Drove to College Station thru fields of grain..a bit of corn and soy and unlimited areas of pasture dotted with cattle...and the prominent oil well pumps....I imagine that the farmers who had these oil well blemishes on their fields of green are supplementi9ng their income handsomely...especially since I have been motoring for these great distances!....
The Bushy 41 Museum was shocking when we first saw it..It is absolutely the largest one we have visited so nfar...and it is beautifully positioned on the Campus of Texas A & M...but...when we entered we were dismayed to learn that the Museum was virtually closed to undergo a $15,000,0000 renovation!...all the contents had been waqrehoused...and after walking thru the lobby and a few of the adjacent rooms we nfound it difficult to imagine what more could be done to enhance the building...but ...it was the fact...It is scheduled to reopen in November 2007..
However, we were fortunate enough to view a wonderful biography of the President in the Movie house and I was able to take some very interesting pictures...one of which was an original oil painting of Presidents #41 1nd #43 in the same picture...being the only one ever painted of a President and his son who was also a President!...and of course several more very useful books were purchased!
We then walked on a cement path behind the museum and around an attraqctive pond which was evidently stocked with fish since there was signage that if any fish were caught with non-barbed hooks they must be released....and completing the walk which wound thru a forested area for about a 1/4 of a mile, I came upon the fenced in plot of grass with stone pillars indicating the names of both Barbara and George and their birth dates...This is to be the site of their burial after their demise...and there was a small horizontal stone marking the grave of their liitle girl who had died as a small child..
The weather was bright and sunny and hot...about 90...and we set the GPS for Austin and took off...with the windows wide open and sailing thru the farmland with the wind blowing on our faces...we were entranced...It was a fantastic feeling where at one time, Daras remarked "that if I lived around here" I would like to own a truck"! Is that what a little Jewish girl from Camden, NJ would be expected to say??? At any rate, we drove into Austin..made reservations for our stay at the Hilton Airport hotel for Monday nite...and we are to fly to LA on Tuesday AM...returning on Thursday nite to stay in the same hotel....We then were directed to Joes Shrimp restaurant where we had a dinner of....shrimp, of course!...We left again since it was still light out and headed for Johnson City where we expected to visit President Johnson's Ranch...and anticipated locating a motel enroute...but...we had to drive all the way to Johnson City before we found the first one!..Fortunately it was a suitable one....The drive this time was thru and up and down what is referred to as the Hill Country...and it certainly was...the vistas we saw from the top of the hills was spectacular so the time went by rapidly...TomorrowH AM we visit the Ranch....Yippie-I -O H ( Cowboy term!)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Friday...and another visit!
...We were so pleased to see no rain today!...and we drove to the "Big D' and visited the Book Repository where unfortunately JFK met his demise....The building is now privately owned and operated..with an admission charge required...You need pass thru a metal inspetion gate to enter and after passing thru the customary gift shop!..you take an elevator to the 6th floor where evidently Oswald was lurking...and you can look past the cardboard crates thru the open window down beyond the grassy knoll..and an X is painted on the street exactly where the Kennedy car was located when the dastardly act occurred....It is eerie...but, the total presentastion, including videos, news articles, and descriptive posters telling all the gruesome details are tactly presented...I subversively took a few pictures which you will subsequently see..All in all, it was a rewarding visit! When we left to return to the van..it was the end of the work-day...and beinfg Friday, the end of the work week....You never saw such traffic...It made oujr own I-95 look like a pasture!..but, we perservered and drove for about an hour to near Waco, Texas and bedded down..Incidentally, the terrain as soon as we reached the Texas border changed, becoming much rougher and coarse with fields of grain..and many cattle on pasture land with the soil being notably red in color...and the fields being dotted with Oil digging and pumping apparatus...Tomorrow we plan to be at Johnson's Museum..in Austin...and Sunday at his LBJ ranch and on Monday AM if I can arrange the ticketing we fly to LA for a few days to do Nixon and Reagan!...Then back to Austin for the trek home with Bush Sr, Museum in College Stationh, Texas..nex Hope and Little Rock, Arkansas..and a stop in Nashville!...I hope I can arrange the flight in the morning..until next time....keep well...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday in the rain...
arrived to visit the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas....Abilene is a big small twn..and the Museum is located just off the Highway..in a very beautiful Plaza type setting with 4 attractive tan marble buildings at each quadrant..One is the Visitors center where nwe purchased admission tickets and and the customary supply of research books...we also were able to see a very comprehensive biography of the President in a comfortable Movie theater....
Then we walked to the nearest building which looked like a chapel and was so named..It was a Memorial Place of Meditation...and upon entering the marble grave slabs of Ike and Mamie are resting side by side...In front of the wall at thier front are pew seats to provide opportunity for silent meditation...It was a fitting setting which provided the reverence it required...
We then walked across a path to the side surrounded by a beautiful lawn and trees to the Library...It was of similar tan marble construction and house the myriad of letters, books etc of Ike's 2 term very active Presidency and on the 2 floors were several artifacts, particularly gifts given to him by many potentates thruout the world...It was very interesting...and my visit to the office of the archivist, I discovered some personal framed photos which I was able to photograph....
On the opposite side of the Plaza waqs Ike's original Farm House home which we were permitted to enter and photograph...All the contents are original...It was a white frame, typical looking farm house which when entering and exploring gave the understanding that this had been a very warm, intimate and very stable family...They were members of a Protestant sect which appeared to be similar to the Quakers...and Ike was the 3rs son of a family of 7 sons!
One brother died when quite young but 6 sons survived ...and all lived harmoniously in this little house!...That should certainly provide a lesson in "getting along" with others..
I took many pictures inside the house which was very gratifying....
The next stop across the plaza was the Museum...aqnd what a museum it is....We were informed that since Ike served the public for about 20 years in his role as Military leader and as President, we would see a tremendous amount of contents...and we sure did!
There were exhibits of his boyhood on the farm, since the house was on a farm on the frontier...and then his school years..including athletics etc...and then his lengthy military srvice commencing in West Point...the war years...the post war years and then the Presidency!...
All his interactions with many important people globally were well documented...As Daras and I wandered thru the many chambers and rooms we became more and more tired...and neaqr the conclusion of the visit we were just about all spent!....We returned to our van...sat for a while to compose ourselves and then set the GPS for Dallas, Texas! We discovered it was about 6 1/2 hours away..almost 500 miles...and with the weather eports realized we were heading directly toward the Flood areas in Texas!...As we drove south...it began drizzling...getting cooler and finally raining much harder...We also realized that we were no longer driving across the rolling plateau of upper Kansas, but driving thru the golden wheat fields of the plains of lower Kansas...
no more corn..but grain and grazing cattle....We drove for about 2 1/2 hours and as it approached 6:30...and the driving became more difficult..we found lodging and dinner in Kansas just above the Oklahoma border...we looked forward to an early bedtime...and much needed rest...we hoped!...and perhaps some better weather in the morning.....The last report we obtained, however is that the torrential rains continued south of us...thru Oklahoma and especially in Texas...we shall see!.....Talk to you in the morrow....
Then we walked to the nearest building which looked like a chapel and was so named..It was a Memorial Place of Meditation...and upon entering the marble grave slabs of Ike and Mamie are resting side by side...In front of the wall at thier front are pew seats to provide opportunity for silent meditation...It was a fitting setting which provided the reverence it required...
We then walked across a path to the side surrounded by a beautiful lawn and trees to the Library...It was of similar tan marble construction and house the myriad of letters, books etc of Ike's 2 term very active Presidency and on the 2 floors were several artifacts, particularly gifts given to him by many potentates thruout the world...It was very interesting...and my visit to the office of the archivist, I discovered some personal framed photos which I was able to photograph....
On the opposite side of the Plaza waqs Ike's original Farm House home which we were permitted to enter and photograph...All the contents are original...It was a white frame, typical looking farm house which when entering and exploring gave the understanding that this had been a very warm, intimate and very stable family...They were members of a Protestant sect which appeared to be similar to the Quakers...and Ike was the 3rs son of a family of 7 sons!
One brother died when quite young but 6 sons survived ...and all lived harmoniously in this little house!...That should certainly provide a lesson in "getting along" with others..
I took many pictures inside the house which was very gratifying....
The next stop across the plaza was the Museum...aqnd what a museum it is....We were informed that since Ike served the public for about 20 years in his role as Military leader and as President, we would see a tremendous amount of contents...and we sure did!
There were exhibits of his boyhood on the farm, since the house was on a farm on the frontier...and then his school years..including athletics etc...and then his lengthy military srvice commencing in West Point...the war years...the post war years and then the Presidency!...
All his interactions with many important people globally were well documented...As Daras and I wandered thru the many chambers and rooms we became more and more tired...and neaqr the conclusion of the visit we were just about all spent!....We returned to our van...sat for a while to compose ourselves and then set the GPS for Dallas, Texas! We discovered it was about 6 1/2 hours away..almost 500 miles...and with the weather eports realized we were heading directly toward the Flood areas in Texas!...As we drove south...it began drizzling...getting cooler and finally raining much harder...We also realized that we were no longer driving across the rolling plateau of upper Kansas, but driving thru the golden wheat fields of the plains of lower Kansas...
no more corn..but grain and grazing cattle....We drove for about 2 1/2 hours and as it approached 6:30...and the driving became more difficult..we found lodging and dinner in Kansas just above the Oklahoma border...we looked forward to an early bedtime...and much needed rest...we hoped!...and perhaps some better weather in the morning.....The last report we obtained, however is that the torrential rains continued south of us...thru Oklahoma and especially in Texas...we shall see!.....Talk to you in the morrow....
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
2 days of blogs
..couldn't find internet access yesterday so here goes with Tuesday and Weddnesday..
Visited Herber Hoover Museum and Library in West Branch, Iowa...Very nice setting in park like area..low tan stone conservative looking building...what else?...His Library became accepted as one of the 12 Archives supported museums...and is very tastefully presented...AND....after visitng both Daras and I felt that we had done an injustice in the past to his term of office...He really was a very intelligent, self-made very wealthy and talented man...who did his utmost to serve this nation...It is very unfortunate and most likely that the Great Depression he has been given the blame for...was not directly his fault...He was trained as a geologist at Stanford...worked almost in every country of the world...accumulated much money....and was the engineer and initiater of Hoover Dam...wbhgich served to provide much power for the southwest...He was the first President to be elected from west of the Mississippi..and was quite devout...being a Quaker....His wife, Lou was also a geologist ..also trained at Stanford..and made great contribujtions for women's liberation and was of great sujpport to the Pre4sidency...He. like Grant was born in a tiny 2 room house in West Branch which was a frontier town in his day... His father was a blacksnith who died when Hoover was about 6 years of age and he was then shujttled about to grandparents and others who reared him, while being separated from his other siblings...Much more in depth in my book....
We left West Branch and drove...again to Independence, Missouri...and parked for the nitE..
Today which I think is Wednesday we visited Trumans Museum which was sort of a homecoming for us...In driving here however we travelled totally across Iowa and Missouri...and tonite we are in Abilene, Kansas...."There ain't no moss on us!"
The reason for the homecoming feeling was brought about since Kirksville, Missouri, the place where nthe Osteopathic Medical Profession had it's beginning is where I interned...It is located in the north-east corner of Missouri...and when Daras arrived to be with me after her graduation from college...we pinched some pennies together...bouth a $2.00 box camers..got on the Wabash Railroad and travelled down to Kansas city to visit my schoolmate friend (Harold Olan) who was interning there...After spendong some time with him we wandered by foot into Independence...found the house that the practicing President lived in while in Missouri..It was his Mother-in-Law's house...no one was around and I prompted Daras to go up mthe walk to the porch so that I might take her picture...when...secret service sprung from behind every tree ..with bells ringing...and cautioned us that she was not permitted...Bess and Margaret were home...and the President was in the White House...so...we left...a bit dissapointed!
Then, while in General Practice in Cherry Hill several years later (1953?)...I decided to try my new conveertible for a drive to Kansas City to attend a Medical Meeting...and when approaching Independence, realized that I had read that Truman who was retired, had opened his library in Independence...so we found it...and stopped..we parked on the street directly in front of the small non-impressive appearing building with minimal signage identifying it's purpose...and I opened the door to enter...As I entered and noted a small vestibule with a solitary receptionist at a insnificant appearing desk...with 5-6 small cub scouts in short pants and their scout leader similarly attired...President Trumaqn opened a door at the head of the wooden stairs...saw me and said, " Howdy folks...welcome!..I'm just about to show these scouts around the museum...would you like to join the tour"?...Of course, we were in agreement...He needed a shave..wore no tie and had brown scuffed shoes..but we took up his offer...and what a tour we had!...He apparently always spoke without reservation to the usage of 4 letter words...and certainly demonstrated his sense of humor...He took pictures off the wall..made comments..with frequent chuckles and then asked the one security guard for his keys..and escorted us thru the center lane with boxes and cartons piled to the ceiling while remarking, " theres a lot of crap here given to me by ptentates from all over the world, but I really don't know whnatsd here...but it doesn't belong to me...it belongs to you"!.....and then we walked down the back stairs...where I p;rexceded him and stopped at the landing, and in order to make conversation...asked him what he thought of the Republican's chance of winning the next election?"...His response was instantaneous...and with his finger pointing at me, said," Sonny...if this country votes Republican...it deserves to go to Hell"!...I got my answer, and we left...
The museum today is 100 times the size of the original one...the Highway it was on is much widened.. a bridge overpass is there now...and when I inquired of everyone i met as to what happened to the original building everyone looked at me as tho I was daffy!..Noone believed the story...The contents of the building are the best...there is much interactive opportunities to answer questions posed to you about present and past government..that you respoind tom by pushing bujttons...and the resp0onses are calculated by percentages for your observation...It is truly magnificient!....Much more ion my book to come...and hundreds of pictures!
AQfter leaving, I felt somewhat betrayed by no one believing my story...so I made a U-Turn...went back to the Research Library..introduced and identified myself..met withthne \Chief Archivist who listened to my story without laughing ...exchanged business cards with me and promised to find the information I seeked and forward it to me...I finally felt vindicated!
The ride then was over the Missouri/Kansas border..driving 2/2 way across Kansas and we reached Abilene!....Daras mentioned that not only could you place the entire population of nthe USA in this narea..but probably the entire world's!...The expansive Plateau of grain fields, and pasture lands presented itself in high rolling hills which again afforded some magnificient sights..
Until tomorrow...au revoir....
Visited Herber Hoover Museum and Library in West Branch, Iowa...Very nice setting in park like area..low tan stone conservative looking building...what else?...His Library became accepted as one of the 12 Archives supported museums...and is very tastefully presented...AND....after visitng both Daras and I felt that we had done an injustice in the past to his term of office...He really was a very intelligent, self-made very wealthy and talented man...who did his utmost to serve this nation...It is very unfortunate and most likely that the Great Depression he has been given the blame for...was not directly his fault...He was trained as a geologist at Stanford...worked almost in every country of the world...accumulated much money....and was the engineer and initiater of Hoover Dam...wbhgich served to provide much power for the southwest...He was the first President to be elected from west of the Mississippi..and was quite devout...being a Quaker....His wife, Lou was also a geologist ..also trained at Stanford..and made great contribujtions for women's liberation and was of great sujpport to the Pre4sidency...He. like Grant was born in a tiny 2 room house in West Branch which was a frontier town in his day... His father was a blacksnith who died when Hoover was about 6 years of age and he was then shujttled about to grandparents and others who reared him, while being separated from his other siblings...Much more in depth in my book....
We left West Branch and drove...again to Independence, Missouri...and parked for the nitE..
Today which I think is Wednesday we visited Trumans Museum which was sort of a homecoming for us...In driving here however we travelled totally across Iowa and Missouri...and tonite we are in Abilene, Kansas...."There ain't no moss on us!"
The reason for the homecoming feeling was brought about since Kirksville, Missouri, the place where nthe Osteopathic Medical Profession had it's beginning is where I interned...It is located in the north-east corner of Missouri...and when Daras arrived to be with me after her graduation from college...we pinched some pennies together...bouth a $2.00 box camers..got on the Wabash Railroad and travelled down to Kansas city to visit my schoolmate friend (Harold Olan) who was interning there...After spendong some time with him we wandered by foot into Independence...found the house that the practicing President lived in while in Missouri..It was his Mother-in-Law's house...no one was around and I prompted Daras to go up mthe walk to the porch so that I might take her picture...when...secret service sprung from behind every tree ..with bells ringing...and cautioned us that she was not permitted...Bess and Margaret were home...and the President was in the White House...so...we left...a bit dissapointed!
