Historical

Sofa Sojourner’s Virtual Tours of UNESCO Sites

Renée S. Gordon

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are chosen based on their outstanding value to humanity and at least one of ten additional criteria. Why sofa sojourns? There are several reasons for traveling from the comfort of your sofa. These visual forays allow us to explore places around the world, reminisce about former trips, learn about new ones and plan for the time when we can all travel again. Read more.

Sofa Sojourner’s Virtual Tours

Renee Gordon

There was a time, not so long ago, when travel was a luxury for those with time, money and imagination but creative minds and the internet have altered that narrative. Today you can travel from anywhere to interesting places and see sights that once you only heard about. In these times of sheltering in place the ability to access information, virtually visit national and international destinations and in some cases experience them interactively, is priceless. Read more.

Sofa Sojourner’s Road Trip:
New Orleans to Houma (Part two)

Renée S. Gordon

Baton Rouge is uniquely where the past and the present merge and it is filled with sites that clarify and expand what you have previously learned. After French explorers came upon the Baton Rouge area in 1699 the region was thoroughly documented by Pierre Le Moyne D'Iberville's descriptions of what he called Istrouma, Red Stick, in French is Baton Rouge. He saw large red poles, adorned with animal and fish heads, placed by the Houma tribes to delineate their hunting ground. Read more.

Baton Rouge: Born of the Water

Kathleen Walls

Red Stick was what Native Americans called this part of the country. Baton Rouge, as we know it today, is often under-considered as a great tourist destination. It was where Travel South held this year's conference. Yes, we worked meeting with CVB people from southern states in a speed dating format during two of the days but lunch and evenings were super fun and our first day was spent seeing some of its many attractions. Read more.

Sofa Sojourner’s Road Trip:
New Orleans to Houma

Renée S. Gordon

Being an armchair adventurer has its advantages. Travelers have all the time they need to explore a destination’s hidden treasures as well as experience the local cuisine and culture. As we embark on part two of our Louisiana adventure we are heading the 57-miles to Terrebonne Parish, the heart of Bayou Country. Louisiana has 64 parishes that are the equivalent of counties in other states. Terrebonne created in 1822, is the second largest parish and is one of the southernmost. Read more.

Whole Lotta History Goin' on

Kathleen Walls

I recently returned from Travel South as the Corona Virus erupted. We're all sitting at home now and friends have asked me what a meet-up like this is like. Here is part one of an overview of Travel South starting with my pre-trip, called "A Whole Lotta History Goin' on." I hope since none of should be on the road now, you can enjoy my trip vicariously. And that you will be inspired to go see some of these fantastic places for yourself when this crisis passes. Read more.

Road Trip: New Orleans to Baton Rouge (Part 1)

Renee S. Gordon

Self-isolation is a term that has recently embedded itself into the public consciousness. People have been asked to refrain from close quarters in large crowds, international travel and nonessential activities. In other words, as much as possible, stay home. Self-isolation has its own set of issues, not the least regarding the impact on destination travel. My solution is to spend some of your newly available time planning for the time when things normalize, and history has proven that it will, and the call of the open road will again beckon. Plan now for a new adventure, to revisit an old one and support the travel industry. Read more.

The Black Dispatch: Spying While Black (Part One)

Renée S. Gordon

We can all acknowledge the fact that blacks have played a significant role in United States history, from the Spanish explorers, Estevanico, Pedro Nino and Juan Garrido, to advancements by *Dr. Patricia E. Bath and **Dr. Thomas Mensah. We tend to exalt those whose actions were overt, seemingly larger than life but what about those who operated in the shadows and attained quiet victories. What about those who literally turned the tide of events. Read more.

The Black Dispatch: Spying While Black (part two)

Renée S. Gordon

African Americans served as spies during the American Revolution with the belief that their service would prove the loyalty of the people, improve their condition and for the ever present promises of freedom. Largely the status of African Americans did not change as a result of their service the government did not keep their promises. Read more.

