National Park: Shenandoah National Park

So we decided to visit Northern Virginia and Charlottesville, VA over the Labor Day Weekend of 2011. It was a wonderful trip which involved seeing lots of family and friends. In addition to that, we took a visit to three of our National Parks that weekend: The Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park and Manassas Battlefield.

The Shenandoah National Park is a skinny park in western (not West by God) Virginia. It encompasses part of the Appalachian or Blue Ridge Mountains. The Skyline Drive is the most pronounced aspect of the park. This road is very popular during the fall for views of the beautiful autumn foliage. This being labor day, the park was very green and misty. 

Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park

The drive through the park from the North (in Front Royal) to the South (in Waynesboro) is about 100 miles and takes about 3 hours of straight driving. However, you will want to stop numerous times as we did. There have got to 40 or so overlooks with beautiful vistas of the valley and the surrounding landscape. We also had an opportunity to have lunch at Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center at the Big Meadows area which is a visitor center roughly halfway through the drive. The restaurant near Big Meadows which had some great fried chicken.

The AT

Another popular feature of the park is the Appalachian Trail which runs from Georgia to Maine. There are other hiking trails in the park, but the AT is the most famous. One of my favorite trails in Shenandoah National Park is Old Rag Mountain. There are a few technical spots to the Old Rag hike, but nothing that even a novice hiker couldn't handle. There are also some stunning waterfalls in the Shenandoah National Park and plenty of wildlife. We also had to stop about a half dozen times for white tail deer the road. 

The great thing about Shenandoah National Park is that it is close to Charlottesville, VA which is "Grammy's" hometown. We made a point of meeting up at King Family Vineyards on our way back into town to take in the view and a couple glasses of wine. 

Enjoying a game of "tag" at King Family Vineyards

National Park: The Blue Ridge Parkway

So we decided to visit Northern Virginia and Charlottesville, VA over the Labor Day Weekend of 2011. It was a wonderful trip which involved seeing lots of family and friends. In addition to that, we took a visit to three of our National Parks that weekend: The Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park and Manassas Battlefield.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is probably the one National Park that I have been to most frequently due to its proximity to where I went to college and where I used to work. While I was a field sales representative, and if the timing was right, I would get on the parkway in Central Virginia and drive back to Waynesboro on a Friday evening, it helped bring me back down to earth after a busy work week. This route may not have been the most direct route home at the end of the week, but it provided nice scenery, lacked traffic lights and traffic. Prior to that, there was also an annual pilgrimage for me and my UVa pals to Humpback Rock at the beginning of the year, and then the odd occasion throughout the year. By going to Humpback Rock, however, visitors are only “dipping their toe” into the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The park starts in Waynesboro, VA at the northern end and goes through Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains and well into North Carolina. I think it is the only US National Park that is specifically a road. The views are stunning, especially in the fall when the trees are a bright orange, yellow and red. The Appalachian Mountains (older than their Rocky Mountain brothers and sisters) have a mystical look about them in the morning when the fog is laying low over them.

View from Humpback Rock near the Blue Ridge Parkway

On this occasion, I only dipped by proverbial foot in and hiked Humpback Rock. It is an easy 20-30 minute hike and it very accessible from the I-64, so it can get crowded. The Visitor’s Center doesn't open until 9AM so folks start rolling in then, but the parkway and the trails themselves are open a lot earlier. There were a few early bird hikers and photographers out there that morning, but I had enough to find my little slice of solace that Labor Day Saturday.

After the quick hike it was back to Charlottesville for a fall football game at Scott Stadium. That evening, UVa Cavaliers trounced the William and Mary Tribe.

National Park: Manassas Battlefield (Virginia)

Manassas or Bull Run? This was the question that we were asking ourselves as we drove down I-66 on Labor Day 2011. As it turns out, we learned, from a quick iphone query, many of the battlefields in the Civil War have two names. One name reflects how Northern or Union forces identified them, while the other name reflects out the Southern or Confederate forces identified them. In this case, probably the most famous of the 15 or so battles with two names: First Manassas is the Southern name, while First Bull Run is the Northern name. The Northern side often named battles for bodies of water or natural features. The Southern side most often used the name of the nearest town or man-made landmark. Here is a list of American Civil War battles with their Southern (S) and Northern (N) names:

• First Manassas (S) and First Bull Run (N)
• Oak Hills (S) and Wilson's Creek (N)
• Leesburg (S) and Ball's Bluff (N)
• Mill Springs (S) and Logan's Cross Roads (N)
• Elkhorn Tavern (S) and Pea Ridge (N)
• Shiloh (S) and Pittsburg Landing (N)
• Seven Pines (S) and Fair Oaks (N)
• Mechanicsville (S) and Battle of beaver Dam Creek (N)
• Gaines's Mill (S) and Chickahominy River (N)
• Second Manassas (S) and Second Bull Run (N)
• Ox Hill (S) and Chantilly (N)
• Boonsboro (S) and South Mountain (N)
• Burkittsville (S) and Crampton's Gap (N)
• Sharpsburg (S) and Antietam (N)
• Perryville (S) and Chaplin Hills (N)
• Murfeesboro (S) and Stones River (N)
• Mansfield (S) and Sabine Cross Roads (N)
• Winchester (S) and Opequon (N)