Then, while in General Practice in Cherry Hill several years later (1953?)...I decided to try my new conveertible for a drive to Kansas City to attend a Medical Meeting...and when approaching Independence, realized that I had read that Truman who was retired, had opened his library in Independence...so we found it...and stopped..we parked on the street directly in front of the small non-impressive appearing building with minimal signage identifying it's purpose...and I opened the door to enter...As I entered and noted a small vestibule with a solitary receptionist at a insnificant appearing desk...with 5-6 small cub scouts in short pants and their scout leader similarly attired...President Trumaqn opened a door at the head of the wooden stairs...saw me and said, " Howdy folks...welcome!..I'm just about to show these scouts around the museum...would you like to join the tour"?...Of course, we were in agreement...He needed a shave..wore no tie and had brown scuffed shoes..but we took up his offer...and what a tour we had!...He apparently always spoke without reservation to the usage of 4 letter words...and certainly demonstrated his sense of humor...He took pictures off the wall..made comments..with frequent chuckles and then asked the one security guard for his keys..and escorted us thru the center lane with boxes and cartons piled to the ceiling while remarking, " theres a lot of crap here given to me by ptentates from all over the world, but I really don't know whnatsd here...but it doesn't belong to me...it belongs to you"!.....and then we walked down the back stairs...where I p;rexceded him and stopped at the landing, and in order to make conversation...asked him what he thought of the Republican's chance of winning the next election?"...His response was instantaneous...and with his finger pointing at me, said," Sonny...if this country votes Republican...it deserves to go to Hell"!...I got my answer, and we left...
The museum today is 100 times the size of the original one...the Highway it was on is much widened.. a bridge overpass is there now...and when I inquired of everyone i met as to what happened to the original building everyone looked at me as tho I was daffy!..Noone believed the story...The contents of the building are the best...there is much interactive opportunities to answer questions posed to you about present and past government..that you respoind tom by pushing bujttons...and the resp0onses are calculated by percentages for your observation...It is truly magnificient!....Much more ion my book to come...and hundreds of pictures!
AQfter leaving, I felt somewhat betrayed by no one believing my story...so I made a U-Turn...went back to the Research Library..introduced and identified myself..met withthne \Chief Archivist who listened to my story without laughing ...exchanged business cards with me and promised to find the information I seeked and forward it to me...I finally felt vindicated!
The ride then was over the Missouri/Kansas border..driving 2/2 way across Kansas and we reached Abilene!....Daras mentioned that not only could you place the entire population of nthe USA in this narea..but probably the entire world's!...The expansive Plateau of grain fields, and pasture lands presented itself in high rolling hills which again afforded some magnificient sights..
Until tomorrow...au revoir....
Monday, June 25, 2007
A very exciting day of travel...
Monday...whew!...the days are just flying by!...I had a bit of trouble today...evidently I left one of my many hook-up wires at the last motel..(where ever that was?)..it was the power cord to repower the battery in my camera...and I would be at a great loss without it...so, We hunted all around the city of Dixon..and believe it or not Wallmart came to the rescue! However we spent a good deal of the morning before the problem was solved...and then we visited the Boyhood Home of President Reagan...The little big town of Dixon is really a very thriving community...and of course they pay great homage to their most important personage...His image and name is all over!...The home in which he lived as a boy was a rental when he was there...and it of course was totally renovated...but yet retaining it's appearance to what it was when he was resident there..In fact I saw a video of a Homecoming he had there several years before he died, when he remarked.."if the house looked this good when I lived here..I probably would never have left"!....He was a real hometown boy...and relished it...He made several remarks as to how indebted he was to his former teachers...and later identified that to them...A story we heard however that he was somewhat michevious..and on one 4th of July...despite knowing that Fireworks were illegal to use in the town, he threw a large torpedo near the prominent mid-city bridge..."threw a perfect strike"...and was immediately picked up by the Police!...His father had to pay $14.85 in fine...and he was appropriately reprimanded... He played on the local football team...and also played football with neighborhood nkids on the side lawn of the house...His mother was devout and a member of the 1st Christian church...taught Sunday school and he and his mother attended services there, while his older brother (Moon) and his father attended the Catholic church.. There were 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor...and he and his brother slept in the same bed in one of them...His parents had thier bedroom and the third on was utilized as as a sewing room where she frequently had her customers come up for their fittings while she altered their clothing....He was the Drum Major in the local mYMCA band and marched in town in their parades...and his real clim to fame was when he served as a Lifeguard some distance from their home at Lowell Beach Park which was on the large adjacent river...He was credited during his service period to have saved 77 lives!...demonstrating "quick decision..and following rapid action"!...That seems to be a good quality to be President...doesn't it? Both of his parents were very liberal and ndemonstrated no prejudicial behavior, ...at one time when a regional baseball team came to plaqy his team in town...their were 2 black players on it and the local Hotel would not permit to stay ther...so...he invited them to stay at his home understanding that it would be perfectly acceptable to his parents!...I bought books...and took lots of pictures...you wil;l see them, I promise!
Next, we drove abot 60-70 miles to Galena, Illinois to visit Grant's Home there...
As you know Daras and I have as our prime purpose to pay homage to all the Presidents that have served to enable this country to prosper...but, we found as we drove along...that we were equally impressed with what a great country this really is!...Just the trip so far has taken us thru so much variety of topography and scenery that we are just about speechless...today was one of those days...Yesterday we drove thru miles and miles and miles of rolling countryside viewing huge green fields of corn,,for as far as you could see in all directions...it was interspersed just a tiny bit with an occasional field of soy beans...and virtually no cattle grazing....we wondered what they did with all that corn...Today was no different...the farms were magnificient..the homes on them were large..kept in immaculate condition..and the Silos right next to thm were huge and bright and shiny silver....It gave the overall appearance of prosperity....We could not believe the amount of corn fields...and in speaking to my daughter Jan, swhe mentioned that she had recently read a book that raised the same questions...This truly is the "Breadbasket of the USA"...and probably the world...It makes you wonder how sinful it was for our pioneer population to force the Native Americans...more and more westward...apparently robbing them of the opportunity to continue living in their homestead... Maybe someday, I'll get the explanation as to why??? My daughter suggested that these farmers are being subsidized by our Gov ernment to grow this surplus of corn...and Cattle and Chickens have been trained to eat it as food nrather than their usual menu of grass??...and I wonder if all these corn crops have been planted to prepare for our proposed Ethanol use as fuel fo our cars??....maybe?? BUt the sight is beautiful....and then as we continued northwood to the most northwestern part of Illinois, near the Minnesota border, the terrain changed rather abruptly...It became extremelly hilly...the hills being like mountains high on the ridges and we found that this area is the highest point in Illinois...The sight looking far down on the farms and small villages m the valleys was breathtaking...and reinforced our gratitude of being able to live in such a wonderful country!....Maybe it was the height and the rarified air that made us both feel it...but ...so be it!
Galena is a bustling, little city with the Historic area being a tourist haven!...All the properties apparently conformed to remaining in the same Victorian like period...and there were an ample number of quality restaurants, cafes and boutiques to nsatisfy every need,,,, Grant's Home which he lived in after the Civil War was given to him by the local citizenry...completely furnished..in appreciation of the success he had during the Civil War...His father had a Tannery ther prior to tthe war also...where he had been employede...but hated the work...The Civil War saved him from that fate...He used the House as today's Presidents use Camp David. When he became President he would return periodically....The house was large and almost all the furnishings are original...I was permitted Picture taking...so I did!
We left to drive southwest into Iowa..after crossing the river and the reverse scening occurred ..
We drove to the Hoover Museum in West Branch, Iowa...after closing...found suitable lodging...and are looking forward to getting to know Herbert Hoover...This will be the 6th National Archive Presidential Museum...leaving 6 more to visit!.....See you tomorrow...and I apoligize for being so wordy...but it deserved it!
Next, we drove abot 60-70 miles to Galena, Illinois to visit Grant's Home there...
As you know Daras and I have as our prime purpose to pay homage to all the Presidents that have served to enable this country to prosper...but, we found as we drove along...that we were equally impressed with what a great country this really is!...Just the trip so far has taken us thru so much variety of topography and scenery that we are just about speechless...today was one of those days...Yesterday we drove thru miles and miles and miles of rolling countryside viewing huge green fields of corn,,for as far as you could see in all directions...it was interspersed just a tiny bit with an occasional field of soy beans...and virtually no cattle grazing....we wondered what they did with all that corn...Today was no different...the farms were magnificient..the homes on them were large..kept in immaculate condition..and the Silos right next to thm were huge and bright and shiny silver....It gave the overall appearance of prosperity....We could not believe the amount of corn fields...and in speaking to my daughter Jan, swhe mentioned that she had recently read a book that raised the same questions...This truly is the "Breadbasket of the USA"...and probably the world...It makes you wonder how sinful it was for our pioneer population to force the Native Americans...more and more westward...apparently robbing them of the opportunity to continue living in their homestead... Maybe someday, I'll get the explanation as to why??? My daughter suggested that these farmers are being subsidized by our Gov ernment to grow this surplus of corn...and Cattle and Chickens have been trained to eat it as food nrather than their usual menu of grass??...and I wonder if all these corn crops have been planted to prepare for our proposed Ethanol use as fuel fo our cars??....maybe?? BUt the sight is beautiful....and then as we continued northwood to the most northwestern part of Illinois, near the Minnesota border, the terrain changed rather abruptly...It became extremelly hilly...the hills being like mountains high on the ridges and we found that this area is the highest point in Illinois...The sight looking far down on the farms and small villages m the valleys was breathtaking...and reinforced our gratitude of being able to live in such a wonderful country!....Maybe it was the height and the rarified air that made us both feel it...but ...so be it!
Galena is a bustling, little city with the Historic area being a tourist haven!...All the properties apparently conformed to remaining in the same Victorian like period...and there were an ample number of quality restaurants, cafes and boutiques to nsatisfy every need,,,, Grant's Home which he lived in after the Civil War was given to him by the local citizenry...completely furnished..in appreciation of the success he had during the Civil War...His father had a Tannery ther prior to tthe war also...where he had been employede...but hated the work...The Civil War saved him from that fate...He used the House as today's Presidents use Camp David. When he became President he would return periodically....The house was large and almost all the furnishings are original...I was permitted Picture taking...so I did!
We left to drive southwest into Iowa..after crossing the river and the reverse scening occurred ..
We drove to the Hoover Museum in West Branch, Iowa...after closing...found suitable lodging...and are looking forward to getting to know Herbert Hoover...This will be the 6th National Archive Presidential Museum...leaving 6 more to visit!.....See you tomorrow...and I apoligize for being so wordy...but it deserved it!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
2 more stops...
we arrived at Eureka, Illinois, the home of Eureka College which Ronald Reagan had attended...being Sunday they opened at noon..but we arrived about an hour before...and to our pleasure a young man invited us in to the Student Meetin Hall where the museum is located...They were having an annual luncheon to celebrate an anniversary date...so we entered the museum being entirely alone and entirely on our own...The camera got overheated in my snapping of pictures...and we certainly learned a lot about their favorite alumnus...
The coolege is a Christian school...and Reagan and his older brother and hus Mother were members of the church that sponsored the school...It was a small, typical little mid-western school..leaning to theologic studies and Ronald received a BA in Social Studies and Economics...He apparently was involved in extra-curricular activities, being a guard on the football team, on the swimming team and in their drama and acting department...There were many pictures and letters attesting to the fondness and attachment he had to thbe school and it's teachers..occurring during his political career as Governor of California as well as the Presidency...Mention was demonstrated of his Motion Picture career as well. We watched a biographical video of him after we turned the VCR on ourselves!...After thanking them for their courtesy we left to drive to Tampico, Illinois which is the town Ronald Reagan was born in...We made it just before closing but the woman who invited us into the storefront was more than gracious in showing and telling us all about the President!...She mentioned that she also was the Postmaster for the town and her husband who was nthere was also generous with anecdotal comments!...We found out that Ronald was born and lived in an apartment which was directly over the bakery which was next door...On the other side of the former grocery store we were in was a still existing funeral parlor!...His father who apparently was alcholocic was Irish Catholic, and his mother was of a Protestant den omination...was musically trained..played the piano in the church she regularly attended with her 2 sons! The funeral dircto0r whose name was Max Parent was very fond of all the children in the neighborhood and took on the role similar to a scoutmaster...Ronald's father worked for the grocery..did odd jobs and was a salesman...He changed locations frequently following one of the more prominent merchants who he worked for..so Ronald moved from this nlocation as a baby of 3 months...and had many other moves until he settled into a small city named Dixon which was about 30 miles away, at athe age of 6....
I was escorted up the steps to the apartment of what had previuosly been the bakery..shown all about and saw the actual room he was born in...weighing in over 10 ponds, with his mother being advised to have no more children after that episode!...Apparently his father when first seeing him after the birth...suggested that he looked like a "Dutchman"...and the name, DUTCH remained with him!...I bought an autographed book...told the woman and her husband thanks...and we left to drive to Dixon. Found dinner and lodging....and will visit the house and city he lived in during his formative years...see you then!
The coolege is a Christian school...and Reagan and his older brother and hus Mother were members of the church that sponsored the school...It was a small, typical little mid-western school..leaning to theologic studies and Ronald received a BA in Social Studies and Economics...He apparently was involved in extra-curricular activities, being a guard on the football team, on the swimming team and in their drama and acting department...There were many pictures and letters attesting to the fondness and attachment he had to thbe school and it's teachers..occurring during his political career as Governor of California as well as the Presidency...Mention was demonstrated of his Motion Picture career as well. We watched a biographical video of him after we turned the VCR on ourselves!...After thanking them for their courtesy we left to drive to Tampico, Illinois which is the town Ronald Reagan was born in...We made it just before closing but the woman who invited us into the storefront was more than gracious in showing and telling us all about the President!...She mentioned that she also was the Postmaster for the town and her husband who was nthere was also generous with anecdotal comments!...We found out that Ronald was born and lived in an apartment which was directly over the bakery which was next door...On the other side of the former grocery store we were in was a still existing funeral parlor!...His father who apparently was alcholocic was Irish Catholic, and his mother was of a Protestant den omination...was musically trained..played the piano in the church she regularly attended with her 2 sons! The funeral dircto0r whose name was Max Parent was very fond of all the children in the neighborhood and took on the role similar to a scoutmaster...Ronald's father worked for the grocery..did odd jobs and was a salesman...He changed locations frequently following one of the more prominent merchants who he worked for..so Ronald moved from this nlocation as a baby of 3 months...and had many other moves until he settled into a small city named Dixon which was about 30 miles away, at athe age of 6....
I was escorted up the steps to the apartment of what had previuosly been the bakery..shown all about and saw the actual room he was born in...weighing in over 10 ponds, with his mother being advised to have no more children after that episode!...Apparently his father when first seeing him after the birth...suggested that he looked like a "Dutchman"...and the name, DUTCH remained with him!...I bought an autographed book...told the woman and her husband thanks...and we left to drive to Dixon. Found dinner and lodging....and will visit the house and city he lived in during his formative years...see you then!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
...another very exciting day!..
..it was kind of rainy all day..but did not appear to daunt our interest in any way...and we entered the very interesting building of Lincoln in downtown, Springfield...It is several blocks away form his home in Springfield that we visited with all our children about 46 years previous!
The inside of the museum is the last word..there are 4 theaters just inside the lobby that present video documentaries with srreal imaqges superimposed on the presenter....It outdoes Disney..not cutsey, but truly informative...In addition there are several small alcoves with continuing documentaries of equally informative material...all the while,,it is not crowded and the presentations are given to reasonably small, somewhat intimate groupings...It is splendid and a real treat...Included in all the presentations are an unbeleivable number of priceless documents and artifacts under glass inhermetically sealed enclosures, but close enough for direct scrutiny!....there were also mannikins that were so life like that it was startling, in settings so real that it defied imagination...If I sound excited...I am!
We had a lite lunch in their attractive cafe...and purchased some more books!
We then drove to the Home he lived in which we had visited many years past..but now were not able to park on the street directly in front...bjut on a lot nearby...and found it was necessary to visit the admission office nearby before being permitted to visit the house...A guide escorted us thry while narrating a very informative talk...There were some changes within the house to better control what is most likely a larger amount of visitors than in the past...It was worthwhile..and the entire area of about 2 square blocks have Reproductions of actual homes of the era in Village fashion!
...and then we drove to the cemetery...called Oak Ridge where there is a huge momument with 4 superimposed statuettes on it's 4 upper levels depicting battles of the Civil War...It was very impressive and the actual site of he and his wife's burial..