West Baton Rouge Museum

Kathleen Walls

When most people think Louisiana plantations, cotton is what comes to mind. However another crop, sugar cane, was a staple. West Baton Rouge Museum tells the story of Louisiana's sugar cane industry. A trip through the museum and its many historical buildings that make up its campus is a tour through time. It gives a glimpse of life back through the years for 300 years from the Antebellum though the struggle for Civil Rights. Read more.

Norfolk, Virginia: Nauticus and Battleship Wisconsin

Tom Straka

Norfolk is the second largest city in Virginia. Its history has much to do with its location at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. It has Chesapeake Bay to the north and the Elizabeth River to the west and south, giving it a tremendous amount of waterfront. All that water also means it has an interesting naval and maritime history. That history is on display at one of the city’s best museums: the Nauticus, which includes the Hampton Roads Naval Museum and the Battleship Wisconsin. Read more

Maryland, Fredrick Douglass in Talbot County

Renée S. Gordon

September is International Underground Railroad Month and nowhere is that history better preserved and presented more accurately than throughout the state of Maryland. This month Maryland is honoring the legacy of the freedom seekers and those who assisted them with a series of exhibitions, events, tours and walking and road trips, all designed to be both comprehensive and follow socially safe guidelines. Read more.

Oconee Station: Defending the South Carolina Frontier

Tom Straka

Upcountry South Carolina is the northwest corner of the state, along the North Carolina border and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has many historical, natural, and cultural treasures. Many of these attractions can be visited during a pandemic and Oconee Station is one of those. It a South Carolina State Historic Site that includes one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Upstate, Station Cove Falls. Read more.

Athens, The Classic City

Kathleen Walls

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of Georgia's Ghostly Getaways. It is available at Kindle books. Check out my other books at my website, KatysWorld
College towns seem to attract haunts. So do historic districts, Athens,
with its eclectic mix of brash young college students and descendants of the legendary antebellum gentry, is a natural habitat of ghostly legends. Read more.

Christiana, PA:
Taking a Stand for Freedom

Renée S. Gordon

An excellent way to gauge the political climate is to examine the laws that are deemed necessary and enacted and the response of the population. In the inexorable march to the Civil War the most impactful law was the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, strengthening the lax enforcement of the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act. The 1850 law, enacted as part of the 1850 Compromise, was created to facilitate the recapture of those identified as southern slaves. Southerners felt that Northern sentiment was not in their favor and abolitionism was on the rise. Read more.

Frederick County Maryland

Renée S. Gordon

Frederick County Maryland was the site of pivotal events during the founding of the country from its formation in 1748 but it is the Civil War, and allied events, that would indelibly inscribe its place in history. The county is situated on the Mason-Dixon Line, abuts Pennsylvania, and was both an early gateway to the West and later for southern incursions into the North. The Historic National Road, the C&O Canal and the B&O Railroad all passed through and it was the location of Union and Confederate troop movements and Antietam, the Battle of South Mountain, Gettysburg and the Battle of Monocacy.Read more.

Frederick Douglass in Maryland 2

Renée S. Gordon

Maryland’s African American history officially dates from 1634. The colonies’ initial black population probably came from Virginia but was quickly supplemented by sales directly from Africa, the first “documented” Africans arriving in 1642. More than most states Maryland’s stance on slavery was shaped by political events. In 1639 all slaves’ were stripped of legal rights and in 1664 the Maryland Assembly deemed the enslaved slaves for life. Read more.

Finding Treasures in Daytona Beach
and Volusa County Florida

Renée Gordon

Many Americans are hopeful that shortly our lives will begin to stabilize, we will once again engage in what were ordinary activities, rebuild our economy and reestablish our unifying cultural links and travel has proven to be one of the most effective ways to accomplish all of these goals. Individuals and families can visit destinations that enhance their knowledge of culture and history and provide jobs in industries, hospitality and tourism, which have suffered disproportionately. Read more.

New York City, Just Breathe

Renée Gordon

On December 31, 2019 Covid-19 was reported in Wuhan, China. Once again the world, and NYC in particular, was plunged into social and economic despair and tourism suffered a huge blow. Now, more than a year later, it appears NYC can once again exhale and plan to welcome visitors again. All sites, attractions, dining venues and accommodations adhere to the Dept. of Health guidelines and NYC is open for business. Read more.