I don't know a lot about the Civil War, but I am fascinated by it. It is a relentlessly studied subject, and I recently learned at the Abraham Lincoln Library that President Lincoln lags only Jesus in terms of biographies written about him. I don't know if that is true or not, but it seems plausible. What I do know about the First Manassas (that is how the National Park Service refers to it) is that it was one of the first major land battles of the Civil War. While the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina a few months earlier, the shots fired here were in anticipation of a short battle with a quick Northern victory. I also remember reading somewhere that there were spectators that came from Washington, D.C. to watch the action thinking that there would be a quick Northern victory. What ultimately happened was that the Confederate side won the day, but suffered so many casualties they were unable to pursue the North into Washington, D.C. This battle is also commemorated for the fact that it was the first time in world history that soldiers were transported by train (on the Southern side).

"Stonewall" Jackson monument at First Manassas Battlefield with sleepy daughter, nephew and  Moose.

I won't get into the technicalities or outflanking maneuvers here, there is plenty of that in animated movies at Civil War Trust. There are some important characters and some features of today's park that I wanted to call out. First and foremost, is Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who earned his name here. "Stonewall" Jackson earned his name during First Manassas when Brig. Gen Barnard Elliott BE, Jr. said, "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians!" There is some debate as to whether the statement was meant to be pejorative. While Jackson's brigade lost more men than any other that day, the were effective enough to hold off the Union. Jackson is considered to be the greatest military tactician in American history, and is also (in)famous for having been shot by his own men and having his left arm buried in Orange County, VA after the Battle of Chancellorsville. Stonewall Jackson is buried in Lexington, VA. His image and name are memorialized in numerous parks, monuments, schools and his visage is seen carved into Stone Mountain outside of Atlanta, GA.

Secondly, Henry House Hill figured prominently. The Henry family owned the farm on which much of the fighting of First Manassas took place. "Stonewall" and his men fought from positions on the Hill. There is a house on top of the hill in the park. This is where many of the Hill family is buried including the matriarch, ultimately killed during by a shell during the battle. The house has been refurbished and you can see the interior during your walk around the park.

Finally, the beautiful Stone Bridge features prominently in today's park. It markets the eastern entrance of the park. It was destroyed during First Manaassas. The bridge  lay in ruins after the battle.

Later it was refurbished using the original design.

National Park: Brown vs the Board of Education of Topeka, KS

Topeka, Kansas is the state capital and is home to over 100,000 residents. I made it to Topeka, Kansas on my Missouri/Kansas road trip in the spring of 2011. I spent a couple of hours at this National Historic site and the harrowing images from this time have stuck with me ever since.

The Civil Rights struggle is certainly one of the darkest moments in American history. During the early 20^th century, the “separate but equal” ruling of Plessy vs. Ferguson had legitimized the move toward racial segregation in many parts of the country.  The Plessy vs. Ferguson case involved Homer Plessy boarding a train in the “white” section of a train car, he refused to move to the colored section, subsequently he was arrested and jailed. Mr. Plessy appealed his case to the Supreme Court, where they ruled that “separate but equal” was acceptable. The idea was that separation of citizens of different races and genders was legal as long as the facilities were of equal quality. This case took place in Louisiana, and many often think of this issue as a "Southern" issue, but this racial controversy existed elsewhere including the District of Columbia, Delaware and Kansas.

The Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas

In most instances (including public bathrooms, water fountains, cafes and most relevant public schools) the facilities were not of equal quality. In 1952, there were cases from Kansas, Delaware, Washington, D.C., South Carolina and Virginia which challenged segregation in public schools. The U.S. Supreme Court consolidated them into one case named after Oliver Brown in Topeka, KS. One of the most pivotal cases in U.S. History became formally known as Oliver Brown et al vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, KS et al. Because all the cases were consolidated under the one name, the Brown moniker has stuck in history. The case involved Oliver Brown’s daughter who had to walk six blocks and ride a bus over a mile to get to a segregated school while the white school was approximately seven blocks from her house. Oliver Brown decided to attempt to enroll his child in the white school, she was denied admission and directed towards the segregated school. Initially, the District Court found for the Board of Education based on the Plessy vs. Ferguson precedent, and the case was appealed all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall (later appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court) would take the case as the chief counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

The strategy of the NAACP was to point out things that were shortcomings of "Separate But Equal". In some cases the inequality was overt. African-American children were made to go to separate schools on a bus even if one were blocks away, the African-American schools may not have the same coursework or programs as the white schools. In other instances inequalities were subtle, renovations were delayed, cost/student disparities were present. Some instances of the "Separate But Equal" were just humiliating, like George McLaurin. Mr. McLaurin fought to get admitted into the University of Oklahoma because they offered coursework in public education administration which wasn't available at the segregated school, only to be humiliated by being made to sit in the corner of the room.