The next drive was further...about 20 miles or more northweat of the city where we visited the area where he lived from about age 21 for 6 years....He had built a raft to ship goods down the river onto the Mississippi when it went aground due to a drought at New Salem..He became enamored with the town and remained...It was here he self-taught himself to become a lawyer,,,being a surveyor prior to that... We learned much more of his personal and early political life at this museum...It of course will "all be in the book"! Many, many pictures were taken....and the we were off ...again...heading to Eureka College about 60 miles north...It was thwe college Reagan attended,,,It was past closing time...so we folund sujitable lodging about 15 miles away...none being present in Eureka!...It opens tomorrow, Sunday at noon...Hurrah...we can sleep later!...talk to you tomorrow!
The inside of the museum is the last word..there are 4 theaters just inside the lobby that present video documentaries with srreal imaqges superimposed on the presenter....It outdoes Disney..not cutsey, but truly informative...In addition there are several small alcoves with continuing documentaries of equally informative material...all the while,,it is not crowded and the presentations are given to reasonably small, somewhat intimate groupings...It is splendid and a real treat...Included in all the presentations are an unbeleivable number of priceless documents and artifacts under glass inhermetically sealed enclosures, but close enough for direct scrutiny!....there were also mannikins that were so life like that it was startling, in settings so real that it defied imagination...If I sound excited...I am!
We had a lite lunch in their attractive cafe...and purchased some more books!
We then drove to the Home he lived in which we had visited many years past..but now were not able to park on the street directly in front...bjut on a lot nearby...and found it was necessary to visit the admission office nearby before being permitted to visit the house...A guide escorted us thry while narrating a very informative talk...There were some changes within the house to better control what is most likely a larger amount of visitors than in the past...It was worthwhile..and the entire area of about 2 square blocks have Reproductions of actual homes of the era in Village fashion!
...and then we drove to the cemetery...called Oak Ridge where there is a huge momument with 4 superimposed statuettes on it's 4 upper levels depicting battles of the Civil War...It was very impressive and the actual site of he and his wife's burial..
The next drive was further...about 20 miles or more northweat of the city where we visited the area where he lived from about age 21 for 6 years....He had built a raft to ship goods down the river onto the Mississippi when it went aground due to a drought at New Salem..He became enamored with the town and remained...It was here he self-taught himself to become a lawyer,,,being a surveyor prior to that... We learned much more of his personal and early political life at this museum...It of course will "all be in the book"! Many, many pictures were taken....and the we were off ...again...heading to Eureka College about 60 miles north...It was thwe college Reagan attended,,,It was past closing time...so we folund sujitable lodging about 15 miles away...none being present in Eureka!...It opens tomorrow, Sunday at noon...Hurrah...we can sleep later!...talk to you tomorrow!
another day...another museum!
...Left after Breakfast and drove directly to Indianapolis, Indiana...easy pleasant drive..on good highway thru farmland...arrived at Home/Museum of Benjamin Harrison... He built the home on what was farmland in 1874.....arrived here from Miami University, in Ohio where he was Law Professor...Born in North Bend, Ohio... Began with interest to becoming a minister...studied with a Reverend Scott...fell in love with his daughter Caroline...married her and decided to study law!
Taught at Miami University of Ohio..had 2 kids..practiced law in Indianapolis..made some money..built big home in Indianapolis...When we arrived had to wait outside until we were instructed to ring bell on either 1/2 hour or the hour...As we did, we were invited in by a well trained docent who gave us a personal tour of the entire house...It is a 3 swtory extremely well preserved, gorgeous home of about 10,000 feet with 14 1/2 foot ceilings and attractive naturally stained hardwood trim in doors...It contains about 80% of the original furniture, decor and original paintings aqnd photos...and only the parlor was restricted from entering since the original carpet is on the floor!...Otherwise we were permitted to enter in each room and wander as we wished, only nwith the caution to not touch!...and I was permitted to take as many photos of anything I desired, so long as I did not employ flash...what a treat!....For example there was an original painting of Abraham Lincoln as a young man which had been hung over Lincoln's body at his funeral which was given to Benjamin since he was one of his most personal freinds!...and I photographed it for my book! He remained an Attorney until the Civil War when he volunteered for service...comissioned and served with General Sherman...then receiving a promotion by General Hooker...to a General himself. He enjoyed Army life, but left when summoned by nLincoln who had founded the National Republican Party to set up the Repiublican party of Indiana... Some anecdotes were: He was first President to install electricity in the White House...His wife was one of 3 President's wives to die while they were in office..His wife was quite outspoken.. a forerunner of women's lib..and the first wife to take an active role in her own agenda... She became ill with Tb...brought a young neice to assist her in home when she became bedridden...and directed her husnand to re-marry as soon as possible following her demise, since he needed that type of support...Shortly after her death, he married the neice who was the same type woman even tho she was 28 years nyounger than he!...I photod a photograph of Benjamin holding the young daughter she bore him...resembling more of being grandfather, rather than father..You will see it when I learn to post the pictures! More anacdotes...He was a close freind of John Philip Sousa who was Conductor of Marine Band and we heard a familiar March of his played on his original Music player which utilized Copper perforated disks which preceded the Phonograph...It was thrilling to hear! He also soigned six states into the Union...more than any other President and also signed Hawaii as a Territory!
It was his father who signed the Declarati0on of Independence! There were many other pictures I was able to photograph of personal and official content.....for example, we saw the actual bed he died in...and found out that he had a large summer house in Cape May, NJ!
All in all it was a remarkable visit to a home of a remarkable man..who certainly pplayed an important role in the development of our wonderful country...you shall see.....
It was a 2 hour visit and we promptly aimed our van toward, Springfield, Illinois...and enroute had a light lunch and still arrived at tge Lincoln Museum just a few minutes before their closing...giving us nan opportunity to "learn the ground rules" for tomorrow morning and of course sufficient time to add to my book collection!..The van is now more like a "mobile Library"..than a van for our travel purposes! See you tomorrow!
Taught at Miami University of Ohio..had 2 kids..practiced law in Indianapolis..made some money..built big home in Indianapolis...When we arrived had to wait outside until we were instructed to ring bell on either 1/2 hour or the hour...As we did, we were invited in by a well trained docent who gave us a personal tour of the entire house...It is a 3 swtory extremely well preserved, gorgeous home of about 10,000 feet with 14 1/2 foot ceilings and attractive naturally stained hardwood trim in doors...It contains about 80% of the original furniture, decor and original paintings aqnd photos...and only the parlor was restricted from entering since the original carpet is on the floor!...Otherwise we were permitted to enter in each room and wander as we wished, only nwith the caution to not touch!...and I was permitted to take as many photos of anything I desired, so long as I did not employ flash...what a treat!....For example there was an original painting of Abraham Lincoln as a young man which had been hung over Lincoln's body at his funeral which was given to Benjamin since he was one of his most personal freinds!...and I photographed it for my book! He remained an Attorney until the Civil War when he volunteered for service...comissioned and served with General Sherman...then receiving a promotion by General Hooker...to a General himself. He enjoyed Army life, but left when summoned by nLincoln who had founded the National Republican Party to set up the Repiublican party of Indiana... Some anecdotes were: He was first President to install electricity in the White House...His wife was one of 3 President's wives to die while they were in office..His wife was quite outspoken.. a forerunner of women's lib..and the first wife to take an active role in her own agenda... She became ill with Tb...brought a young neice to assist her in home when she became bedridden...and directed her husnand to re-marry as soon as possible following her demise, since he needed that type of support...Shortly after her death, he married the neice who was the same type woman even tho she was 28 years nyounger than he!...I photod a photograph of Benjamin holding the young daughter she bore him...resembling more of being grandfather, rather than father..You will see it when I learn to post the pictures! More anacdotes...He was a close freind of John Philip Sousa who was Conductor of Marine Band and we heard a familiar March of his played on his original Music player which utilized Copper perforated disks which preceded the Phonograph...It was thrilling to hear! He also soigned six states into the Union...more than any other President and also signed Hawaii as a Territory!
It was his father who signed the Declarati0on of Independence! There were many other pictures I was able to photograph of personal and official content.....for example, we saw the actual bed he died in...and found out that he had a large summer house in Cape May, NJ!
All in all it was a remarkable visit to a home of a remarkable man..who certainly pplayed an important role in the development of our wonderful country...you shall see.....
It was a 2 hour visit and we promptly aimed our van toward, Springfield, Illinois...and enroute had a light lunch and still arrived at tge Lincoln Museum just a few minutes before their closing...giving us nan opportunity to "learn the ground rules" for tomorrow morning and of course sufficient time to add to my book collection!..The van is now more like a "mobile Library"..than a van for our travel purposes! See you tomorrow!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
lots of miles today!
...left for Cincinnati after breakfast and reached it about 10AM....Visited the home and Museum for William A. Taft...The home was built by his father who was also quite an able Politician..His fathers name was Alfonso and left quite a legacy for his son, the President to attempt to equal...He was extremely wealthy and helped William and his nsiblings receive the best education possible....The father had been married previously and William was a child of his 2nd marriage....William was close friend of Teddy Roosevelt and his VP...When Teddy's term was over ...he assisted Taft to become President as member of Republican Party...Roosevelt went to Africa on safari...and upon his return found that Taft did not follow the policies that Roosevelt had set...They became serious enemies...and Roosevelt decided to run again for President..but thyeepublican Party did not want him, and the nominated Bryan unstead....Teddy then formed a 3rd party...called the "Bull Moose Party" which served to divide the Republicans with the result being that the Democrat candidate, Woodrow Wilson won in a shoo-in!
Taft was the biggest President..6ft 2 inch and 330 lbs!..He was also first to throw out a baseball to start the season...and his wife was the first nto plant the Japanese Cherry Trees near the Washington Monument!...bought several more books....and left to drive to Loisville, Kentucky!
Arrived in afternoon to the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery...He and his wife are buried there and he has a monument with a statue of him atop...It is a Military cemetery with some WW I veterans and many more WW II and Korean veterans buried there,,,All graves have small uniform sized headstones in precision like lines...An interesting fact is that the reverse side of the headstone has the veterans spouse identified on it and her grave is directly behind the veterans...^This was the site of the original homestead....
We left to drive then...back to Indiana and arrived just before closing at the fabulous home of William Henry Harrison....
The woman docent was gracious enough to remain open to allow us a sufficient time for our tour...He and his family lived in tyhe house called "Grouseland" for about 12 years.....It is amazing that altho he only was President for a little more than a mo0nth, succumbing to pneumonia after receiving a chill while giving his inaugural address...that he was able to make such an impact in Presidential history...We watched a very interesting biographical video presentatioon...took lots of pictures....and bought some more books!
An interesting anecdote was that President John Adams had appointed him as Governor of the entire Northwest Province and it was William Henry Harrison who arranged for Lewis and Clark to do their very famous exploration....More to come....in the book...!
By this time daras and I felt that we had done enough...so suitablr lodging and dinner were sought.....Tomorrow is Indianopolis!
Taft was the biggest President..6ft 2 inch and 330 lbs!..He was also first to throw out a baseball to start the season...and his wife was the first nto plant the Japanese Cherry Trees near the Washington Monument!...bought several more books....and left to drive to Loisville, Kentucky!
Arrived in afternoon to the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery...He and his wife are buried there and he has a monument with a statue of him atop...It is a Military cemetery with some WW I veterans and many more WW II and Korean veterans buried there,,,All graves have small uniform sized headstones in precision like lines...An interesting fact is that the reverse side of the headstone has the veterans spouse identified on it and her grave is directly behind the veterans...^This was the site of the original homestead....
We left to drive then...back to Indiana and arrived just before closing at the fabulous home of William Henry Harrison....
The woman docent was gracious enough to remain open to allow us a sufficient time for our tour...He and his family lived in tyhe house called "Grouseland" for about 12 years.....It is amazing that altho he only was President for a little more than a mo0nth, succumbing to pneumonia after receiving a chill while giving his inaugural address...that he was able to make such an impact in Presidential history...We watched a very interesting biographical video presentatioon...took lots of pictures....and bought some more books!
An interesting anecdote was that President John Adams had appointed him as Governor of the entire Northwest Province and it was William Henry Harrison who arranged for Lewis and Clark to do their very famous exploration....More to come....in the book...!
By this time daras and I felt that we had done enough...so suitablr lodging and dinner were sought.....Tomorrow is Indianopolis!
a very full day...again!
...drove thru very beautiful country on a very pleasant warm and sunny day... The drive thru the Mennonite farmland was so pleasant...and easy...took country roads all the way to the southwaestern portion of Ohio into North Bend, Ohio...tiny town where Wm Henry Harrison is buried in Congress Green Cemetery...there are markers at the house where he lived and Benjamin Harrison was born,,,and about a 1/4 mile away is a huge obelisk monument attestin g to the site.. Across the narrow road is the tiny cemetery where he and many of the other family are buried...A man by the name of Symmes purchased a great pice of land for 67 cents per acre with the help of George Washinton..It was known as the Miami Purchase...Hence, in driving down from upper Ohio we drove directly thru Miami University of Ohio...which Wm Henry Harrison had attended!...The grave stones were decaying and scarcely decipherable..but there was a joint plot for the Symess nand Harrison family...since Symmes first and then the Harrisons owned the cemetery...and Symmes daughter married W. Henry Harrison!...It was awesome plodding over and around all the crumbling heaqdstones..but of course, reverential...I said "Thanks!'...and left...
Next was a drive down the same narrow road which should have taken about 15 minutes to the town of Point Pleasant, but took an hour since the road was closed for repair of a bridge and took us an hour to reach instead....It was necessary to drive over the border ninto Kentucky and back again to reach it...We arrived at the tiny one room downstairs...and one room up the ladder in which Ulysses S. Grant was born!..it was built in 1817,,,and the Grant's moved in in 1821...wer saw the room he was born in...and from which he moved when he was about 1 year old.....so..
We then drove to hid Boyhood Home where he lived from age 1 until he left to attend West Point! It was a small brick house in a small village among the adjacent farmland ..His father was a tanner, with the shop directly across the street...The church..the one room school house..the teacher..and his boyhood friends were all within a 2block area..very cozy.....He attended the 1st grade at the school...but then his father sent him to another more distant school where he thought the education better
...Evidently his father was reasonably well educated because when his mother had died he was sent off to live with a Todd family who were financially secure...The Todd son ultimately became a Governor of Ohio.. Grant's father evidently was also a shrewd merchant because in addition to his Tannery he provided Horse and wagon transportation for people as well as lumber...and nyoung Ulysses when he was about 15 became very proficient at handling the horses...which he enjoyed.. However, he hateed the "blood and guts" of the tannery and as a result didn't want to work in the tannery...and ncouldn't stand to see the raw carcasses pf the hides being prepared...so much so that he would only eat meat if it were so well done as to resemble leather! There were many boyhood friends in the area with the Bailey's up the street being one of them..That house is still moccupied being a Bed and Breakfast presently...a large colonial frame house...Their son was attending West Point...was not doing well...and didn't like the military and threatened to quit...which he did...The boy's mother confided her discontent with Jesse Grant (Ulysses father)...who then promptly arranged for Ulysses to try to gain admission,,,since it would be an excellent education...and free!...Ulysees had to be coerced and urged to attend...he really did not want to go..but he did!,...The boy who left West Point became a Doctor...went into the Civil war and was killed...His name was Bartlett Bailey...
Ulysses name originally was Hiram Ulysses...the name Ulysses was his nfather's choice and Hiram "came out of a hat"....He was aqlways called "Lyss"...and was eldest of 6 children..all of whom received good education...since his father required it!... His mother was relatively unemotional and reserved...did not condone bragging etc...and not easily rattled...she did not visit Ulysees in the White House...not impressed!.....The "rest of the story" will follow when we arrive in Galena, Illinois where he returned after leaving the Army!
It was a very full day!...We the drove to about 100 miles from Louisville, Kentucky....
Talk to you later..
Next was a drive down the same narrow road which should have taken about 15 minutes to the town of Point Pleasant, but took an hour since the road was closed for repair of a bridge and took us an hour to reach instead....It was necessary to drive over the border ninto Kentucky and back again to reach it...We arrived at the tiny one room downstairs...and one room up the ladder in which Ulysses S. Grant was born!..it was built in 1817,,,and the Grant's moved in in 1821...wer saw the room he was born in...and from which he moved when he was about 1 year old.....so..