Florida Cracker Lifestyle
at Barberville Pioneer Settlement

KathleenWalls

There's a special place in West Volusia County where you can time travel. Barberville Pioneer Settlement transports you back to the turn of the century when Florida was the wild frontier. The buildings range from the late 1800s to early 1900s and present a way of life that is all but forgotten now. It's the perfect place to blend education with fun in a safe, mainly-outdoor environment. Read more.

Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center

Tom Straka

Back in 1966 a North Georgia English teacher needed a way to get his students more engaged. He gave them a chance to come up with a project that would make the course more interesting. The result was an idea for a magazine that focused on local (Southern Appalachian) folklore, tradition, and culture. The students could use their own families and the local community as a source of material. Read more.

Visiting William Bartram's River of Lakes

Kathleen Walls

William Bartram came to West Volusia County 255 years ago with his father. He was intrigued enough to return in 1774. He was one of America's first naturalists to visit and write about Florida. His book, Travels Through North And South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, The Cherokee Country, The Extensive Territories of The Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and The Country Of The Chactaws, —They went in for long titles those days—was one of the first naturalists' books published by the fledgling United States in 1791. Read more.

Lynchburg, Virginia, Where History Speaks!

Renée S. Gordon

Travelers appear to see a light at the end of the tunnel and that, coupled with enhanced safety precautions, competitive pricing and flexible reservations make this an opportune time to plan to ease back into the thrill of adventure. It is best to opt for destinations that meet your social distancing comfort level, offer a variety of indoor and outdoor attractions, are affordable and are accessible via safe modes of transportation. Read more.

Sofa Sojourner’s Road Trip:
New Orleans to Houma

Renée S. Gordon

Whole Lotta History Goin' on

Kathleen Walls

Road Trip: New Orleans to Baton Rouge (Part 1)

Renee S. Gordon

The Black Dispatch: Spying While Black (Part One)

Renée S. Gordon

We can all acknowledge the fact that blacks have played a significant role in United States history, from the Spanish explorers, Estevanico, Pedro Nino and Juan Garrido, to advancements by Dr. Patricia E. Bath and Dr. Thomas Mensah. We tend to exalt those whose actions were overt, seemingly larger than life but what about those who operated in the shadows and attained quiet victories. What about those who literally turned the tide of events. Read more.

The Black Dispatch: Spying While Black (part two)

Renée S. Gordon

Delving into Durham, NC (part one)

Renée S. Gordon

Cities are, in their own ways, canvasses that depict the history, culture, and dreams of the residents. Stories reflected there are ever changing but the past never really disappears and, if one looks closely enough, one can see traces of earlier times and their ongoing impact.Durham is a classic example of a city with a storied past intertwined with a modern vibrancy. Read more.

Delving into Durham, NC (part two)

Renée S. Gordon

The use of slave labor in NC was, from the outset, a money making proposition. In 1663 eight Lord Proprietors were granted a charter from King Charles II. The Concessions of 1665”, in which 50 additional acres were assigned to settlers based on the number of enslaved 14 years and older each brought into the colony. The 1669 Colonial Carolina Fundamental Constitution legalized slavery. Read more.

Fort Selden: Where History Overlaps

Kathleen Walls

Off the beaten path places always appeal to me especially if there is a history connection. Las Cruces has many. One is an ancient adobe fort that tells a story of the old west. Read more.

A Landmark Reborn: Centennial Plaza

Kathleen Walls

Little did I know many years ago when I lived in the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was attending college at The Jeff Davis Campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, I would get to see an amazing reincarnation 40-plus years later. Read more.

Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum

Kathleen Walls

Oklahoma City is filled with interesting places to visit. There is one that is not a fun quest but no one should pass it by without stopping. The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum walks you through one of the most horrific acts committed in modern history. Read more.