George W. McLaurin (!887-1968) was forced to sit in a separate classroom, library, cafeteria, and restroom areas while attending the University of Oklahoma.

The Brown vs the Board of Education museum itself is a renovated schoolhouse that was in use at the time. There are pictures of classrooms and school children throughout the museum that reflect the era. The main atrium at the center of the room has a series of educational films that walk young students through the Civil Rights movement through the eyes of a modern day teenager. There is another gallery where one can learn more about the people, places and events that shaped the years right before and after the decision. In this room is a passageway that may not be appropriate for young children as the language and some of the imagery is deplorable, but it gives one a sense of what vitriol existed at the time. This exhibit really stuck with me. There are other exhibits throughout the site that outline the legacy of Brown vs. Board of Education where the case is linked to the larger Civil Rights movement, and other struggles for equality like South African apartheid and the Polish Trade Union, Solidarity lead by Lech Wałęsa in the 1980's.

Here is a brief clip from PBS about the case with some background.

National Park: Independence Hall National Historic Site

The concentration of downtown Philadelphia's historical sites are probably unmatched anywhere across the country. I was in Philly on a business trip with my boss. We had plans for an early dinner, but decided we would sneak in to see the Liberty Bell Exhibit before our reservation at Buddakan which was a few short blocks away. The exhibits, galleries and museums seem like private museums, and it is strange to think that you don't have to pay to enter any of these facilities (I guess it comes out of our taxes). There are a few movies or special exhibits that may require a modest fee, but I was able to walk right up to the Liberty Bell and get a the shot below in a manner of minutes.

The inscription reads in part,"PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF". We only had a 20-30 minutes to take it all in, but one of the big takeaways (for me anyway) was that the Liberty Bell wasn't cracked during the announcement the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. That appears to be a myth or legend that I picked up some time in elementary school. The bell was actually manufactured in the UK, and came over in the mid-18th century. The bell actually cracked over a period of time, but the bell hasn't been rung since February 23, 1846 which is George Washington's birthday. On this day, the bell received it's fatal crack. The NPS suggests that it cracked over a long period of time of continual use. 


Independence Hall
This is the main attraction, I didn't get to see it. It is the reason I want to go back. Independence Hall is located in Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th street. It is probably one of the most important sites in US History. The building itself is not that grand, it isn't the White House or the U.S Capitol. There are other buildings of the time that are more spectacular. Furthermore, the building is dwarfed by the cityscape that has sprung up around it. It was here that both the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution were designed, debated and signed.


Independence Visitors Center
This building could be a shopping mall as it is immense.The Independence Visitor Center is devoted to gift shops, movie theaters, special exhibits, orientation, walking tours, cafes and WIFI! I don't think it is part of the NPS, but it is adjacent to the other parks and is a magnificent area to get oriented to the sites of downtown Philly. I'll be back here too one of these days.


This is one site that I must come back to with my family so we can get the full experience and see all of the exhibits. There is just so much to see and do. In addition to the Independence Hall sites,there is the Deshler-Morris House, the Gloria Dei Church, the Edgar Allen Poe site and the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Memorial.

Glastonbury Fesitval of Contemporary Performing Arts: The Music, Part One

This summer I ticked of a major "Bucket List" item by attending the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in Somerset, England. My brother and his wife arranged for the the highly sought after tickets. They agreed to pick me up in Manchester, England. They also arranged for camping equipment for me. Logistically, they came through in a big way!

Glastonbury is probably the world's premiere contemporary music festival, and I have been wanting to go for over a decade. The festival has about a half dozen stages, and many more dance tents and smaller venues. The site is blocked off by an 8-9 mile perimeter fence and divided up into various areas or neighborhoods with themes. There is the Pyramid Stage (the Main Stage), the Other Stage (the secondary stage), the Avalon Stage, the John Peel Stage, etc.

Check out Radiohead's 1997 set at the festival that sold me on Glastonbury. Bands typically go all out by putting together a tight set that appeals to the masses (read greatest hits rather than new stuff they may be promoting). Couple that with fans as far as the eye can see, multiple stages, and an atmosphere of "collective togetherness" and it makes for a memorable weekend.

Here is the list of the bands that appeared on just the four biggest stages, there is no way one could see them all over the course of the Friday-Sunday festival.

