A few things stood out: after the great flood we walked through a room flooded with colors of the rainbow and were reminded of God’s promises. Then as we traveled through the Exodus portion of history we saw a very impressive burning bush and then we walked through the divided Sea. From that section we went to the “New Testament Theater” for the rest of the story. There we saw the Apostle John’s description of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection along with the story of how the Gospel was spread throughout the world. We also walked through a diorama of a village similar to where Jesus as raised.

On other floors there are Biblical artifacts and archaeological information presented through videos, exhibits and hands on materials for all ages. Whether you have children with our or not, don’t miss the kids area! It is amazing!

We saw replicas of the of the Dead Sea Scrolls, copies of Bibles from all ages, many translations and information about how they were reproduced. There is a lot of archeological displays including coins and other items found in the Holy Land. I highly recommend this Museum if you are going to be in the DC area. It was the highlight of our 2019 Adventure to date and well worth the time and effort to get there.

2019 – Sightseeing George Washington’s Birthplace, Colonial Beach, VA

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This National Monument is in Westmoreland County on Popes Creek at Colonial Beach, Virginia. The short film at the visitors center is an excellent start of the tour. We walked up a trail to the barn, checked out the farm workshop where a wide variety of equipment and hand tools are on display. The weaving room was closed but I could see spinning wheels through the window and a huge cauldron in the backyard. The kitchen is staged as though they are almost ready to serve a meal. A nearby colonial garden is full of herbs and flowers.

The original buildings had fallen into ruin but in the 1920s and 1930s the Wakefield Memorial Association with help from John D Rockefeller built a Colonial-Revival style home at the traditional birth sight. Tours are given by Park staff and our guide was excellent. We learned about the early life and relationships of Washington as well as those involved in creating this wonderful monument to our National Leader.

2019 – Sightseeing: American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, VA

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The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, VA is a great place to refresh your memory and learn about the formation of our nation. Inside the Museum are galleries with dioramas, written and archeological information about the era, and movies and other multi-media telling the stories of both the Americans and the British during the struggle for freedom. I enjoyed the interactive exhibits and the videos. I especially liked the theater where I felt I was in the battle itself with smoke in the air and the feeling of the concussion of canon blasts.

Outside, we visited the Continental Army encampment with costumed soldiers and women who talked about their daily lives. We saw musket demonstrations and the firing of a cannon. We also toured a Revolution-Era farm with docents in costumes who talked to us about life on the farm. There is a farmhouse with separate kitchen, a tobacco barn with tobacco hanging in the rafters, and slave quarters.

We enjoyed our visit to the American Revolution Museum and came away with a greater appreciation for our heritage of freedom.

2019 – Sightseeing Battleship Wisconsin, Norfolk, VA

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We had a beautiful day for our tour of the USS Wisconsin, at Norfolk, VA. She was commissioned April 16, 1944 and served until September 30, 1991 – the last serving American Battleship. This historic ship served in World War II, Korea and Desert Storm. We did the self guided tour. The main deck immediately caught my eye because it was so smooth and clean. A volunteer told me that when it was teak wood laid on the steel deck. The weapons area was interesting especially the 16 inch guns and the missile decks. Several of the missiles that were fired at the beginning of Desert Storm were fired from those positions. I liked seeing the officers country and crew berthing; also the Galley and Mess. One thing that the older Battleships had was a designated head (toilet) for women who were visiting as there were no women assigned to this ship. The Wisconsin was an amazing floating city with all the spiritual, physical and medical needs of the men taken care of onboard.

2019 – Sightseeing Berkeley Plantation, VA

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I enjoyed touring the Berkeley Plantation on the North Bank of the James River, not far from Richmond, VA. In 1619 a group of settlers came here. The first thing they did was kneel and give thanks for a safe journey, declaring that a day of Thanksgiving would be observed here annually. There is a shrine down by the river as a memorial to this act of thanksgiving.

After an Indian uprising the plantation was abandoned for a time and through the years different people owned the land. In 1726 a two story mansion overlooking the James River was built by Benjamin Harrison IV. His son Benjamin Harrison V, who would be one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia, was born here. His son, William Henry Harrison, was also born here. He became the 9th President of the United States (his grandson was the 23rd President). The farm changed hands several times through the years and suffered bankruptcy twice.

During the Civil War Union troops occupied Berkeley and President Lincoln came twice to meet with General McClellan. It was here that “taps” was composed and first played. The bugle first used to pay taps is on display.

In 1905 Malcolm Jamieson inherited the property. He and his wife restored the main house for his family to live in. In the 1960s the ground floor of the mansion was restored to its 1700’s splendor and opened for public tours. It is furnished with period pieces of furniture, replicas of paintings, and in the basement there are artifacts from the era. The two side houses are partially open to the public. One is the gift shop and the other is a kitchen.