Montgomery, Alabama (part two)

Renée S. Gordon

Montgomery, Alabama has, from its beginning, acted as a historical vortex, drawing people and events into its orbit in astonishing configurations. Read more

Montgomery, Alabama (part one).

Renée S. Gordon

Montgomery, Alabama is widely recognized as both the Cradle of the Confederacy and the Birthplace of Civil Rights. Read more.

PHLASHING Through Philly

Renée S. Gordon

Whether your latest resolution was to spend more time with your family or not, this column is for you. Philadelphia was designated the nation’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2015, placing it on par with Berlin, Mexico City, Paris and Quebec City. Read more.

Punta Gorda, Florida

Renée S. Gordon

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León is believed to be the first European to explore Florida although earlier expeditions reached the region hunting for native slaves to export to Spain. He set sail in 1513 on a search for gold and new lands, later stories tell he sought the Fountain of Youth. Read more.

Baltimore’s Ever Present Past

Renée S. Gordon

The Mid-Atlantic region is the most historic corridor in the country and consists of a series of metropolitan areas within 220-miles and accessed by I-95. The major cities, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC, each have distinctive attractions, New York’s glitz, glamour and Broadway, Philadelphia’s historic sites, art and music scene and DC’s museums, memorials and institutions. Read more.

Ghost Ranch: Past and Present

Kathleen Walls

As you drive into Ghost Ranch, you are going to be driving slowly. That's because the eye-catching beauty of the mountains surround you. You would not be human if you didn’t stop to stare at such overwhelming beauty. Read more.

Fort Hill and John C. Calhoun

by Tom Straka

There are lots of old plantations and plantation houses scattered across the South. Many are special, usually due to some sort of historical connection. Fort Hill was the antebellum plantation of John C. Calhoun, a preeminent nineteenth century southern statesman and later the home of Thomas G. Clemson, his son-in-law. Read more.

Touching on Texas and New Mexico

Kathleen Walls

The last few days on the road were a whirlwind of fun. I didn't have time to write about them—until now. It was on to Ghost Ranch and Las Cruces inNew Mexico and then to Beaumont and Port Arthur in Texas. Read more.

A Touch of New Mexico

Kathleen Walls

I'm in Santa Fe now after a fabulous pre trip to Albuquerque. Albuquerque is filled with great food and amazing museums. Our IFWTWA (International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association) Convention was very helpful to improve my career as a travel writer. Read more.

Awesome Lake Charles

Kathleen Walls

I'm in awesome Lake Charles, Louisiana now. It's such a different kind of place. It's not a descendant of the plantation South or the old West. It's a mish mash of both. It's history is influenced by the fact it was not exactly included in the area of the Louisiana Purchase as it is not land drained by the Mississippi River. Read more.

The Secret Coast

Kathleen Walls

The Secret Coast won’t stay a secret much longer. There is so much going on along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast now. The last two days was rainy but I still managed to see a lot more of the coast. It brought back many memories of the days when I lived in Bay St. Louis. Read more.

Phase one: Bay St Louis

Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

To paraphrase Willie Nelson, "I'm on the road again." But instead of making music, I'm visiting some fantastic places. Some brand new to me; some I am visiting again and enjoying the old while marveling at the new. Read more.

Small Town Tales: Short Pump and Ashland, Virginia

Renée S. Gordon

In 1607 a group of 105 people led by John Smith established a permanent Virginia colony, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, at Jamestown on land inhabited by Native Americans. A colony, also established by the Virginia Company, was to become Richmond, situated on the fall line of the James River. Read more.

Central Virginia, Appomattox and the Blue Ridge Mountains (part two)

Renée S. Gordon

More Civil War battles were staged in Virginia than any other state and many of those battles played out in and around the 34,000-sq. mile Blue Ridge Mountains’ region. The mountains are more than 1 billion years old, wind through eight states and are stunning in their majesty. Read more.

Central Virginia, Lynchburg

Renée S. Gordon

Contrary to what some might believe Lynchburg was named after John Lynch who took over the family’s James River ferry service in 1757. In 1786 45-acres of John Lynch’s land was used to found the town that was chartered 29-years later. The location of the ferry service was memorialized in 2004 with Langley Fountain spouting a 190-ft. stream of water into the air. Read more.