Pyramid Stage

U2	Coldplay	Beyoncé
Morrissey	Elbow	Pendulum
Biffy Clyro	Paolo Nutini	Plan B
B.B. King	Tinie Tempah	Paul Simon
Wu-Tang Clan	Rumer	Laura Marling
Two Door Cinema Club	The Gaslight Anthem	Don McLean
Metronomy	Tame Impala	The Low Anthem
The Master Musicians of Joujouka	Stornoway	Fisherman's Friends

The Other Stage

Primal Scream	The Chemical Brothers	Queens of the Stone Age
Mumford & Sons	White Lies	Kaiser Chiefs
Fleet Foxes	Friendly Fires	Eels
Bright Eyes	Jimmy Eat World	TV on the Radio
The Wombats	The Kills	Bombay Bicycle Club
The Vaccines	Jessie J	Noisettes
The Naked & Famous	Twilight Singers	Cold War Kids
Brother	Treetop Flyers	Clare Maguire
Chipmunk	Alice Gold	Dan Mangan

West Holts Stage

Cee Lo Green	Big Boi	Kool & The Gang
Chase and Status	Janelle Monáe	Hercules and Love Affair
Dr Jimmy Cliff	Aloe Blacc	The Go! Team
Heliocentrics with Mulatu	Fool's Gold	Duane Eddy
Little Dragon	Omar Souleyman	Bellowhead
Ghostpoet	The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble	Jah Wobble & the Nippon Dub Ensemble
Dengue Fever	Nicolas Jaar LIVE	Jamie Woon
Ziriguidum	Narasirato	Hidden Orchestra
	London Afrobeat Collective

The John Peel Stage

DJ Shadow	Glasvegas	The Streets
Example	Battles	Robyn
The Coral	Noah and the Whale	Hurts
I Am Kloot	The Horrors	The Vaccines
Darwin Deez	Warpaint	Everything Everything
Cage the Elephant	Anna Calvi	OK Go
Miles Kane	Dry the River	The Joy Formidable
Mona	Yuck	Foster the People
Stonefield	Fight Like Apes	Raghu Dixit
Cocoon	Brave Yesterday	My Tiger My Timing

One the first day, I was focused on seeing U2 so I hung out at the Pyramid Stage all afternoon and into the evening. U2 has never headlined Glastonbury. They were supposed to headline last year, but Bono hurt his back. They flew in from touring North America on their 360 tour. I saw this tour 3 times in 2009.  I am a big fan. True to form, U2 played an awesome set, although I can't stand that "Get On Your Boots" song even with it mixed up. I had never heard them play "Bad" live and was thrilled to see that one performed. It has been 20 years since Achtung Baby came out, and so I think there was a bit of an homage by playing the first five songs from that album and opening with "Even Better than the Real Thing".

This is the setlist for U2's appearance on Friday. I found some clips on youtube that are decent quality from the TV feed.
Even Better than the Real Thing, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Until the End of the World, One, Where the Streets Have No Name, I Will Follow, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Stay, Beautiful Day, Elevation, Get on Your Boots, Vertigo, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bad, Pride (In the Name of Love), Encore: With or Without You, Moment of Surrender, Out of Control

It was a spectacular success.  Bono sang a few snippets from "She Loves You", "Jerusalem", "Never Tear Us Apart", and "Moving On Up".

This is a video of Even Better Than the Real Thing opener and the third song, Mysterious Ways.. They crushed it. The video is of poor quality because I was a sardine in a sea of people, but you get the idea of my proximity to the band, security fence, guards, etc. I could feel the bass shaking my body from the sound system (that's Larry Mullen, Jr.'s drums just thundering down and vibrating the Flip Camera).

Even Better than the Real Thing

Mysterious Ways

Primal Scream
The only downside of the performance was that this set coincided exactly with Primal Scream's set on the Other Stage. I am bummed I missed them, but I did get to see them at the 9:30 club in Washington, D.C. about 10 years ago. Movin' on Up is one of their songs that I like as performed at Glastonbury.

Morrissey 

Morrissey was another highlight for me. I am not as familiar with his solo stuff, but The Smiths frontman performed quite a few of songs from his group's catalog. I have included a few of them here. I haven't bought into the whole "mserable" thing that Morissey is known for, but one can't escape it given some of his lyrics. He also moped a bit about stage, indicating that most of the fans were there to see U2 instead of him. He also took some time to point out a political issue about circus animals being banned in the UK ahead of "Meat is Murder". It was a good set, with a very well rehearsed band. The band members were brought in from various cities around the globe.

First Of The Gang To Die, 

Shoplifters Of The World Unite, 

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, 

Meat Is Murder, 

This Charming Man

Orlando, Epcot Center and Downtown Disney

Spaceship Earth at Epcot Center

We had a great opportunity this past week, Kate had a business trip that took her to Orlando to meet with many of her global counterparts. I stayed in Indy and worked as a Mr. Mom for part of the week. Everything went smoothly as Mr. Mom, so I relished in the opportunity to join Kate on Thursday evening for a 3 day weekend in sunny (and extremely hot Orlando).