We then drove to hid Boyhood Home where he lived from age 1 until he left to attend West Point! It was a small brick house in a small village among the adjacent farmland ..His father was a tanner, with the shop directly across the street...The church..the one room school house..the teacher..and his boyhood friends were all within a 2block area..very cozy.....He attended the 1st grade at the school...but then his father sent him to another more distant school where he thought the education better
...Evidently his father was reasonably well educated because when his mother had died he was sent off to live with a Todd family who were financially secure...The Todd son ultimately became a Governor of Ohio.. Grant's father evidently was also a shrewd merchant because in addition to his Tannery he provided Horse and wagon transportation for people as well as lumber...and nyoung Ulysses when he was about 15 became very proficient at handling the horses...which he enjoyed.. However, he hateed the "blood and guts" of the tannery and as a result didn't want to work in the tannery...and ncouldn't stand to see the raw carcasses pf the hides being prepared...so much so that he would only eat meat if it were so well done as to resemble leather! There were many boyhood friends in the area with the Bailey's up the street being one of them..That house is still moccupied being a Bed and Breakfast presently...a large colonial frame house...Their son was attending West Point...was not doing well...and didn't like the military and threatened to quit...which he did...The boy's mother confided her discontent with Jesse Grant (Ulysses father)...who then promptly arranged for Ulysses to try to gain admission,,,since it would be an excellent education...and free!...Ulysees had to be coerced and urged to attend...he really did not want to go..but he did!,...The boy who left West Point became a Doctor...went into the Civil war and was killed...His name was Bartlett Bailey...
Ulysses name originally was Hiram Ulysses...the name Ulysses was his nfather's choice and Hiram "came out of a hat"....He was aqlways called "Lyss"...and was eldest of 6 children..all of whom received good education...since his father required it!... His mother was relatively unemotional and reserved...did not condone bragging etc...and not easily rattled...she did not visit Ulysees in the White House...not impressed!.....The "rest of the story" will follow when we arrive in Galena, Illinois where he returned after leaving the Army!
It was a very full day!...We the drove to about 100 miles from Louisville, Kentucky....
Talk to you later..
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
very exciting day!...
arrived at Ford's Museum about 10:30 AM...located in a beautiful setting near Art Museum downtown Grand Rapids...On the outside it is a gorgeous building..fountains and waterfalls very impressive...Even nicer inside...saw a documentary about Ford in the theater...visited gift area...of course purchased ..i9ncluding books...My Library is growing by leaps and bounds!
The 2nd floor had exhibits...many, many rooms with an unbelievable amount of very exciting material;...took hundreds of pictures...Has a replica of his Oval Office which is breathtaking as well as his Cabinet room which you may enter...very authentic...It was amazing as to how much very important decisions he made during the 2 1/2 YEARS of his term...and was very impressed with him as a President and a true Patriot. His biography is for certain one of being a genuine "All American Boy".....Adopted and took name of Stepfather...Pardonede Nixon...became VP after resignation of Agnew...and President after resignation of Nixon.....'nuff said?"......There was also a large section where the exhibit of Terrorism on loan from the SPY museum in DC was for view....amazing display....and realizing he waqs offered to join several NFL football teams and deferred to go to Law School...at Yale....and was told that he mentioneed that if he were offered the same opportunity from a mAJOR lEAGUE Baseball team..he would never entered politics!....Visitede his Grave site adjacent to the Museum with the headstone already in place for his wife, Betty....Also waqs told that Bill VClinton had visitede the museum last night!...He sure gets around...wonder why?.....
Then back in the van for a long haul back to the southwestern part of Ohio to visit 3 more places tomorrow!..had dinner and found very nice motel in Amish area Farmland in Indiana about a 2 hour ride to Cincinatti (sp?)... The Ford Museum was the most impressive of the Archival supportede museums we have yet visited....'till tomorrow...au revoir....send me a note when you think about it...
The 2nd floor had exhibits...many, many rooms with an unbelievable amount of very exciting material;...took hundreds of pictures...Has a replica of his Oval Office which is breathtaking as well as his Cabinet room which you may enter...very authentic...It was amazing as to how much very important decisions he made during the 2 1/2 YEARS of his term...and was very impressed with him as a President and a true Patriot. His biography is for certain one of being a genuine "All American Boy".....Adopted and took name of Stepfather...Pardonede Nixon...became VP after resignation of Agnew...and President after resignation of Nixon.....'nuff said?"......There was also a large section where the exhibit of Terrorism on loan from the SPY museum in DC was for view....amazing display....and realizing he waqs offered to join several NFL football teams and deferred to go to Law School...at Yale....and was told that he mentioneed that if he were offered the same opportunity from a mAJOR lEAGUE Baseball team..he would never entered politics!....Visitede his Grave site adjacent to the Museum with the headstone already in place for his wife, Betty....Also waqs told that Bill VClinton had visitede the museum last night!...He sure gets around...wonder why?.....
Then back in the van for a long haul back to the southwestern part of Ohio to visit 3 more places tomorrow!..had dinner and found very nice motel in Amish area Farmland in Indiana about a 2 hour ride to Cincinatti (sp?)... The Ford Museum was the most impressive of the Archival supportede museums we have yet visited....'till tomorrow...au revoir....send me a note when you think about it...
Monday, June 18, 2007
..2 days travel!...
...forgot to tell you how surprised we were to see the milesw of Vineyards in upper NY STate as we travelled westward toward Ohio....Must be tremendous source of income to area..
However after leaving NY and just over border in Ohio we first stopped at James A Garfield's Home in Mentor, Ohio...it is in a park-like setting and called Lawnfield...Large house with huge graystone addition for a library put on by his wife Lucretia after his death when she received considerable donations of money in his memory..she also built a large conical tower to which was affixed a large windmill which generatede sufficient mechaanical power to push water from the well under pressure to all the inside plumbing of the house...as well as a stone addition to the Carriage house which contained the apparatus to provide gas service to the home...She was a woman before her time! The visit gave us much information about the President...
The next stop was at Harding's home in Marion, Ohio...
He built the house in 1891 as a gift to his wife prior to his marriage to her..She was several yeaqrs his senior and had eloped several years previously and had a small son...who was never adopted by Harding...He lived with his grandfather...and her father dis-owned her when she marriede Harding...He was the owner and publisher of the Marion Star newspaper and met his wife when she was supporting herself and her son by teaching piano...she gave lesswons to one of his relatives...
Hardind died in California after returning form Alaska from a visit..He went to Alaska by railroad, but returnede to California by ship...His V.P. Coolidge succeeded him...
His wife died of Bright's Disease about 16 yeaqrs after his demise.
A tour of the home provided much information about his Presidency as well as some insight into his personna...It was a rewarding visit...
The final visit of the day was in Fremont, Ohio...up near Lake Ontario....It waqs the HUGE home of Rutherford B. BHayes called "Spiegel Grove"....It also was within a park...and he and his nwife...and his son and wife are bujried on thne property....The home was given to him byh a very wealthy uncle..who also provided for him handsomely at his demise...Rutherford really had BIG BUCKS...and lived it!...It hade been mentionede that this house/museum gave FDR the idea to attempt the same thing officially with the National Archives.
The uncle bought the lqand in 1845..built the house in 1859 and completed it in 1863..with Rutherford assisting init's construction... He was the only President other than Jefferson who involved himself so deeply in the construction.....It so much impressed Daras that she remarked "she could move in today!"....
Rutherford's father died 2 monthsw before he was born....and his wife was the first wife of a President to have a college education! He was the embodiment of the statement that "rich is better than poor"!
We then drove north to the edge of the lake..had a Perch fish dinner and a waterfront room in the hotel...not bad!
Today was a more restful day...Had the van's oil changed and had an opportunity to do my bookkeeping while it was being serviced....then drove up into Michigan about 2 hours later and reached the Library of Prtesident Gerald Ford...Beautiful building directly on the campus of Univeersity of Michigan at Ann Arbor....We were well received by the Head Archivist who was pleassed to show us about and even opened the door and permitted us to enter Ford's personal office which he last visited in 2004....and permitted pictures!
There was no doubt of the esteem that was reciprocal by both the University and Ford...He was the MOst Valuable Player during the time he plqayed Cernter on the Football team...and there waqs evidence of his character as an Eagle Scout etc...all over the library!...He appeared to be the ALL American bOY......iwas easy to gain insight into what he was made of...and much information was elicited about his term of office...The Library is financed both by the University as well as the archives...and is used primaqrily as a research library...
We left then to drive for about 2 1/2 hours to Grand Rapids where tomorrow AM we will visit the Museum....'till then...Arrivederci (sp?) we just had dinner in an Italian Restaurant!
However after leaving NY and just over border in Ohio we first stopped at James A Garfield's Home in Mentor, Ohio...it is in a park-like setting and called Lawnfield...Large house with huge graystone addition for a library put on by his wife Lucretia after his death when she received considerable donations of money in his memory..she also built a large conical tower to which was affixed a large windmill which generatede sufficient mechaanical power to push water from the well under pressure to all the inside plumbing of the house...as well as a stone addition to the Carriage house which contained the apparatus to provide gas service to the home...She was a woman before her time! The visit gave us much information about the President...
The next stop was at Harding's home in Marion, Ohio...
He built the house in 1891 as a gift to his wife prior to his marriage to her..She was several yeaqrs his senior and had eloped several years previously and had a small son...who was never adopted by Harding...He lived with his grandfather...and her father dis-owned her when she marriede Harding...He was the owner and publisher of the Marion Star newspaper and met his wife when she was supporting herself and her son by teaching piano...she gave lesswons to one of his relatives...
Hardind died in California after returning form Alaska from a visit..He went to Alaska by railroad, but returnede to California by ship...His V.P. Coolidge succeeded him...
His wife died of Bright's Disease about 16 yeaqrs after his demise.
A tour of the home provided much information about his Presidency as well as some insight into his personna...It was a rewarding visit...
The final visit of the day was in Fremont, Ohio...up near Lake Ontario....It waqs the HUGE home of Rutherford B. BHayes called "Spiegel Grove"....It also was within a park...and he and his nwife...and his son and wife are bujried on thne property....The home was given to him byh a very wealthy uncle..who also provided for him handsomely at his demise...Rutherford really had BIG BUCKS...and lived it!...It hade been mentionede that this house/museum gave FDR the idea to attempt the same thing officially with the National Archives.
The uncle bought the lqand in 1845..built the house in 1859 and completed it in 1863..with Rutherford assisting init's construction... He was the only President other than Jefferson who involved himself so deeply in the construction.....It so much impressed Daras that she remarked "she could move in today!"....
Rutherford's father died 2 monthsw before he was born....and his wife was the first wife of a President to have a college education! He was the embodiment of the statement that "rich is better than poor"!
We then drove north to the edge of the lake..had a Perch fish dinner and a waterfront room in the hotel...not bad!
Today was a more restful day...Had the van's oil changed and had an opportunity to do my bookkeeping while it was being serviced....then drove up into Michigan about 2 hours later and reached the Library of Prtesident Gerald Ford...Beautiful building directly on the campus of Univeersity of Michigan at Ann Arbor....We were well received by the Head Archivist who was pleassed to show us about and even opened the door and permitted us to enter Ford's personal office which he last visited in 2004....and permitted pictures!
There was no doubt of the esteem that was reciprocal by both the University and Ford...He was the MOst Valuable Player during the time he plqayed Cernter on the Football team...and there waqs evidence of his character as an Eagle Scout etc...all over the library!...He appeared to be the ALL American bOY......iwas easy to gain insight into what he was made of...and much information was elicited about his term of office...The Library is financed both by the University as well as the archives...and is used primaqrily as a research library...
We left then to drive for about 2 1/2 hours to Grand Rapids where tomorrow AM we will visit the Museum....'till then...Arrivederci (sp?) we just had dinner in an Italian Restaurant!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
wireless available today!
Hi everyone...Missed a day n yesterday since no wireless access,, so here goes:
Saturday..June 16
Left hotel after good nites rest....drove about 2 miles to Fair Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo....It is a very large and well kept cemetery and ver impressive, particularly with so many huge, artistic quality granite monuments...There wqas even a composite large monument presentation designede by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1928....We visited the Family plot of President Millard Fillmore with just a few headstones enclosed The largest memorial was a pink granite obelisk which desinated him as President etc...but was more moving were tyhe 4 tiny upright granite slabs which were placed directly over the graves...A very small weathered one was his which just had the initials M. P. F. etched on it...It certainly suggested his simple character and frugality!..A somewhat larger one indicated his wife, Abigail and the other 2 were their children...I saw a tiny American Flag withiun the closure evidently dropped from a ceremonial wreath for Memorial day...and reached in and took it for my cillection as a mimento...as I told him, "Thanks"..! for doing his part to continue the progress of the USA..
When the visit was concluded we left to return near the hotel and to Teddy Roosevelt's Inaugural site...He had been Vice-President to McKinley..and had filled in for him at the Pan-American Exposition when it was opened...and a few days later Mckinley visited on President's Day...and while shaking hands in the crowd was shot at point blank by an american zealot who tried to "make his place in history"....The President survfived...and Teddy remainede at thisw Wilcox Mansion as a guest of Col. Wilcox his friend,,,After about 4 days as the President appeared to be recovering...Teddy left to join his family at vacation in the Adirondacks,,,when he was urgently summoned to return at the sudden unexpected death of the President...A ceremonial Oath of Office was programmed by the Sec'y of War and the oath administered by a Federal Judge...About 40 VIP's attendend. It evidently was a sad and emotional Inauguration with many participants, including Roosevelt shedding tears! The house was immense and regal...My book will disclose more...
We the immediately dashed...really sped to the next location which was the home of Millard Fillmore..which was in East Aurora, NY....The home was quite large and impressive...but nothing similar to the Wilcox Mansion we had juswtr visited...Fillmore was a poor man with only an 8th grade education, nand had been trained in several trades after serving various apprenticeships....but belatedly took the necessary steps to serve apprenticeships with various lawyers and finally passed the bar exams for the practice of law...He really became educated after his marriage to Abigail who was several years his senior...She had been a school teacher and straightened him out! More will come in my book...getting interested???
We the drove west again to just beyond the Ohio border where we found lodging and dinner! ZZZzzzz....
Now we reach today..Father's Day...JUne 17
Warren Harding...James A Garfield and Rutherford B. Hayes....one after aqnother today...miles apart...but it will have to wait 'till tomorrow...too tired!...Nitey-nite!
Saturday..June 16
Left hotel after good nites rest....drove about 2 miles to Fair Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo....It is a very large and well kept cemetery and ver impressive, particularly with so many huge, artistic quality granite monuments...There wqas even a composite large monument presentation designede by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1928....We visited the Family plot of President Millard Fillmore with just a few headstones enclosed The largest memorial was a pink granite obelisk which desinated him as President etc...but was more moving were tyhe 4 tiny upright granite slabs which were placed directly over the graves...A very small weathered one was his which just had the initials M. P. F. etched on it...It certainly suggested his simple character and frugality!..A somewhat larger one indicated his wife, Abigail and the other 2 were their children...I saw a tiny American Flag withiun the closure evidently dropped from a ceremonial wreath for Memorial day...and reached in and took it for my cillection as a mimento...as I told him, "Thanks"..! for doing his part to continue the progress of the USA..
When the visit was concluded we left to return near the hotel and to Teddy Roosevelt's Inaugural site...He had been Vice-President to McKinley..and had filled in for him at the Pan-American Exposition when it was opened...and a few days later Mckinley visited on President's Day...and while shaking hands in the crowd was shot at point blank by an american zealot who tried to "make his place in history"....The President survfived...and Teddy remainede at thisw Wilcox Mansion as a guest of Col. Wilcox his friend,,,After about 4 days as the President appeared to be recovering...Teddy left to join his family at vacation in the Adirondacks,,,when he was urgently summoned to return at the sudden unexpected death of the President...A ceremonial Oath of Office was programmed by the Sec'y of War and the oath administered by a Federal Judge...About 40 VIP's attendend. It evidently was a sad and emotional Inauguration with many participants, including Roosevelt shedding tears! The house was immense and regal...My book will disclose more...
We the immediately dashed...really sped to the next location which was the home of Millard Fillmore..which was in East Aurora, NY....The home was quite large and impressive...but nothing similar to the Wilcox Mansion we had juswtr visited...Fillmore was a poor man with only an 8th grade education, nand had been trained in several trades after serving various apprenticeships....but belatedly took the necessary steps to serve apprenticeships with various lawyers and finally passed the bar exams for the practice of law...He really became educated after his marriage to Abigail who was several years his senior...She had been a school teacher and straightened him out! More will come in my book...getting interested???
We the drove west again to just beyond the Ohio border where we found lodging and dinner! ZZZzzzz....