There are gardens to walk through, a “taps” memorial, a Thanksgiving memorial, and a road that goes past the cemetery and down to the river. Benjamin Harrison V is buried in the Jamieson family cemetery.

I enjoyed our tour of Berkeley and the narrative of our tour guide.

2019 – Sightseeing Jamestown Settlement – Williamsburg, VA

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This is our second trip to this area of the country and we decided to visit Jamestowne Settlement and galleries. Our visit began with a short movie telling how the colonists came to this spot and also some of the history of the early days of the colony. From there we headed out to the villages. First we came to the Indian village where there were docents dressed as Indians explaining their way of life. We walked through the lodges seeing how they lived.

From there we walked a short distance to visit James Fort with it’s cannon emplacements, replica buildings, and “residents” who were happy to chat with us about life there. The guard house was where soldiers reported on arrival and got their armor, sword, musket and bandolier of gunpowder. The docent demonstrated how a musket was loaded and fired. Other buildings in the Fort included one for gunpowder, a storehouse with tobacco hanging in the rafters along with rope and barrels of provisions. The largest building was a church with bells, benches, a confessional, and altar in the front.

We continued on to the ships at dock that are replicas of the original ones that carried the people to Jamestowne. They were small considering how far they came and the number of people and supplies they brought. The docents talked about the ship and answered questions.

We also spent time looking through the very nice museum, learning more about the people who came to the New World. I enjoyed our visit to Jamestown Settlement and recommend it to all.

2019 – Sightseeing – Billy Graham Library – Charlotte, NC

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I thoroughly enjoyed our visit the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC. The Library takes visitors on an audio-visual journey of Billy Graham’s life from the time of his conversion until his death in 2018. He attended Wheaton College where he met and married a missionary’s daughter, Ruth Bell Graham. One room is dedicated to his wife Ruth and her many accomplishments as wife, mother and writer. There are movie clips from various crusades and many personal items from his years of ministry including what looks like the sound room where he recorded his radio broadcast, The Hour of Decision, produced from 1950 to 2016! Near the end of the tour we saw a wall mural by Thomas Kinkade named “The Cross”. In the final presentation of the tour we heard a short video of Billy Graham preaching the gospel message. At the end of the sermon, as “Just as I Am” is being sung, his son Franklin appears on video, encouraging those of us in the room to respond to that invitation. The overwhelming theme of the library continues Graham’s lifetime calling of leading people to Jesus.

2019 – Sightseeing the North Carolina Piedmont area

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2019 – Murray’s Mill Historic Site – Catawba, NC

As a lover of American history I was pleased to find Fort Dobbs since it actually predates the American Revolution. By the date of the Revolution the Fort had been disbanded and was in ruins. Construction of Fort Dobbs was begun in 1755 and completed one year later. It was designed like a British Fort by order of Royal Governor Dobbs in response to the French and Indian war that was threatening the Colonies. It was to be the area military headquarters and a safe place for settlers.

All buildings are reproductions based on historical information. As was the original the Fort is built of local white oak. The rebuilt Fort will be complete and opened to the public in September. There’s a garden, brush arbor, and an outdoor bread oven. In the gift store/museum there are many artifacts that were found on site, along with other items representative of those used at the Fort.

I also enjoyed visiting Murray’s Mill Historic District near Catawba NC. The centerpiece of the area is the Mill and Murray & Minges General Store. The Mill was built in 1913 and operated until 1967. The store was built in 1890s and relocated to the area.

The mill has the original one ton millstones that ground corn and the roller mills used for grinding wheat. On the main floor we saw carts, scales and other equipment used in the daily operations. Down a flight of stairs the big gears are being turned by the water wheel just on the other side of the wall. Outside, I was impressed with the beauty of the water flowing over the dam and turning that big mill wheel.

Visiting the Murray & Minges General Store is a step back in history with dry goods, stick candy and other candy in jars along with local honey for sale. On display are examples of handmade lace and quilts made from original flour sacks. We enjoyed sitting on the porch swing while sipping bottled soft drinks from the antique Coca-Cola machine.

With my love of Chocolate I enjoyed the tour and tasting at the Black Mountain Chocolate Factory in Winston-Salem, NC. On the forty minute tour we learned how they make their chocolate from “bean to bar.” This is a small factory and much of what is done is hands on. Our guide showed us a cacao pod and explained the process needed before the beans could be shipped for making chocolate. We saw the bean roaster, the machine used to process the ground beans, with other items that combine to make the chocolate. The bar molds are filled by holding the mold under a metered stream of chocolate, settled on a shaking table, and moved to a cooling rack. I enjoyed a peanut butter cookie from the shop where various chocolate items, pastries and coffees as well as other gift items can be purchased. This is a fun and tasty place to visit in downtown Winston-Salem.