We stayed at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek at a reduced rate because Kate's company had rented out the entire place, and we were able to get our hands on a free ticket to Epcot (after 4pm) thanks to some work connections. Epcot Center is probably the most "grown up" of the Disney parks which isn't saying much...


There are *some* educational opportunities here. There are areas of the park dedicated to "Using your Imagination", an aquarium that also has a "Finding Nemo" ride. One of the highlights of the trip was going into the "Spaceship Earth". Which was a curious tour back into history, and into the future. Towards the end of the ride, our console asked us a few questions, and it gave us our future. Space ship earth is probably the most iconic of all Epcot's attractions.


This wasn't the first time that I had been to Epcot Center. I went once when I was a teenager, and distinct memory that I have is the "dancing fountains" at Epcot. My brother and I thought we were so cool because we figured out that if you stand in the right spot at the right time, you get soaked with gloriously refreshing water in a steamy Florida day. During this 2011 trip, there was a pair of boys doing the exact same thing as we did then. Of course it is easier now when I am 6 feet tall!

We had dinner in "Morocco" with a belly dancer, and yes the 3D Michael Jackson flick, Captain Eo, is still playing to enraptured audiences every 30 minutes.


I'll also mention customer service on this trip. Disney has prided itself on making visitor's experience memorable, and they certainly delivered. Mears Transportation, the service that took us from the hotel to Epcot also came through in a big way. In our excitement to get into the park, I left our diaper bag and camera on the bus. They sent a "rover" out to meet the bus, and returned the diaper bag. We hardly lost any time at all and recovered some important belongings (namely diapers and a camera). 

National Park: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

A quick visit to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was all that was needed to check off the 3rd and final park in Indiana. The other two on the Indiana list were George Rogers Clark National Historic Site and the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home. We visited Indiana National Dunes on the way back to Indy from Chicago in early April. We had gone to Chicago for the Robert Plant concert and to see some friends do a road race. As it turns out, said friends had gotten engaged at the Dunes so we decided we must go to check out this park on the way home. Not only was this a National Park, it held sentimental value to our speedy pals. On their suggestion we decided to stick with a quick hike up Mount Baldy, the exact location of his proposal.

The trip to the park was a relatively short one, it is about 45-60 minutes outside of Chicago, and I was a bit confused at first because there is a state park that abuts (or if one gets particular about it, enclosed by) the national park. There are also steel mills dotting the highway leading to the entrance, there is a very large railroad running along the highway that leads to the park. One of the biggest companies in the world, Arcelor Mittal has a mill near the park. It seems so strange that the park is so close to this much industry. However, once you get past the steel mills and enter the park, you might as well be days from Chicago. There are about 15 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan, with some really impressive beaches. It was too cold to go swimming that day, but it would have been refreshing on this Memorial Day 2011 (the day I write this we topped 90 degrees in Indy). The view of the water at Indiana Dunes was gorgeous! Who knew this existed in the Midwest?

Mount Baldy is probably the most popular part of the park. A short 10 minute hike gets you to the top, the dune stands about 126 feet tall, and it moves over time with the weather. The day we went was clear albeit a little windy, but the view of the water was stunning. There was a big downside though, it was right next to a power plant that looked so industrial next to this natural beauty. The drop off from the dune into the water was just majestic, but you look over to the East and there is this massive power plant tower. I decided not to take pictures of that because I didn't want to be reminded of it later.

In this park there is lots of stuff  to do (and the state park is here as well). You can walk along the beach, hike many trails, hike up Mount Baldy, go camping or canoeing, there are also important ecological tours that you can take with a park guide.

All told, we were probably in the park for about 90 minutes. We had to get back to Indy as you lose an hour on that drive, so we could only make a quick trip the park's visitor's center. I found an enchanting exhibit there on some of the artwork/advertising that was used to attract Chicagoans to the Dunes during the early 20th century.

The gallery of prints promoted the train from Chicago to the state park at the Dunes.

I remember seeing 1930s in one of the posters. I find old advertising fascinating, particularly these.

             

        

I know they have been available for years, but looking at them now it is as if they were taken from a time capsule or something.  

       

The National Park Blanket

When we visit one of our National Parks, we pick up a patch to help commemorate the occasion. When I get a bulk of them collected, I take them down to Lee's Tailoring in on the Northside of Indianapolis, and ask him to apply the new patches. 

Here is the family's National Park Blanket on May 16, 2011

This is a small project for Lee as he is often doing suits and tuxedos as well as other more traditional alterations, but he agrees to put on the patches with a smile (and a fee, of course). 

Our daughter already likes to look at the different patches. 

The more places we go, the more patches we will have. The hope is that the blanket is fully covered one day with patches from all the parks and historical sites in the US. It probably won't happen until we retire or hit the lottery, but it is a fun little collection that we'll have together with our daughter.

Our daughter has been to many of the nations parks with us, but I have done many on my own.