Now we reach today..Father's Day...JUne 17
Warren Harding...James A Garfield and Rutherford B. Hayes....one after aqnother today...miles apart...but it will have to wait 'till tomorrow...too tired!...Nitey-nite!
Friday, June 15, 2007
...a day of travel
...Left this am...right down the street of our motel to the banks of Lake Champlain and boarded the Ferry to take us across the lake to Port Kent , N.Y. it was an hour trip...beautiful weather...warm and sunny...and smooth sailing!....I had promised Daras a Cruise...and I lived up to it!.....We then elected to drive toward Buffalo, NY and took a small road directly thru and over the Adirondacks...It was thrilling...circuitous, and up and down all the way to Utica where we met a major highway dirctly toward Buffalo...We did no Presidential research but sure had oooh's and aaah's.....We made Buffalo at about 5:30 and lucked into finding lodging in a lovely hotel 2 blocks from the Museum.. This is where Mckinley was assasin ated and Teddy Roosevelt inaugurated...The museum opens at noon tomorrow,,,so before we go there we will visit the Cemetery where President Millard Fillmore is buried!...2 Birds (Presidents) with one stone!
See you tomorrow! drop me a line so I know I am getting thru!
See you tomorrow! drop me a line so I know I am getting thru!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
another exciting day!..
Left early this AM to drive directly to Plymouth Notch, Vermont...crossed the Connecticut river and we were in Vermont...It was a great drive on secondary roads winding thru and over forested mountains,,with an overhang nin manynof nthe locations to give the appearance of a tunnel!..I know now why the Green Mountains are named that...event he thicly forested roads cut thru the stone montains reveal green colored stone!..The ride was like a roller coaster..but we made it...and the village of Plymouth notch was like a greath of spring...the sun was bright..the Lupines were in blossom...and it was comfortably warm... The Calvin Coolidge site cobnsists of the store and cinnected rear little house in which he was born and lived is there...still furnishede with original furniture and personal articles...including the bed he was born in!...Right across the street is the larger house they moved into when he was a bit older...and directly across the street was the Church he attended which waqs built in abo0ut 1840..we were in the interior and it is entirely panelled with thin hardwoods in avery attractive pattern....of course many photos were taken....The house indicated that he was primarily a farm boy and rose early each AM to do the required chores..and we saw his carriaqge which was built by his father as well as the very necessary Sleigh for winter travel...Eight down the street was the Cheese factory that the family ownede..and is still functioning as well as the general store he was born into!...We purchased fabulouloy tasteful cheese to mail to all our children...hope they arrive intact...I also purchased several books for my research...We also saw a short video as a biography of hid life in the museum...It was a very satisfying visit.,,,,and the we aimed our GPS for the other President born in Vermont...Chester A. Arthur.....and it was a long distance away...in the northwestern corner of Vermont about 15 miles from the Canadiasn border...the route we took included driving thru Killington and Stowe...The distance was about 180 miles and about 5 hours long!..It was literally cut thru the forest and thru the mountains in a serpentine, winding narrow road sometimes too naqrrow to have amiddle line and with hairpin curves...there also were several detours thru even narrower roads because of detours due to bridge wash-outs! The scening was absolutely breath taking...High in the mountains and peering down thgousands of feet to the valleys and lakes below...dotted with tiny communities...When we finally reached the final road we found it was a dirt road which we traqversed for about 5 miles, now in Hill-farm country....When we arrived we found a small frame building used as a museum for President Arthur and a Granite monument pin-pointing the exact location where the house stood that he was born in!...AQt the museum I gained much informastion which gave me insight as to the personna of Arthur...I can't wait to return home and commence writing!
Well we accomplished as much as we hoped for today...and then left to return southward, on a different route to reach Burlington, Vermont for a great Roast Beef dinner and lodging!....
I wonder what tomorrow will offer? See you then!...Drop me a line when you can...
Well we accomplished as much as we hoped for today...and then left to return southward, on a different route to reach Burlington, Vermont for a great Roast Beef dinner and lodging!....
I wonder what tomorrow will offer? See you then!...Drop me a line when you can...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
I Made it!
Had a good nite's rest and we were noff nthis morning non acold..drizzly and raining Northeast day! Brrrrr! Drove to Concord, New Hampshire..the address for President Franlin Pierce was sort of vague...so had a little difficulty finding Information Center nearby...and to our dismay the Pierce Manse would only be opening for the season this weekend!,,,and after driviong in thee rain and thru the beautiful and imposing White mountains!....BUT...the person behind the desk gave me some information and several npublished pamphlets that told of the major house of his lifetime...and I called the number and it too was closed!...however not being daunted nI found a number to call if desirious of a personal tour of this major home which was about 35 miles farther North....and I called...and Glory be!...the man who answered who lived several miles from the locationj...volunteered graciously to meet us there and give us THE PERSONAL TOUR! We hustled and blundered on the mountain roads in the rain and found it....
The guide was an elerly gent who really lived Pierce...and when the house was open actually wore the 1830 dress of the day!
We saw the barn attached to the house and the interior of the house as well...AQlmost all the original furnishings and personal items were nther for us to0 explore...almost without any restriction...We walked thru about 20 rooms on both floors and saw all the original paintings and certificates...with authentic signatures.. President Pierce's father was a very dominant influence on Frank(lin)...and the President also had an older brother who was his hero...The father and son were both in the Military during Revolution and war of 1812.. The House which was built by the father waqs used as an INn..a Tavern..a Post-Office and a Sherrif's station...and his father had been..owner of Inn and Tavern...Postmaster and Sherrif at various time including several local political offices and Governor of New Hampshire twice...Not only was he extremely active,,but charismatically handsome!...What an act for the young Franlin to follow...but he did!...He too was Handsome with a large shock of black hair over his right brow..but waqs extremely shy, particularly with the women! Franlin lived in the house from infancy to about age 36...so the influences of all the patrons, politicians and Military who utilized the various functions of the house must of played an important part in his development...He attended Bowdoin collegenin Maine and then, Dartmouth...for law.....we learned much more of his personna...and it will be useful for my book...We spent about 2 1/2 hours with him, and at the conclusion we were all exhausted...After much thank you's to this gracious man we left to drive back down to Concord and find a route that would take us to our next location which would be over the Connecticut River into Vermont...We also learned that it is virtually impossible to drive across East West roads...since they barely existed!...Therefor it is necessary to retrace steps from North to South again to commence a new direction North to the next stop...Obviously itg is due to the position of all the mountain ranges....
We found our way therfore to Lebanon, New Hampshire for dinner and lodging and tomorrow AM we drive about 50-60 miles to Plymout Notch, Vermontt which is the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge. See you then!
The guide was an elerly gent who really lived Pierce...and when the house was open actually wore the 1830 dress of the day!
We saw the barn attached to the house and the interior of the house as well...AQlmost all the original furnishings and personal items were nther for us to0 explore...almost without any restriction...We walked thru about 20 rooms on both floors and saw all the original paintings and certificates...with authentic signatures.. President Pierce's father was a very dominant influence on Frank(lin)...and the President also had an older brother who was his hero...The father and son were both in the Military during Revolution and war of 1812.. The House which was built by the father waqs used as an INn..a Tavern..a Post-Office and a Sherrif's station...and his father had been..owner of Inn and Tavern...Postmaster and Sherrif at various time including several local political offices and Governor of New Hampshire twice...Not only was he extremely active,,but charismatically handsome!...What an act for the young Franlin to follow...but he did!...He too was Handsome with a large shock of black hair over his right brow..but waqs extremely shy, particularly with the women! Franlin lived in the house from infancy to about age 36...so the influences of all the patrons, politicians and Military who utilized the various functions of the house must of played an important part in his development...He attended Bowdoin collegenin Maine and then, Dartmouth...for law.....we learned much more of his personna...and it will be useful for my book...We spent about 2 1/2 hours with him, and at the conclusion we were all exhausted...After much thank you's to this gracious man we left to drive back down to Concord and find a route that would take us to our next location which would be over the Connecticut River into Vermont...We also learned that it is virtually impossible to drive across East West roads...since they barely existed!...Therefor it is necessary to retrace steps from North to South again to commence a new direction North to the next stop...Obviously itg is due to the position of all the mountain ranges....
We found our way therfore to Lebanon, New Hampshire for dinner and lodging and tomorrow AM we drive about 50-60 miles to Plymout Notch, Vermontt which is the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge. See you then!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
John Adams...and...John Quincy Adams
Drove to Quincy, Mass. Took excellent tour of houses that Father was born in and nnext door was son's...Side by side..2nd an d 6th President... First in line was Deacon John Adams...shoemaker ...and farmer and large landowner...Sent son John Adams to Harvard...becamr president...His son...felt the cause as well...became President...Both had strong wives!...Abigail and Louisa....All 4 burriede in Granite boxes under Church floor which we visited...Lot's more to tell...later!
Drove to JFK library on Sunday...Place empty...we were first in!...Beautiful building on campus of University of Mass...overlooking Charles River...good exhibits...but sad...realizing a life with so much promise being cut short!...Big play about Cuban Missile Crisis...Jackie and her entertaining at WShite House and his Brother ...Bobby!....
Much ado about his family and his father....Speaking of Rivers...it became apparent how much they influenced the growth of USA... The Delaware..The Charles,, The James and the Chesepeake area...The Potomac The Susqehanna..The Hudson...Boston Harbor...NYC Harbor...Phila Harbor etc...interesting.
Drove 2 hours to Pam and Ji9m's House...Surprise Dinner for friends and US for Jim's Birthday which is on Flag day...June 14th!...Had a great reunion with our Grandkids ( Gabriela and Benj) who are great and also look fine aswell as Pam and Jim...Late nite for us...and to bed!
Next ASm...bid farewell and drove to downtown Portland where Benj has summer job waitiong tables at nice restaurant right on the water!..He served us Breakfast...and of course tried to be as generous as possible...
Left directly from there to Campobello ...about 5 hour scenic drive thru the mountains...speaking of mountains, we have been on Appalachian, Adirondacks, Berkshires, Catskills and Poconos so far...More to come? We arrived at Lubec, Maine which is the most eastern city in the usa...when we were at Key West we noted that we were on most Southern!..
Drove over the short Lubec/Roosevelt Bridge after passing Canadian Customs and found lodging in a Log Cabin near the Roosevelt home...The Lodge we slept in was built in 1915...There was not only no wireless for computer...BUT no TV!...Had great dinner at Seafood dinner about 4 miles away...A nice quiet nite and a much needed good sleep!....This Am we took a tour of the Roosevelt "Cottage"...all 32 rooms of it!....Almost all furniture remained there as well as all personal items...Very well presented and gave good insight as to the life-style the family enjoyed...
It was a memorable visit...and we learned a great deal...
Left the museum and retraced our steps to Jim's office..surprise visit from us with some more gifts....and met his office staff...all nice people and a thrill for us! He and his family are leaving early tomorrow Am for Tennessee for a music concert for a week...SO...we bid adieu again...and left for dinner and lodging on the route to Concord, New Hampshire!....The travelliung seems to be getting easier...or maybe we are just numb?......'till next time....
Drove to JFK library on Sunday...Place empty...we were first in!...Beautiful building on campus of University of Mass...overlooking Charles River...good exhibits...but sad...realizing a life with so much promise being cut short!...Big play about Cuban Missile Crisis...Jackie and her entertaining at WShite House and his Brother ...Bobby!....
Much ado about his family and his father....Speaking of Rivers...it became apparent how much they influenced the growth of USA... The Delaware..The Charles,, The James and the Chesepeake area...The Potomac The Susqehanna..The Hudson...Boston Harbor...NYC Harbor...Phila Harbor etc...interesting.
Drove 2 hours to Pam and Ji9m's House...Surprise Dinner for friends and US for Jim's Birthday which is on Flag day...June 14th!...Had a great reunion with our Grandkids ( Gabriela and Benj) who are great and also look fine aswell as Pam and Jim...Late nite for us...and to bed!
Next ASm...bid farewell and drove to downtown Portland where Benj has summer job waitiong tables at nice restaurant right on the water!..He served us Breakfast...and of course tried to be as generous as possible...
Left directly from there to Campobello ...about 5 hour scenic drive thru the mountains...speaking of mountains, we have been on Appalachian, Adirondacks, Berkshires, Catskills and Poconos so far...More to come? We arrived at Lubec, Maine which is the most eastern city in the usa...when we were at Key West we noted that we were on most Southern!..
Drove over the short Lubec/Roosevelt Bridge after passing Canadian Customs and found lodging in a Log Cabin near the Roosevelt home...The Lodge we slept in was built in 1915...There was not only no wireless for computer...BUT no TV!...Had great dinner at Seafood dinner about 4 miles away...A nice quiet nite and a much needed good sleep!....This Am we took a tour of the Roosevelt "Cottage"...all 32 rooms of it!....Almost all furniture remained there as well as all personal items...Very well presented and gave good insight as to the life-style the family enjoyed...
It was a memorable visit...and we learned a great deal...
Left the museum and retraced our steps to Jim's office..surprise visit from us with some more gifts....and met his office staff...all nice people and a thrill for us! He and his family are leaving early tomorrow Am for Tennessee for a music concert for a week...SO...we bid adieu again...and left for dinner and lodging on the route to Concord, New Hampshire!....The travelliung seems to be getting easier...or maybe we are just numb?......'till next time....
Saturday, June 9, 2007
almost caught up!
Am in Quincy, Mass tonite...saw all about the Adams Family...but will try to catch up to get current...Hang on!
Hooray we are in NYC!...Bus ride from Penn station to 122nd street and Riverside Drive...very impressive and well cared for National Park site. Large domed building on summit of hill overlooking Hudson River...story was he wanted to be buried in Arlington or other Military cemetery, but rules did not allow for spouses...So...Mayhor of NYC offered the site...and she grabbed it! Saw both crypts..and got lots of info...will include in book!
Back alway down to tip of Manhattan for another !$1.00 per and went into Federal Hall...Also National site...good info and more literature...It was where Washinton's 1st Inaugural speech was given!...Much more in my book!
Fraunces Tavern..off of Wall st... Tavern where Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, madison all conferred about the development of iNDEPENDENCE...AND cONSTITUTION!
They evidently liked to eat, booze and work as I do!..Restaurant still operating..had late lunch there!...Tour guides...and lots of pictures! Washington gave Farewell Address to Troops there and WE were in the ROOM!...
Pooped out again...and got the train back to Hamilton..and a nite at Deena and Michaels!
Next Am..on our way to Calwell, NJ...Grover Cleveland's Home....where he was born...and only lived there as small child..beautiful brick home...2 fabulous women who were guides..one for 28 years..it was lunch time when they generally close...but remainede open for us!..very nice....It is only museum for him..privately endowed, but not sufficiently...got all excellent background about he and his family...almost all original furnishings and personal mimentos...Took lots of pictures...even heard 2 songs sung by the one woman concerning his election campaign against Harrison...and the possible paternity question!...Very funny...she will mail me the music!
Can't wait to start writing the book..so many anecdotal stories to tell!
Drove to Dey Mansion...Washington's Headquarters during Revolution.
Drove to Hasbrouke House...in Newburgh , NY...High on a hill overlooking a bend in the Hudson...across the river is higher mountain..Beacon nHill where he had soldiers who had even better view down the river..watching for British..and where they planted large wood poles linked together by heavy chains to thwart i9nvasion of british by boat!...Lots of cannon...
He w3as in this house for the longest period during the revolution..16 months...got great pictures and lots of stories to tell!
Onward to Hyde Park...2nd official Archive Museum we visited....Saw film documentary in theatre..home schooled until he went to Groton when it was new...Mother's maiden name was from Flanders...De La Noye...hence, Delano!saw his stuffed bird collection...saw pictures of Fala ( Murray the Outlaw of Fala Hill)...saw the interior of house ..every room..his MOTHER"S and his and his wife's...Father built tower on 3rd floor where he was tutored...and saw elevator where while in his wheelchair he would pull on the ropes to ascend or descend...didn't trust the electricity....Many stories...and many pictures...
Then drove to Kinderhook, NY..Van Buren's Home ...very Deutch
enough for today...almost caught up...will elaborate about Van Buren next blog...very interesting personna! Then, we go to Grant's cottage where he died...and today's visit to the Adams!!!!!
Hope you are enjoying...drop me a line and make a comment...anything!
Hooray we are in NYC!...Bus ride from Penn station to 122nd street and Riverside Drive...very impressive and well cared for National Park site. Large domed building on summit of hill overlooking Hudson River...story was he wanted to be buried in Arlington or other Military cemetery, but rules did not allow for spouses...So...Mayhor of NYC offered the site...and she grabbed it! Saw both crypts..and got lots of info...will include in book!