During my recent to trip Missouri, I  was able to check off all the parks and sites in that state. I have also been to all of the parks in Indiana. We have only scratched the surface in Virginia, North Carolina, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Each patch has an interesting personal and (of course) historical story.

Business travel has only helped me check a few off the list on one occasion. I may get to one park in Philly on a business trip.

Her favorite thus far was the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Her least favorite thus far has been Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. The tour started just around nap time, so we'll write that one off.

National Park: Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

The National Park dedicated to the Civil War Battle called Wilson's Creek is located in Republic, Missouri. The Battle of Wilson's Creek took place on August 10, 1861. It is one of the major battles of the Civil War to have taken place west of the Mississippi River.This battle was a victory for the Confederates, but they were unable to take advantage of the win due to disorganization. The Confederate forces were unable advance as far as they could have, but the battle did give the Confederates control of Southwestern Missouri. The Union maintained control of the state.

The Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 that allowed the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the US to agree on the "legality" of slavery in the area of the Louisiana Territory. The compromise prevented slavery north of the parallel 36°30' north in the Louisiana Territory with the exception of Missouri. 

Map of the USA during the Civil War highlighting the Missouri Compromise

The Civil War Trust has spectacular maps and animations about major battles in the Civil War. Wilson's Creek Battlefield in Southern Missouri was a fascinating Civil War battle for many reasons. For someone like myself who grew up in the Southeastern United States, I didn't recall learning much about the battlefields west of the Mississippi River. Missouri is the state with the 4th most Civil War battles. This battle took place about 10 miles southwest of Springfield, Missouri. When the Civil War began in 1861, most Missourians wished to remain neutral, but the federal government though that Missouri's allegiance to the union would be vital. The Governor of Missouri had Confederate sympathies, so Missouri was a hodge-podge of divided sentiment.

Governor Jackson and Union General Lyon had a couple of skirmishes between their respective forces, and the Union General chased off the Governor and his state militia to Southwestern Missouri. The General Lyon installed a pro-Union state government and then went after the state militia in Southwestern Missouri.

Confederate General Benjamin McCulloch came north to reinforce the state militia. Both the Union and Confederate armies planned surprise attacks on August 9, but McCulloch cancelled his attack on account of the weather. The Confederates were able to hold off the surprise attack and then overwhelmed the union's flanking maneuver on a place called Bloody Hill.

Benjamin McCulloch commanded Confederate forces at Wilson's Creek 

Union General Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union General to be killed in the American Civil War. General Lyon was a staunch abolitionist. This was controversial in Missouri at the time, his troops were involved in the Camp Jackson Affair which was the slaughter of almost 30 civilians who were anti-union. Lyon helped prevent Missouri from seceding from the union. The quote, "It is no longer useful to appeal to reason, but to the sword." is attributed to him and is in reference to the Southern cause.

Nathanial Lyon was the first Union General to be killed in the American Civil War on August 10, 1861. 

While the Confederates may have won the day (only slightly), they were unable to take advantage and Missouri stayed under control of the Union.

Missouri National Park Route

Over the weekend of April 29th - May 1, 2011, I had the opportunity to take a road trip. My wife and daughter went on buisiness trip together and stayed in Western NY through the weekend. I saw this as an opportunity to head out to Missouri and visit all of the national parks in that state, and a couple in Kansas as well. I am glad that our trusty Subaru Outback was up to the challenge. I easily spent 24 hours (not continuous of course) in the car, but I accomplished what I had set out to do. I saw 8 national parks in total, 6 in Missouri and 2 in Kansas.This is the route I took over the weekend, during this time I had learned a great deal about the history of the two states, and some interesting tidbits for folks that ever travel to the area.

• Pittsburg State Gorillas: in Kansas has to be one of the coolest mascots of which I have ever heard.
• Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis, MO has some of the best BBQ ribs I have ever tasted, it is a bummer they don't serve beer there. 
• Rheineland in Independence, MO is a quaint little German restaurant near the Harry Truman Historical area. It has a delicious sandwich on the menu call the Bavarian Loafer that is just awesome. 
• Cafe Ventana is located near St. Louis University, and is a New Orleans style bistro with great eye-opening coffee and beignets. Great way to start the day.
• Harry's Cafe in Pittsburg, KS has great biscuits and gravy (not better than the stuff you get in NC though)
• Jim's Steakhouse in Pittsburg, KS was hopping at 5pm, with families having dinner. They serve a pretty tasty NY strip. 

The drive at the end of the trip was a long one. From Harry S. Truman's door to my door was about 7 hours of driving. You add the time difference from Central to Eastern and it is an 8 hour trip. I also enjoyed crossing the Mississippi River twice in this trip. The river was experiencing a high level of rain and was to crest later in the week at about 48 ft.

It was a wonderful trip, I learned a great deal. I just wish I had a bit more time to see the sights in The Ozarks and I didn't get to see the Harry S. Truman Library which was a regret. Next time I am in Kansas City, I will be sure to pop in to see this Presidential Library.