Back alway down to tip of Manhattan for another !$1.00 per and went into Federal Hall...Also National site...good info and more literature...It was where Washinton's 1st Inaugural speech was given!...Much more in my book!
Fraunces Tavern..off of Wall st... Tavern where Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, madison all conferred about the development of iNDEPENDENCE...AND cONSTITUTION!
They evidently liked to eat, booze and work as I do!..Restaurant still operating..had late lunch there!...Tour guides...and lots of pictures! Washington gave Farewell Address to Troops there and WE were in the ROOM!...
Pooped out again...and got the train back to Hamilton..and a nite at Deena and Michaels!
Next Am..on our way to Calwell, NJ...Grover Cleveland's Home....where he was born...and only lived there as small child..beautiful brick home...2 fabulous women who were guides..one for 28 years..it was lunch time when they generally close...but remainede open for us!..very nice....It is only museum for him..privately endowed, but not sufficiently...got all excellent background about he and his family...almost all original furnishings and personal mimentos...Took lots of pictures...even heard 2 songs sung by the one woman concerning his election campaign against Harrison...and the possible paternity question!...Very funny...she will mail me the music!
Can't wait to start writing the book..so many anecdotal stories to tell!
Drove to Dey Mansion...Washington's Headquarters during Revolution.
Drove to Hasbrouke House...in Newburgh , NY...High on a hill overlooking a bend in the Hudson...across the river is higher mountain..Beacon nHill where he had soldiers who had even better view down the river..watching for British..and where they planted large wood poles linked together by heavy chains to thwart i9nvasion of british by boat!...Lots of cannon...
He w3as in this house for the longest period during the revolution..16 months...got great pictures and lots of stories to tell!
Onward to Hyde Park...2nd official Archive Museum we visited....Saw film documentary in theatre..home schooled until he went to Groton when it was new...Mother's maiden name was from Flanders...De La Noye...hence, Delano!saw his stuffed bird collection...saw pictures of Fala ( Murray the Outlaw of Fala Hill)...saw the interior of house ..every room..his MOTHER"S and his and his wife's...Father built tower on 3rd floor where he was tutored...and saw elevator where while in his wheelchair he would pull on the ropes to ascend or descend...didn't trust the electricity....Many stories...and many pictures...
Then drove to Kinderhook, NY..Van Buren's Home ...very Deutch
enough for today...almost caught up...will elaborate about Van Buren next blog...very interesting personna! Then, we go to Grant's cottage where he died...and today's visit to the Adams!!!!!
Hope you are enjoying...drop me a line and make a comment...anything!
Friday, June 8, 2007
continuing...
Drove back to Ellen and Tony's house...dropped bags..parked car a short drive away in Hotel garage...walked back...lot's longer walking! Her house is just off of Dupont Circle...Ambassador's Row../very impressive....Had very warm and pleasant reunion with Liz (Elizabeth) who had just finished 1st day's work for summer vacation from school as Chef in a very hi-grade restaurant in gEORGETOWN...hAD DINNER IN THE RESTAURANT WHILE SHE WAS WORKINHG THERE ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER...GOT "EXTRA AMOUNT PORTION OF Delicious appetizer!"
hAD DINNER WITH aLEX THE NEXT NIGHT..WHO SHOWED ME HOW TO ATTEMP THIS BLOG...uSED THE mETRO...AND LOT'S AND LOTS OF WALKING TO SEE d. c. Saw the White House..the Capitol..The Archives with show of "Schoolhouse to Whitehouse" just what I wanted...Met Educational dIRECTOR WHO OFFEREDE TO MAIL ME THE PHOTOS OF THE ENTIRE SHOW!...FOR FREE!...WOW! Have to credit the pictures etc in my book.....Halleluyah!
Next day..back to Metro...saw Wilson and his wife's tomb in National Cathedral...took pictures....Went to Lincoln Memorial...went nin....went to Jefferson Memorial...walked in...went to FDR Memorial ..walked in...went to @nd World War Museum...walked some more...took gangs of pictures!
another day...another ntrip...Arlington Cemetery...lots more walking...saw kENNEDY gRAVE SITE AND ETERNAQL FLAME AND ALSO SAW THE ONLY OTHER pRESIDENT BURIED THERE..Taft! Saw the Changing of the guard at the tomb of unknown soldier...saw the memorial of the Battleship, Maine....and The Memorial to Astronauts! Also graves of George Marshall...Gen. Pershing...Audie Murphy ...veterans of Civil war...Spanish American war...Korean and nvIETMANESE WAR ..Afghanistan and Iraq war....The house on the Summit was General Robert Lee's..and Union army took it for cemetery before civil war was over!....It is now referred to as Lee Memorial or Arlinton House...we toured it! It was from this house that Memorial Day was proclaimede and became National holiday! The flag at entrance was flying at 1/2 mast...since a half hour nbefore every burial it is lowered...and there are about 24 burials daily!!! We finally made it home!
Next day...went to National Portrait Gallery...great presentation of Presidential photos...and I photographed them! Then went to Ford's theatre..sat in front row...took pictures of Lincoln Box and had great verbal presentation from the stage...The house across the street wher e Lincoln died is closed for repair..but I took pictures! Went to Blair house where nTruman lived during first term while White House was being renovated...more pictures....and much more walking!
Sunday...met our daughter Jan in Annapolis for brunch at Deli...since she was to shop Whole Foods for a party she was giving...Spent a delightful few hours with her...Left to drive to Deena nd Michaels in Tabernacle, NJ...They were both working in garden around swimming pool...nice day...nice weather...Great warm re-union again!
Monday...Memorial Day
Had breakfast in great restaurant with Deena and Michael...returned home...they worked outdoors...and we....rested. Had "chinese" that nite!
Next day...drove to Atlantic City...visited Shula (Daras' roommate from college...had dinner and left to drive to Jenkintown, Pa for reunion with my sister...and to bed!
Next ,morning..lwrote on computer...took train downtown to see Independence Hall...took pictures and excellent tour...Lucked into Archeological Diog at 6th and Market where while digging for new foundations for building uncovered George Washintons original foundation for his home while in Philadelphia!...will only be visible forr aa few weekws!...talked to archeologist who showed us the curved footing of bay-windoe gEORGE HAD ADDED ON HOME...SUGGESTED THAT THIS PROBABLY WAS FORERUNNER OF FIRST "oVAL OFFICE!"
Next day...Valley Forge...took pictures
Gettysburgh...Pictures if where Lincoln gave Emancipation speech..
Eisenhower retirement home...guided tour...and nlots of pictures
Drove to LancaSTER...SAW GRAVE OF jAMES bUCHANAN IN TINY DOWNTOWN CEMETERY...DROVE TO HIS LUXURIOUS HOME IN lANCASTER..HAD TOUR
House is called "Wheatland"....beautiful home...good lecture..learned all about him....
went to Dickinson..and Law school practice law in Lancaster which was capitol of Pa.!
Saw his law office...
Next day..drove to Mercersburh Academy wher his birthplace home is located...more pictures!
Drove back to my sister's ..Met Deena and Miichael ande we all went to delicious Middle East Restaurant for dinner.
Next day...drove to Easton, Pa with my sister to attend Graduation commencement of Moravian High School graduation ceremony of her grandaughter, Lara Paige Pollack...a lovely girl..daughter of Denise and Matthew Pollack!...Had dinner with them...and home to bed!
Next day was Sunday...again...drove downtow2n to visit more Presidential places....went to old customs house..being usede as Portrait Museum for many important Pre and Post revolutionary personages...and displaying the beginning of democracy!...Pictures of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, Madison etc..more pictures
...walked to Liberty Bell exhibit...several guides lectures..very educational and more pictures!
..walked to the building that housed the Original Supreme court...got guided lecture...took pictures...went int "documents building"...original copies of Declaration..Bill of Rights etc...
and then invited to country club dinner by Andy and Patty..son and daugghterinlaw of my sister...good food and better company...and home to bed!
The next morning we drove to Hamilton, NJ...took train to NYC...will get me close enough to write in more detail...I hope!
Sorry for the typos...and the abbreviated summary...It may get better next?
hAD DINNER WITH aLEX THE NEXT NIGHT..WHO SHOWED ME HOW TO ATTEMP THIS BLOG...uSED THE mETRO...AND LOT'S AND LOTS OF WALKING TO SEE d. c. Saw the White House..the Capitol..The Archives with show of "Schoolhouse to Whitehouse" just what I wanted...Met Educational dIRECTOR WHO OFFEREDE TO MAIL ME THE PHOTOS OF THE ENTIRE SHOW!...FOR FREE!...WOW! Have to credit the pictures etc in my book.....Halleluyah!
Next day..back to Metro...saw Wilson and his wife's tomb in National Cathedral...took pictures....Went to Lincoln Memorial...went nin....went to Jefferson Memorial...walked in...went to FDR Memorial ..walked in...went to @nd World War Museum...walked some more...took gangs of pictures!
another day...another ntrip...Arlington Cemetery...lots more walking...saw kENNEDY gRAVE SITE AND ETERNAQL FLAME AND ALSO SAW THE ONLY OTHER pRESIDENT BURIED THERE..Taft! Saw the Changing of the guard at the tomb of unknown soldier...saw the memorial of the Battleship, Maine....and The Memorial to Astronauts! Also graves of George Marshall...Gen. Pershing...Audie Murphy ...veterans of Civil war...Spanish American war...Korean and nvIETMANESE WAR ..Afghanistan and Iraq war....The house on the Summit was General Robert Lee's..and Union army took it for cemetery before civil war was over!....It is now referred to as Lee Memorial or Arlinton House...we toured it! It was from this house that Memorial Day was proclaimede and became National holiday! The flag at entrance was flying at 1/2 mast...since a half hour nbefore every burial it is lowered...and there are about 24 burials daily!!! We finally made it home!
Next day...went to National Portrait Gallery...great presentation of Presidential photos...and I photographed them! Then went to Ford's theatre..sat in front row...took pictures of Lincoln Box and had great verbal presentation from the stage...The house across the street wher e Lincoln died is closed for repair..but I took pictures! Went to Blair house where nTruman lived during first term while White House was being renovated...more pictures....and much more walking!
Sunday...met our daughter Jan in Annapolis for brunch at Deli...since she was to shop Whole Foods for a party she was giving...Spent a delightful few hours with her...Left to drive to Deena nd Michaels in Tabernacle, NJ...They were both working in garden around swimming pool...nice day...nice weather...Great warm re-union again!
Monday...Memorial Day
Had breakfast in great restaurant with Deena and Michael...returned home...they worked outdoors...and we....rested. Had "chinese" that nite!
Next day...drove to Atlantic City...visited Shula (Daras' roommate from college...had dinner and left to drive to Jenkintown, Pa for reunion with my sister...and to bed!
Next ,morning..lwrote on computer...took train downtown to see Independence Hall...took pictures and excellent tour...Lucked into Archeological Diog at 6th and Market where while digging for new foundations for building uncovered George Washintons original foundation for his home while in Philadelphia!...will only be visible forr aa few weekws!...talked to archeologist who showed us the curved footing of bay-windoe gEORGE HAD ADDED ON HOME...SUGGESTED THAT THIS PROBABLY WAS FORERUNNER OF FIRST "oVAL OFFICE!"
Next day...Valley Forge...took pictures
Gettysburgh...Pictures if where Lincoln gave Emancipation speech..
Eisenhower retirement home...guided tour...and nlots of pictures
Drove to LancaSTER...SAW GRAVE OF jAMES bUCHANAN IN TINY DOWNTOWN CEMETERY...DROVE TO HIS LUXURIOUS HOME IN lANCASTER..HAD TOUR
House is called "Wheatland"....beautiful home...good lecture..learned all about him....
went to Dickinson..and Law school practice law in Lancaster which was capitol of Pa.!
Saw his law office...
Next day..drove to Mercersburh Academy wher his birthplace home is located...more pictures!
Drove back to my sister's ..Met Deena and Miichael ande we all went to delicious Middle East Restaurant for dinner.
Next day...drove to Easton, Pa with my sister to attend Graduation commencement of Moravian High School graduation ceremony of her grandaughter, Lara Paige Pollack...a lovely girl..daughter of Denise and Matthew Pollack!...Had dinner with them...and home to bed!
Next day was Sunday...again...drove downtow2n to visit more Presidential places....went to old customs house..being usede as Portrait Museum for many important Pre and Post revolutionary personages...and displaying the beginning of democracy!...Pictures of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, Madison etc..more pictures
...walked to Liberty Bell exhibit...several guides lectures..very educational and more pictures!
..walked to the building that housed the Original Supreme court...got guided lecture...took pictures...went int "documents building"...original copies of Declaration..Bill of Rights etc...
and then invited to country club dinner by Andy and Patty..son and daugghterinlaw of my sister...good food and better company...and home to bed!
The next morning we drove to Hamilton, NJ...took train to NYC...will get me close enough to write in more detail...I hope!
Sorry for the typos...and the abbreviated summary...It may get better next?
I've got a new idea!
I've been trying to catch up...BUT...since we we are moving to another place so rapidly, and the difficulty to get on my computer each place...I am going to summarize the next several days...and only present the essentials so I will then become current and will be able to write more intelligently at the end of each day...So...bear with me...Here goes:
Tuesday May 23....visited Ferry Farm..also originally called Rappahanock Farm because of the adjacent Fery... This farm was home to George WSashington from age 6 until he was 17...These were his really formative years...and answered many of my questions! This place now is primarily an Archeological Dig...form the guides I received much of his geneological background...Saw the foundations of many of the buildings that he had lived in...found out that he was a self-trained Surveyer at age 15...best friend was !/2 bROTHER WHO WAS AFEW YEARS OLDER...gEORGE INHERITED THIS FARM WHEN HIS FATHER DIED..THEN WENT TO THE cARIBBEAN WITH HIS 1/2 BROTHER WHO HAD tb...bROTHER SUBSEQUENTLY DIED...gEOGE GOT sMALLPOX IN cARIBBEAN...iT WAS 'bLESSING IN DISGUISE"..BECAUSE IN RECOVERING HE DEVELOPED IMMUNITY AND COULD WANDER WOODS WITH NO FEAR OF CONTRACTING IT AGAIN...AND COULD THEN BECOME MORE BUSY AS sURVEYER. His 1/2 brother had inherited MT. Vernon..in turn he willed it to George!...George became very wealthy..had 600 slaves at one time!
Met Lab director..explained the entire process of the "dig"..introduced us to all personnel...and allowed me to wander the field and watch and involve myself in some of the work!...very exciting!
Drove to Mt. Vernon....very busy and huge place.. Saw great documentary...took lon walking tour of outside grounds of the home and it's Tree and Flower Gardens..Learned that George was also a very capable Landscape Designer..having done much of the original design of trees and bushes himself! Fabulous Huge...huge Home...Came to the conclusion that George had Huge Ego to match..and was extremely aggressive.."He de Boss!"...will write more about him later...
Went back to Alexandria...dinner and Motel...ZZZzzzz
Tuesday May 23....visited Ferry Farm..also originally called Rappahanock Farm because of the adjacent Fery... This farm was home to George WSashington from age 6 until he was 17...These were his really formative years...and answered many of my questions! This place now is primarily an Archeological Dig...form the guides I received much of his geneological background...Saw the foundations of many of the buildings that he had lived in...found out that he was a self-trained Surveyer at age 15...best friend was !/2 bROTHER WHO WAS AFEW YEARS OLDER...gEORGE INHERITED THIS FARM WHEN HIS FATHER DIED..THEN WENT TO THE cARIBBEAN WITH HIS 1/2 BROTHER WHO HAD tb...bROTHER SUBSEQUENTLY DIED...gEOGE GOT sMALLPOX IN cARIBBEAN...iT WAS 'bLESSING IN DISGUISE"..BECAUSE IN RECOVERING HE DEVELOPED IMMUNITY AND COULD WANDER WOODS WITH NO FEAR OF CONTRACTING IT AGAIN...AND COULD THEN BECOME MORE BUSY AS sURVEYER. His 1/2 brother had inherited MT. Vernon..in turn he willed it to George!...George became very wealthy..had 600 slaves at one time!
Met Lab director..explained the entire process of the "dig"..introduced us to all personnel...and allowed me to wander the field and watch and involve myself in some of the work!...very exciting!