National Park: The Ozark National Scenic Riverways

The Ozark National Scenic Riverway is located in Southwestern Missouri. It encompasses Mark Twain's National Forest (managed not by the Department of the Interior but by the Department of Agriculture) as well as a number of scenic trailways. There isn't just one site, or just one geographic feature of this park, but many. It would take days if not weeks to explore. I didn't have that kind of time today, so I just chose a couple of sites to check out and went on my way. There had been some flooding in the area, so I could not get to the Alley Mill without taking a long detour. The Alley Mill is the site that is probably the most photographed of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The Alley Mill is a working mill that uses a turbine instead of a water wheel and rollers instead of a grinding stone. I was bummed that I didn't get to see this structure which was built in the late 1800s. To the folks who lived in the area the mill was an important community center. It served a dual purpose of grinding wheat (as one would expect) but also as a community meeting place. While times have changed, many people return to this spot today for reunions, camping, and other activities.

The Alley Mill was built in the late 1800s.

Much of the water in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways travels underground, and spews forth through springs in the ground. I was able to see two of the water sites. The first was the Big Springs. The road was blocked off to some recent flooding, so I walked down the road a bit, and gained access across the water damaged bridge. The water had to have been a good 10-15 feet higher than it was today (and it was still high). The Big Spring is one of the world's largest springs. It generates over 275 million gallons a day of water from the ground.

Big Spring near Van Buren, MO is one of the worlds largest springs.

The second water site was Rocky Falls near Winona, MO. The falls here are postcard picturesque. There is always something soothing about waterfalls. On this particular day, because there had been so much flooding, there was a lot of white water. Had it been warmer, I might have taken a dip.

Rocky Falls near Winona, MO

Overall this park doesn't have as much history as some of the other parks that I have been to, but it is well maintained and supports lots of recreation. I would love to go canoeing down here when my daughter gets a bit older.

National Park: Ulysses S. Grant's White Haven Home

The site is in suburban St. Louis, Missouri

Ulyssess  S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States, while he did serve two terms as president and tried for a third, some of his presidency may have been plagued by a scandal called the Whiskey Ring. This may have made his term a little less remarkable. I think he is more memorable as the Union General during the American Civil War.  He was a West Point graduate, and fought in the Mexican-American War. But then, he kind of lost his way until the Civil War started. Before the Civil War started, he spent much of his time at a Fort in St. Louis, he met his wife, Julia Dent, at her father's house in White Haven near downtown St. Louis.

White Haven is his wife's family's property. As houses go, it is not that grand or that big. There is a substantial amount of land. The site is in the middle of suburban St. Louis and a bike path runs along it's entrance. The visitor's center has a nice film, and you can take a tour of the house itself. Because of the size, and lack of furnishings, the house is a quick tour. There are multi-media presentations there outlining St. Louis and Missouri's role in the American Civil war.

As presidential homes go, this one was rather modest in size.

Being a border state in the Western Frontier presented some inner strife in Missouri, with a lot of individuals pro-union and others pro-slave. I think the official stance at the beginning of the war was neutral, but the Governor of Missouri had Southern sympathies. This was no different in Ulysses' own family. He was born and raised in Ohio, which was a free-state and his father was against slavery. This institution was not embedded in Ulysses character. His wife, Julia, was raised in a slave state (but still neutral during the beginning of the war), and was taught that whites could own slaves, this was a proper relationship. So when Ulysses Grant moved to his wife's family farm, he actually "owned" slaves through his father-in-law. He would work along side them during the day, and debate his father-in-law at night about this institution. When the Civil War broke out, Julia's own brothers fought for different sides of the war. You can see this conflict up close in some of the multi-media presentations at the house. Ulysses moved up the ranks on the Union side when the wore broke out, and was the General that ultimately received the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, VA.

Ulysses S. Grant appears on the $50 bill.

When Ulysses S. Grant was president, and after his term was complete he did not spend much time at White Haven. He moved to New York to be close to his children. He also took a round the world trip that kept him from visiting Missouri for 2 years. The park is quaint, but not far from a lot of commercialization on nearby Gravois Street. The traffic (late on a Friday afternoon) was awful.

There are several national monuments dedicated to Grant. These include a statue of him and his horse on the National Mall and his tomb on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York.

National Park: Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home

To my knowledge, there are 5 major National Parks dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. These 5 sites are his birthplace near Hodgenville, Kentucky, his boyhood home in Lincoln City, Indiana, the adult Lincoln home in Springfield, Illinois, the assassination site at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. There are also numerous battlefields over which he played an important role, most significantly Gettysburg, PA.