Drove to Mt. Vernon....very busy and huge place.. Saw great documentary...took lon walking tour of outside grounds of the home and it's Tree and Flower Gardens..Learned that George was also a very capable Landscape Designer..having done much of the original design of trees and bushes himself! Fabulous Huge...huge Home...Came to the conclusion that George had Huge Ego to match..and was extremely aggressive.."He de Boss!"...will write more about him later...
Went back to Alexandria...dinner and Motel...ZZZzzzz
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
still trying to catch up!
continuing Monday, May22
I neglected to mention that on the way to Peggy Bouffard's home, that we passed a marker designating the actual birthplace of James Monroe..IOt wqas only a few miles from George Washington's place of birth,,, Amazing to realize that so many greatmen lived aqnd were born so close to each other in this locale.
Tuesday, May 23
Another beauttiful sunny day..temp in the mid 70's....and a very pleasant drive back to Fredericksburg for a visit to The Ferry Farm...the boyhood home of George Washington.. It was formely referred to as the Rapphanock (sp?) Farm, but the name waqs changed to Ferry Farm since there had been a ferry crossing in the vicinity. The red colonial building had previously been used as a Boy's school...a church etc. There were many original artifacts attributed to George Washington as well as many other articles representative of the era during his lifetime. The plantation, however was home to George Washington until he was about 16 or 17. History reveals that after being born at Popes Creek in Wakefield, near Colonial Beach his
family moved to this farm. The farm is now primarily an Archeological site.
After purchasing our tickets, I discussed with some of the personnel the purpose of my visit, following which they became immediately actively helpful....They gave me verbally much interesting material concerning George and his genealogy..and then suggested that we inspect many of the artifacts which had been discovered by their archeological exploration. We were permitted to inspect the laboratory and had the opportunity to meet the Director who was a very pleasant woman who graciously explained the entire procedure of their exploration. She showed us some of their recent"finds", and the various phases of laboratory detection. We were introduced to several of the people who were working in the Lab as well. They evidently have dug to a sufficient depth of layers to reach the Paleolithic era and discovered that there were several generations of Native Americans in the location followed by the era of George Washington's era in the more superficial layers. They performed chemical, radiological, microscopic examinations as well as direct inspection. It was fascinating. Finally, I ws invited to walk out into the field to witness the investigation manually being performed and encouraged to ask any questions of those working that might be of interest to me! I did...and then was further invited to assist them in sifting some of the debris and attempting to recover anything that aoppeared to be of value... It was exciting, especially when I "discovered" a whitish, firm tubular fragment, which they informed me was a portion of a clay smoking pipe-stem, and since it was such a common finding by them...that the only excitement displayed was mine!
When we had been totally satisfied that we had seen sufficient, we said our "Goodbyes"...returned to the van and left for Mt. Vernon.
...time for bed...will finish this visit next blog...ZZZZzzzzzz
I neglected to mention that on the way to Peggy Bouffard's home, that we passed a marker designating the actual birthplace of James Monroe..IOt wqas only a few miles from George Washington's place of birth,,, Amazing to realize that so many greatmen lived aqnd were born so close to each other in this locale.
Tuesday, May 23
Another beauttiful sunny day..temp in the mid 70's....and a very pleasant drive back to Fredericksburg for a visit to The Ferry Farm...the boyhood home of George Washington.. It was formely referred to as the Rapphanock (sp?) Farm, but the name waqs changed to Ferry Farm since there had been a ferry crossing in the vicinity. The red colonial building had previously been used as a Boy's school...a church etc. There were many original artifacts attributed to George Washington as well as many other articles representative of the era during his lifetime. The plantation, however was home to George Washington until he was about 16 or 17. History reveals that after being born at Popes Creek in Wakefield, near Colonial Beach his
family moved to this farm. The farm is now primarily an Archeological site.
After purchasing our tickets, I discussed with some of the personnel the purpose of my visit, following which they became immediately actively helpful....They gave me verbally much interesting material concerning George and his genealogy..and then suggested that we inspect many of the artifacts which had been discovered by their archeological exploration. We were permitted to inspect the laboratory and had the opportunity to meet the Director who was a very pleasant woman who graciously explained the entire procedure of their exploration. She showed us some of their recent"finds", and the various phases of laboratory detection. We were introduced to several of the people who were working in the Lab as well. They evidently have dug to a sufficient depth of layers to reach the Paleolithic era and discovered that there were several generations of Native Americans in the location followed by the era of George Washington's era in the more superficial layers. They performed chemical, radiological, microscopic examinations as well as direct inspection. It was fascinating. Finally, I ws invited to walk out into the field to witness the investigation manually being performed and encouraged to ask any questions of those working that might be of interest to me! I did...and then was further invited to assist them in sifting some of the debris and attempting to recover anything that aoppeared to be of value... It was exciting, especially when I "discovered" a whitish, firm tubular fragment, which they informed me was a portion of a clay smoking pipe-stem, and since it was such a common finding by them...that the only excitement displayed was mine!
When we had been totally satisfied that we had seen sufficient, we said our "Goodbyes"...returned to the van and left for Mt. Vernon.
...time for bed...will finish this visit next blog...ZZZZzzzzzz
Monday, June 4, 2007
It's June 4...but I'm writing about May 21st
After a much needed nit's rest, we awakened refreshed? for another day's adventure. It began with breakfast with Peggy at an IHOP and then while wandering through Willaimsburg returning Peggy home, she remembered of some sort of new Presidential Exhibit that would pass on our return...So, we stopped and after paying the admission entered. It was a display in a type of park-like facility with asphalt walkways circulating through it of huge busts of every President from Washington through George W. that were molded in concrete, each being about 10 feet tall!...They were excellent likenesses and the descriptive material explaining thier individual historical value was priceless...to me!...It included biographical informational as well as their accomplishments in furthering the development of the United States and it's role in global history! We spent about 2 hours there and in the accompanying small museum/bookstore taking pictures and many notes...It was well worth the time spent... We drove Peggy home...bid a fond adieu and left for Fredeicksburg, Va. There we were able to locates the first log csabin school George Washington attended, next to Martha Washington's Home that George had purchased for her, in which she resided to her death some 17 years later.
The next stop was a law office used by James Monroe for a few years. When entering we were able to see some of his original furniture, including his chair, desk and some cabinets. There were also pictures of he and his wife, Elizabeth and 2 of his daughters.
It was then approaching dinner time so a motel was located nearby and dinner and to bed...
May 22nd
We awakened to a beautiful sunny, somewhat cooler day and set the GPS for Orange, Virginia. It was about an hour and a half distant and was Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. It was adjacent to the exact location of his birth at Mount Pleasant. The drive was exhilirating...we drove thru the various battlefields of the Civil War, including the Wilderness Battlefield. It was now obviously very fertile ground and provided a scene of beautiful rolling farmland. When we reached the information booth at the gates to the entrance, we were given directions to drive to the Museum/Admission office. The drive was along very impressive manicured lawns and alongside a full scale Thoroughbred Horse racing track, where we saw several horses being exercise by riders! We later were informed that the house and all it's acreage had been purchased at about 1900 by the extremely affluent Dupont family... Later it was resold several times to various owners until the Mellon Foundation assumed it and the challenge to attempt to restore the entire place as true as possible to the original appearance of Madison's ownership. It was esrimated that ti will cost about $30,000,000 to do so...and a like amount to build the completed Museum! As we drove to the parking lot, that fact became obvious...The museum/gift shop and admission office was very substantial and contemporary in style...and it appeared that every necessity for function and comfort was more than adequately provided. We entered their very nice Theater for a Power-Point biographical presentation of Monroe as well as an explanation of all the proposed Restoration being accomlished.. The man who did the narration, then became our guide for the inspection tour. In our way we passed several crews of archeologists doing excavation and then climbed temporary walkways and stairs to enter the house....The original construction and the new restorati0n was demonstrated. It was very similar to the demonstrations we witnessed at Poplar Foreast. ( Thomas Jefferson's retirement home).
The tour and narration took more than an hour and included 2 levels and about 8 of it's roomsa nd halls. It was a great presentation and was well received by all.
Interesting was the fact that one of the rooms in Montpelier was referred to as "The Jefferson Room", since he evidently was a frequent visitor and guest and primarily occupied that particular room!.. He and Madison, although separated in age by several years were great friends. The saga of James Madison was told and it was shown that despite being a small man (5 feet and 120 pounds ), and that he spoke in small, weak voice...and being so generally sickly, that he had performed admirably in his performaance to help make this country great! His contribution to the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights attest to that!
We returned to the main lobby where i read many more facts of the role he played and then we decided to leave. However, I inquired as to his burial and was dirested where to drive and then walk to the small isolated cemetery on the grounds. It was a small plot of ground surrounded by a low brick wall and ther found the stones identifying all the members of the family. James, his wife, Dolley, his daughter and other associated relatives. The largest and tallest monument was his, and we were informed that he had originally been buried with a small tombstone which was subsequently replaced by a larger one...so large in fact, that it necessitated that Dolley's be squeezed into a compromized space....
It was time to leave so the GPS was set for Colonial Beach, Virginia near George Washington's Birthplace. It was another pleasant drive, this time in low rolling farmland and being much less forested. The drive appeared to going thru more and more rural areas, although there were the occasional few tiny settlements. When the site was reached, we found it to be a very tall obelisk shaped monument in the center of a small circular roadway, and adjacent to a gated entranceway to the park. A National Park guide was just in the process of closing the gates, since it was 5PM, and we were advised by him that there was nmot much visible within for us to inspect other than some possible foundations of the probable site of the actual house in which he was born! His attitude reflected that " we would not be missing too much"!...so we left.
A few miles away, directly on the water's edge we found the one and only Motel...and settled in. It wasa at the junction of the Potomac and Chesepeake...and there was a suitable combination restaurant and Para=mutual horserace gambling facility right next to it that provided us with a shrimp, oyster and crabcake dinner....and then we once more literally PLOPPED into bed!
The next stop was a law office used by James Monroe for a few years. When entering we were able to see some of his original furniture, including his chair, desk and some cabinets. There were also pictures of he and his wife, Elizabeth and 2 of his daughters.
It was then approaching dinner time so a motel was located nearby and dinner and to bed...
May 22nd
We awakened to a beautiful sunny, somewhat cooler day and set the GPS for Orange, Virginia. It was about an hour and a half distant and was Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. It was adjacent to the exact location of his birth at Mount Pleasant. The drive was exhilirating...we drove thru the various battlefields of the Civil War, including the Wilderness Battlefield. It was now obviously very fertile ground and provided a scene of beautiful rolling farmland. When we reached the information booth at the gates to the entrance, we were given directions to drive to the Museum/Admission office. The drive was along very impressive manicured lawns and alongside a full scale Thoroughbred Horse racing track, where we saw several horses being exercise by riders! We later were informed that the house and all it's acreage had been purchased at about 1900 by the extremely affluent Dupont family... Later it was resold several times to various owners until the Mellon Foundation assumed it and the challenge to attempt to restore the entire place as true as possible to the original appearance of Madison's ownership. It was esrimated that ti will cost about $30,000,000 to do so...and a like amount to build the completed Museum! As we drove to the parking lot, that fact became obvious...The museum/gift shop and admission office was very substantial and contemporary in style...and it appeared that every necessity for function and comfort was more than adequately provided. We entered their very nice Theater for a Power-Point biographical presentation of Monroe as well as an explanation of all the proposed Restoration being accomlished.. The man who did the narration, then became our guide for the inspection tour. In our way we passed several crews of archeologists doing excavation and then climbed temporary walkways and stairs to enter the house....The original construction and the new restorati0n was demonstrated. It was very similar to the demonstrations we witnessed at Poplar Foreast. ( Thomas Jefferson's retirement home).
The tour and narration took more than an hour and included 2 levels and about 8 of it's roomsa nd halls. It was a great presentation and was well received by all.
Interesting was the fact that one of the rooms in Montpelier was referred to as "The Jefferson Room", since he evidently was a frequent visitor and guest and primarily occupied that particular room!.. He and Madison, although separated in age by several years were great friends. The saga of James Madison was told and it was shown that despite being a small man (5 feet and 120 pounds ), and that he spoke in small, weak voice...and being so generally sickly, that he had performed admirably in his performaance to help make this country great! His contribution to the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights attest to that!
We returned to the main lobby where i read many more facts of the role he played and then we decided to leave. However, I inquired as to his burial and was dirested where to drive and then walk to the small isolated cemetery on the grounds. It was a small plot of ground surrounded by a low brick wall and ther found the stones identifying all the members of the family. James, his wife, Dolley, his daughter and other associated relatives. The largest and tallest monument was his, and we were informed that he had originally been buried with a small tombstone which was subsequently replaced by a larger one...so large in fact, that it necessitated that Dolley's be squeezed into a compromized space....
It was time to leave so the GPS was set for Colonial Beach, Virginia near George Washington's Birthplace. It was another pleasant drive, this time in low rolling farmland and being much less forested. The drive appeared to going thru more and more rural areas, although there were the occasional few tiny settlements. When the site was reached, we found it to be a very tall obelisk shaped monument in the center of a small circular roadway, and adjacent to a gated entranceway to the park. A National Park guide was just in the process of closing the gates, since it was 5PM, and we were advised by him that there was nmot much visible within for us to inspect other than some possible foundations of the probable site of the actual house in which he was born! His attitude reflected that " we would not be missing too much"!...so we left.
A few miles away, directly on the water's edge we found the one and only Motel...and settled in. It wasa at the junction of the Potomac and Chesepeake...and there was a suitable combination restaurant and Para=mutual horserace gambling facility right next to it that provided us with a shrimp, oyster and crabcake dinner....and then we once more literally PLOPPED into bed!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
"I'm going as fast as I can"!
We arrived at Hollywood Cemetery just before closing and spoke to the attendant as he was closing the gates...So we drove a bit farther to a favorite town at which we had stopped several times in the past, Ashland, Va just off of !-295...Lodging and dinner were located and we had a much needed good night's rest... The next morning we were soon back at the cemetery which is located among small, twisting little streets in the run-down older section of Richmond....thanks to the GPS!...It is located right next to the James River as well. At he entrance there was a sign displaying a map of the cemetery and a listing of some of the more important personages who were "resting" there and we met a few people who were particularly excited after finding that some of thier ancestry were located there including several Generals of Civil War vintage..They had travelled to the cemetery from the western part of North Carolina. After purchasing our tickets we proceede on a "walking tour" with the woman who sold us the tickets. We soon learned that the cemetery had about 60,000 graves and comprised some 130 acres. If a cemetery could be beautiful, this one really was!..It had rolling and steep hills along the asphalt roadway and was filled with beautiful trees and shrubbery, particularly the Magnolias which were in blossom and the many Holly trees which not only rimmed the entire cemetery but in fact were sprinkled through-out...Hence the name, "Hollywood Cemetery"! Tombstones, crypts of varying shapes and sizes were scattered in what appeared to be a random fashion were placed up and down the hills on the many roadways beng divided, however into certain groups which were separated by the many secondary roads into circular, triangular and rectangular groups. Evidently this provided more easy identification of specific grave sites and provided an interesting character.
As we walked (hiked?) following the guide, she constantly talked pointing out interesting features on the various tombstones. Many of them were ancient dating to the period of the Civil War and sadly, many were of infants and children buried with their mother in the same compartmented family plots...Each of the chiseled stone ornamentation on each of the tombstones generally attempted to tell a story. For example, if the mother perished during childbirth she was depicted holding an infant..If someone died during a train wreck, or had been a fireman or of course a Confederate soldier that was likewise depicted. If the crossed swords were pointed up or down it denoted both thier rank and if they had been of the infantry or cavalry. There were buried here about 10-12 former Governors of Virginia..and 3 Past Presidents! President, Tyler, President Monroe...and the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.
As the guide continuing walking...and talking, Daras and I found it more and more difficult to keep up with her, particularly as she was walking UP the hills...and there appeared to be many more of the Up type! As we reached the higher levels we had a fabulous view of the James River and were told that when the British explorers sailed up the river in the quest to find a route to the Pacific and the South Seas, they were stymied by the precipitous change in elevation of the river bed creating a set of falls and rapids..It was due to the shifting of land plates evidently during the ice age...and it was because of this at that location they had to settle...and Richmond resulted!
Near this position we were shown a huge Pyramid composed of large rocks set in solid style one on another designating the location of about 18,000 Confederate soldiers. It was about 40 feet tall and had been built by a Confederate association of women immediately follwing the conclusion of the war...and the final huge stone was placed by hand (since there was not yet any mechanical devices to do so) on the very top by a Prisoner who was promised his freedom if he was successful!...He was obviously a "free man" after the incident. After much more walking ( trudging?) we reached the tombs of both President Tyler and Monroe..They were in close approximation of each other as well as thier wives. The raised crypts were completely surrounded by a wrought iron lattice-like Bird Cage which apparently had been placed to protect the grave sites... It was impressive. Pictures were taken...and then we walked farther.
Despite the fact that I was finding it more and more difficult to continue at her pace, I found it became necessary to help pull and push Daras along! I presume we walked for about 3 hours, up and down the hills (mountains?) and covered about 3 miles. In fact Daras suggested a few times that I abandon her ...try to reach the van...and then try to return and find her!...But, she persisted and we finally struggled back to the welcome sanctuary of the van! When we returned, I questioned our guide as to the fact that we had not been shown Jefferson Davis's grave and she suggested "that it was too far for walking" and gave me directions for driving back to locate it. With further questioning I learned that the cemetery was still being utilized for several burials weekly, and that it was non-sectarian, suggesting the burial of some Jews denoted by the Star of David inscriptions....We then drove back (much easier, than walking) to locate Jeff's grave site and on the way did in fact see a few headstones with thew Mogen David on it with an enclosed Masonic emblem as well...Maybe they really were Jews?...We drove all over...back and forth and in circles to no avail, asking many passersby for directions until I located a woman near her car who provided a huge map with all 60,000 grave sites identified.
She advised us as well that 3 generations of her ancestors were buried here and that she really made use of the "scorecard"! I continued the drive...and finally after crawling up and down some sharp slopes of grass I located it!...It was bronze statue of him, hat in hand, dressed in civilian clothes under a tall flagpole flying the Confederate flag....Mission accomplished and pictures taken, we hastily withdrew and aimed for our next location.
We drove into downtown Richmond and located the " White House of the Confederacy" which was home base to the Confederacy until it had to be evacuated when it was siezed by Union forces and became their own Headquarters. They moved the capitol to Birmingham, Alabama at that time. Pictures were taken...
We then drove to The Berkely Plantation which was the site where Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence lived. It was a Tobacco farm settled in 1619..and the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here! they had about 100 slaves. and in 1690 1800 acres were given in a land grant to Benjamin Harrison who built the Georgian styled , English type house. It is where his son, William Henry Harrison was born. He became President of the USA..and this same estate became the location of the Headquarters of General McClellan during the Civil war. William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison V , later became President also!
The large red brick home is impressive and as part of the tour we were shown the interior. We were taken first into the basement where we were shown a video depicting thier individual biographies...very interesting...The house had walls of brick 3 feet wide on the outside, and 18 inches more brick on the inside. One of the outside walls still had a cannon-ball imbedded into it, from the war. The house was furnished tastefully, in French style with some of the furniture dating back to the Napoleonic era. When the tour was completed we got back into the van...and once more were on our way!
The next stop was to be at Sherwood Forest which is the home of President James Tyler.
As we drove up the long driveway to the beautiful white home along magnificent lawns with attractive landscaping, adjacent to the the curved drive to the house, we noted a sma;; plot of lawn with tiny white crosses placed in order on it.. As I stopped the car and walked over to the area, I recognized that this was a pet cemetery, identified with single, characteristic names of cats, dogs and horses that the family honored. One particular epitaph written by Tyler of a favorite horse said: " Here lie the bones of my old Horse, "General" who served this owner faithfully for 25 years, and never made a blunder, would that his master could say the same"!
The house was a beautiful sprawling large white colonial with an open porch framed with rectangular white posts....very impressive. Unfortunately, it was not open for inspection due to repairs being made as we noed some scaffolding at one end...
Pictures were taken...and we left.
Recognizing that we were reasonably close to Williamstown we telephoned Peggy Bouffard, our former neighbor and friend from Cherry Hill who lived there and found that she would be pleased to join us for dinner....We arrived there about 6PM and after some hugs and greetings we left for a very pleasnt dinner and conversation.. When we returned her home she extended a gracious invitation to spend the night there...and it took little convincing to have us agree!..we collapsed into bed!
As we walked (hiked?) following the guide, she constantly talked pointing out interesting features on the various tombstones. Many of them were ancient dating to the period of the Civil War and sadly, many were of infants and children buried with their mother in the same compartmented family plots...Each of the chiseled stone ornamentation on each of the tombstones generally attempted to tell a story. For example, if the mother perished during childbirth she was depicted holding an infant..If someone died during a train wreck, or had been a fireman or of course a Confederate soldier that was likewise depicted. If the crossed swords were pointed up or down it denoted both thier rank and if they had been of the infantry or cavalry. There were buried here about 10-12 former Governors of Virginia..and 3 Past Presidents! President, Tyler, President Monroe...and the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.
As the guide continuing walking...and talking, Daras and I found it more and more difficult to keep up with her, particularly as she was walking UP the hills...and there appeared to be many more of the Up type! As we reached the higher levels we had a fabulous view of the James River and were told that when the British explorers sailed up the river in the quest to find a route to the Pacific and the South Seas, they were stymied by the precipitous change in elevation of the river bed creating a set of falls and rapids..It was due to the shifting of land plates evidently during the ice age...and it was because of this at that location they had to settle...and Richmond resulted!
Near this position we were shown a huge Pyramid composed of large rocks set in solid style one on another designating the location of about 18,000 Confederate soldiers. It was about 40 feet tall and had been built by a Confederate association of women immediately follwing the conclusion of the war...and the final huge stone was placed by hand (since there was not yet any mechanical devices to do so) on the very top by a Prisoner who was promised his freedom if he was successful!...He was obviously a "free man" after the incident. After much more walking ( trudging?) we reached the tombs of both President Tyler and Monroe..They were in close approximation of each other as well as thier wives. The raised crypts were completely surrounded by a wrought iron lattice-like Bird Cage which apparently had been placed to protect the grave sites... It was impressive. Pictures were taken...and then we walked farther.
Despite the fact that I was finding it more and more difficult to continue at her pace, I found it became necessary to help pull and push Daras along! I presume we walked for about 3 hours, up and down the hills (mountains?) and covered about 3 miles. In fact Daras suggested a few times that I abandon her ...try to reach the van...and then try to return and find her!...But, she persisted and we finally struggled back to the welcome sanctuary of the van! When we returned, I questioned our guide as to the fact that we had not been shown Jefferson Davis's grave and she suggested "that it was too far for walking" and gave me directions for driving back to locate it. With further questioning I learned that the cemetery was still being utilized for several burials weekly, and that it was non-sectarian, suggesting the burial of some Jews denoted by the Star of David inscriptions....We then drove back (much easier, than walking) to locate Jeff's grave site and on the way did in fact see a few headstones with thew Mogen David on it with an enclosed Masonic emblem as well...Maybe they really were Jews?...We drove all over...back and forth and in circles to no avail, asking many passersby for directions until I located a woman near her car who provided a huge map with all 60,000 grave sites identified.
She advised us as well that 3 generations of her ancestors were buried here and that she really made use of the "scorecard"! I continued the drive...and finally after crawling up and down some sharp slopes of grass I located it!...It was bronze statue of him, hat in hand, dressed in civilian clothes under a tall flagpole flying the Confederate flag....Mission accomplished and pictures taken, we hastily withdrew and aimed for our next location.
We drove into downtown Richmond and located the " White House of the Confederacy" which was home base to the Confederacy until it had to be evacuated when it was siezed by Union forces and became their own Headquarters. They moved the capitol to Birmingham, Alabama at that time. Pictures were taken...
We then drove to The Berkely Plantation which was the site where Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence lived. It was a Tobacco farm settled in 1619..and the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here! they had about 100 slaves. and in 1690 1800 acres were given in a land grant to Benjamin Harrison who built the Georgian styled , English type house. It is where his son, William Henry Harrison was born. He became President of the USA..and this same estate became the location of the Headquarters of General McClellan during the Civil war. William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison V , later became President also!
The large red brick home is impressive and as part of the tour we were shown the interior. We were taken first into the basement where we were shown a video depicting thier individual biographies...very interesting...The house had walls of brick 3 feet wide on the outside, and 18 inches more brick on the inside. One of the outside walls still had a cannon-ball imbedded into it, from the war. The house was furnished tastefully, in French style with some of the furniture dating back to the Napoleonic era. When the tour was completed we got back into the van...and once more were on our way!
The next stop was to be at Sherwood Forest which is the home of President James Tyler.
As we drove up the long driveway to the beautiful white home along magnificent lawns with attractive landscaping, adjacent to the the curved drive to the house, we noted a sma;; plot of lawn with tiny white crosses placed in order on it.. As I stopped the car and walked over to the area, I recognized that this was a pet cemetery, identified with single, characteristic names of cats, dogs and horses that the family honored. One particular epitaph written by Tyler of a favorite horse said: " Here lie the bones of my old Horse, "General" who served this owner faithfully for 25 years, and never made a blunder, would that his master could say the same"!
The house was a beautiful sprawling large white colonial with an open porch framed with rectangular white posts....very impressive. Unfortunately, it was not open for inspection due to repairs being made as we noed some scaffolding at one end...
Pictures were taken...and we left.
Recognizing that we were reasonably close to Williamstown we telephoned Peggy Bouffard, our former neighbor and friend from Cherry Hill who lived there and found that she would be pleased to join us for dinner....We arrived there about 6PM and after some hugs and greetings we left for a very pleasnt dinner and conversation.. When we returned her home she extended a gracious invitation to spend the night there...and it took little convincing to have us agree!..we collapsed into bed!
Friday, June 1, 2007
Moving right along!
Friday,May 14
Drove to Monticello...about 1/2 hour away...Daras and I had visited about 15 years ago...but the system was totally different this time. Previously we were able to drive directly up the hill to the home and park nearby at a convenient parking lot...and then liesurely walk across the beautiful lawns appreciating the view of the house until we reached it to enter. But now, we had to park far down below, buy our admission ticket and take a shutlle bus to the summit...and it was so crowded. We joined a tour and tended to compare the interior and it's presentation to that at Poplar Forest, and we both concluded that the visit to Poplar Forest was superior. We had been informed that Jefferson had made changes that the thought were improvements in the newer home...and it was obvious. Not many of us get that type of "second chance"! I had the opportunity however to ask specific questions of the tour guide relative to Jefferson at that time of his life, and it was suggested that I visit the Jefferson Library Research Center which was about a 1/2 mile down the road, and she was kind enough to phone ahead assuring that I could gain entrance. It was raining when we left, but an easy drive and when I entered was warmly greeted, which was very kind. It was necessary to fill out identification papoers and then I was ushered into the very spacious and obviously copiously stocked library shelves of what appeared to be every book published about Jefferson..A librarian took my requests, and walked with me to the proper locations, allowing me to inspect the books and then suggesting that if I desired having anything copied she would be pleased to accomodate me...How nice, but I suggested that if I jotted down the names of the books, it would most likely be more beneficial for me to attempt to purchase them for my personal use..She agreed and it was done.
We left in the rain again and drove toward the Ashland/ Highland Farm home of President James Monroe. It was an attractive, somewhat more modest appearing frame house, and upon entering we found the furnished rooms smaller than Monticello. There wer many portraits of his friends and members of his family hung on all the walls. There were pictures of Franklin, Washington, Adams and himself noted among those of family. He evidently had a family relationship with the then Queen of Holland. We were then escorted down 3 steps into a lower level of an attached building in the rear. We were informed that this indeed was the original portion of the house which in it's origin was probably much larger. The forward section evidently had been added more recently after a catastrophic fire had damaged that portion. It was so obvious when it was pointed out to us, since the ceiling height in the older section was much lower, and in fact there was tunnel-like low ceilinged pass through which entered via a doorway into a room with sloping floors. This had been an open porch which had been closed-in.
James Monroe was about 6 feet, one inch in height and his wife was apparently quite dainty, pretty, slim and under 5 feet, weighing less than 100 pounds! We were shown one of her dresses on a form in one of the bedrooms and Daras' mentioned that "she was born bigger than that"! James Monroe dropped out of William and Mary University during the beginning of the Revolutionary war and joined the Continental Army. Following the war he became an apprentice in Law to Thomas Jefferson, and it was during this time that their warm friendship commenced. It was Jefferson who subsequently induced the younger Monroe to but the plantattion adjacent to his, and build his house there. As a result their plantations bordered each other.
Monroe's wife was sickly during the latter part of her life, while he was President, which is suspect today of having Epilepsy., since she suffered of "seizures". Therfore his daughter, Eliza substituted for her as hostess in the White House.
Her youger sister had the distinction of being the first one wedded in the White House when she married her 1st cousin, Samuel L. Goveourner( sp?) . Since Monroe had spent much time abroad as Ambassador to France, he developed a strong relationship with France, and as a result the majority of the furnishings and art in the house were of French design.. .. Indeed, it was said that he and his wife frequently had conversations with each other in French.
When this visit terminated we attempted to return to the Rotunda of the University of Virginia for a tourist visit, but the combination of rain, busy commuter traffic and the lack of a parking space dissuaded the visit....so we set the Gps and headed for the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. We arrived near closing time...found a suitable nights lodging, had dinner and to bed!
Drove to Monticello...about 1/2 hour away...Daras and I had visited about 15 years ago...but the system was totally different this time. Previously we were able to drive directly up the hill to the home and park nearby at a convenient parking lot...and then liesurely walk across the beautiful lawns appreciating the view of the house until we reached it to enter. But now, we had to park far down below, buy our admission ticket and take a shutlle bus to the summit...and it was so crowded. We joined a tour and tended to compare the interior and it's presentation to that at Poplar Forest, and we both concluded that the visit to Poplar Forest was superior. We had been informed that Jefferson had made changes that the thought were improvements in the newer home...and it was obvious. Not many of us get that type of "second chance"! I had the opportunity however to ask specific questions of the tour guide relative to Jefferson at that time of his life, and it was suggested that I visit the Jefferson Library Research Center which was about a 1/2 mile down the road, and she was kind enough to phone ahead assuring that I could gain entrance. It was raining when we left, but an easy drive and when I entered was warmly greeted, which was very kind. It was necessary to fill out identification papoers and then I was ushered into the very spacious and obviously copiously stocked library shelves of what appeared to be every book published about Jefferson..A librarian took my requests, and walked with me to the proper locations, allowing me to inspect the books and then suggesting that if I desired having anything copied she would be pleased to accomodate me...How nice, but I suggested that if I jotted down the names of the books, it would most likely be more beneficial for me to attempt to purchase them for my personal use..She agreed and it was done.
We left in the rain again and drove toward the Ashland/ Highland Farm home of President James Monroe. It was an attractive, somewhat more modest appearing frame house, and upon entering we found the furnished rooms smaller than Monticello. There wer many portraits of his friends and members of his family hung on all the walls. There were pictures of Franklin, Washington, Adams and himself noted among those of family. He evidently had a family relationship with the then Queen of Holland. We were then escorted down 3 steps into a lower level of an attached building in the rear. We were informed that this indeed was the original portion of the house which in it's origin was probably much larger. The forward section evidently had been added more recently after a catastrophic fire had damaged that portion. It was so obvious when it was pointed out to us, since the ceiling height in the older section was much lower, and in fact there was tunnel-like low ceilinged pass through which entered via a doorway into a room with sloping floors. This had been an open porch which had been closed-in.
James Monroe was about 6 feet, one inch in height and his wife was apparently quite dainty, pretty, slim and under 5 feet, weighing less than 100 pounds! We were shown one of her dresses on a form in one of the bedrooms and Daras' mentioned that "she was born bigger than that"! James Monroe dropped out of William and Mary University during the beginning of the Revolutionary war and joined the Continental Army. Following the war he became an apprentice in Law to Thomas Jefferson, and it was during this time that their warm friendship commenced. It was Jefferson who subsequently induced the younger Monroe to but the plantattion adjacent to his, and build his house there. As a result their plantations bordered each other.
Monroe's wife was sickly during the latter part of her life, while he was President, which is suspect today of having Epilepsy., since she suffered of "seizures". Therfore his daughter, Eliza substituted for her as hostess in the White House.
Her youger sister had the distinction of being the first one wedded in the White House when she married her 1st cousin, Samuel L. Goveourner( sp?) . Since Monroe had spent much time abroad as Ambassador to France, he developed a strong relationship with France, and as a result the majority of the furnishings and art in the house were of French design.. .. Indeed, it was said that he and his wife frequently had conversations with each other in French.
When this visit terminated we attempted to return to the Rotunda of the University of Virginia for a tourist visit, but the combination of rain, busy commuter traffic and the lack of a parking space dissuaded the visit....so we set the Gps and headed for the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. We arrived near closing time...found a suitable nights lodging, had dinner and to bed!
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