In early 2011, there was a poll suggesting that Ronald Reagan was America’s greatest president. This was probably heavily biased because the poll was taken around Dutch’s birthday and the number of respondents who took the poll were probably alive when Ronald Reagan was president therefore skewing the results. Abraham Lincoln was number 2 in this poll (Clinton was 3^rd, Obama and Bush II were both ahead of Jefferson which is shocking  to me as a UVa graduate, but I digress). Over time, most polls I have seen have put Lincoln near the top.  When you take out party affiliation, and survey independents you can see that Lincoln comes out on top.

This blog isn’t going to get into historical details, but in my view, when America was just a “teenager” Lincoln was the adult that held it together through her tantrums. Because he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth shortly after the Civil War officially ended, he was not around to see the US survive, rebuild and prosper into the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. It is safe to say that Lincoln had outlined the principles for this to happen. Many have often wondered what brought Lincoln into this position of steadiness and discipline. There are hundreds of Lincoln biographies and articles, but one must start with his childhood and upbringing to help understand from whence this man came. This is why I think that most students of Lincoln should bypass the Lincoln Memorial and the Ford’s Theater for insight into the man, I suggest visiting the sites dedicated to the man’s life.

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky and came to Washington, D.C. as a politician from Illinois. However, (as the state of Indiana claims, confirmed by the NPS), Lincoln spent much of his formative years in Southern Indiana. About an hour’s drive from Vincennes (and the George Rogers Clark National Historic Site) lies the memorial to Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home.  The memorial is near a town called Gentryville, IN and is in the middle of nowhere. In fact, because there are not any municipalities nearby, I assume they just made its name up, Lincoln City, Indiana, for the purposes of the memorial. One can only imagine what this area would have been like without the interstate and state route nearby. It is the 21^st century and this still seems like “the frontier”.  

The park has a remarkable visitors center with extremely friendly guides. There is a 15 minute film to help get oriented to the Lincoln family tree.  Lincoln’s father, Thomas, moved to Southern Indiana because of land disputes in Kentucky. In Indiana, he was able to get a plot of land on which to farm AND because Thomas Lincoln was opposed to slavery, he preferred farming in Indiana where slavery was illegal. The area is wooded, with lots of wild animals (at the time, not now as far as I can see). This is not the original house, but a remake:

I never knew that Lincoln’s mother died of milk sickness when he was a young boy.  Milk sickness was a common ailment at the time from when cows ate snakeroot. If one consumed the milk of such a cow, it could be fatal. Her gravesite is marked with a tombstone in the park.

Thomas Lincoln remarried a widow from Kentucky brought into the family children of her own. Her name was Sarah Bush Lincoln. During his teen years, was when his thirst for knowledge was fostered by books that she had provided him and education he received in a school nearby. When Lincoln was not working on the farm, he was  reading or doing whatever he could to further his knowledge. He gained a job as a surveyor and did some work transporting goods down the river to New Orleans where he first saw slaves, this obviously made an impression on him, and impact his actions in later years.

When Lincoln was 21, his father moved the family yet again to Illinois where Abraham Lincoln would spend the next 30 years. Due to his legacy here, this plot of land became a memorial upon Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. The stones marking the actual cabin for the Lincoln family were bronzed for preservation.

There is an extremely tall (120 ft to be exact) flag pole near the visitor's center.

National Park: George Rogers Clark National Historic Site

There is an understated (and seemingly infrequently visited) National Memorial in Vincennes, IN. This town is in Southwest Indiana near the Illinois border, and the National Historic site was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 to the honor of Col. George Rogers Clark. Without George Rogers Clark, the United States would probably not have claimed America's Northwestern Frontier from the British during the Revolutionary War.  This geographic area includes what is now the states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Col. Clark is best celebrated for his role in leading a rag tag and weary group of troops at a reclaimed British Fort called Sackville.

 Col. George Rogers Clark is the brother of William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) and had an illustrious military career in his own right, but he is most celebrated for this capture of Fort Sackville and British Lt. Governor Henry Hamilton in 1779. Capturing Fort Sackville certainly was an impressive feat, but the manner in which he (and his men) did it was remarkable. The men marched through blistering cold and some icy Midwestern floodplains to fight the British, and make them surrender the fort. This effort essentially doubled the size of the United States in the coming years.

 

The memorial is much larger than it appears at a distance, and it is positioned just along the Wabash River. The site of the monument is thought to be placed roughly in the same location as Fort Sackville. There is a 30 minute movie in the visitor's center and some artifacts like maps to look over. Inside the dome, there is a large statue of Col. Clark, and Ezra Winter painted several murals that tell the story of the frontier. You can listen to an audio describing each mural.

I came to Vincennes, IN on a cloudy Saturday in November. The town is very quaint with a cute downtown of mom and pop shops. This is also the land of Lincoln with a scenic route dedicated to one of the USA's Greatest Presidents cutting right through downtown. You can cross over into Illinois (the land of Lincoln) as pedestrian over the Lincoln Memorial Bridge which was built in the same aesthetic as the Clark Memorial.