Cleveland, Living with Legends

Renée S. Gordon

In 1669 the French explorer de La Salle, the first European in the Ohio was met by the Iroquois Indians who migrated there in the early 1600s. The river and the state would be named the Iroquois word for “beautiful river”. The land was a bountiful native beaver hunting ground and although the Iroquois were quickly decimated and supplanted by the tribes including the Delaware and Shawnee, the French established posts to trade with the natives. Read more.

Franklin, Tennessee, Yesterday's Wine

Kathleen Walls

I wonder if Willie Nelson was thinking of Franklin, Tennessee when he wrote "We're agin' with time like yesterday's wine." Just like a good aged wine, Franklin had a unique past and today is a city that beckons travelers of all types. Read more.

Savannah, Where the Past is Ever Present

Renée Gordon

Georgia, named in honor of King George II, was the 13th of the 13 colonies and was founded in 1733. When the ship Anne landed the 120 colonists on the shore of the Savannah River, at the foot of a 45-foot bluff, founder James Oglethorpe brought with him the plans for the city with the river as the northern boundary. Read more.

DeKalb County, Georgia: The Presence of the Past

Renée S. Gordon

The history of DeKalb County has been archeologically traced back as far as the late Ice Age and Indian mounds from the Late Archaic Period have been found that predate the 1567 Spanish claim to the land by thousands of years. When Juan Pardo surveyed the region two significant Indian trade trails already existed and members of the Creek Confederacy the, “People of One Fire”, lived there. Europeans encroached on native land illegally until the 1821 Indian Springs Treaty forced natives to move and more Europeans quickly settled in large numbers. Read more

Experience Saint Lucia

by Renée S. Gordon

Saint Lucia was possibly inhabited 3,000 years ago by the Ciboney and based on archaeological research and artifacts it has been proven that “Iouanalao” island, “land of the iguanas”, was settled by the Arawaks around 2,000 years ago. They were invaded around 1,000 AD by the South American Carib Indians whose hostility extended to the first Europeans making colonization difficult. Read more.

Wilmington, Delaware’s “Chateau Country”

Renée S. Gordon

In 1800 Pierre-Samuel du Pont de Nemours and two sons left France to settle in the United States. This voyage would alter the course of American history. Pierre had been elevated to nobility because of his position with Louis XVI as an economist, secretary to the Assembly of Notables and his assistance in crafting the 1783 Treaty of Versailles that ended the American Revolution. Read more.

Wilmington’s Harriett Tubman Underground Railroad Byway

Renee S. Gordon

On Monday, September 17, 1849 Araminta “Minty” Ross set out from Poplar Neck Plantation, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, to freedom in the North. Prior to her escape she changed her name to Harriet, after her mother, and took her husband’s last name. It is undocumented exactly how long, by which route or who assisted her on her 140-mile journey to Philadelphia but it is believed that she traveled by night, following the North Star, and was aided along the way by supporters of the Underground Railroad (UGRR). Read more.

DeKalb County's Terrific Trio

Kathleen Walls

Did you know DeKalb County, Georgia has a trio of unusual and fascinating museums? I didn’t until I recently visited during Travel Media Showcase. Read more.

Maryland's National Harbor: America's Backyard

Renee S. Gordon

The first Europeans in the southern region of Maryland, today’s 10-mile long South Potomac Heritage Scenic Corridor portion, were met by the Piscataway Indians who lived there from 1300. Regional native habitation dates back 13,000 years and was the site of a thriving culture. Read more

Stone Mountain: Above it All

Kathleen Walls

Stone Mountain, a huge granite monolith towering over the landscape in DeKalb County, Georgia, is eye-candy in the highest form. Its Confederate heroes, carved in giant scale on its front, is carving is breathtaking. It's the world's largest bas-relief carving in North America on the largest granite outcropping. The figures you see are Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson and President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. Whether you agree with the character's role in life or not you have to admit it is eye catching. Read more.

Savannah for the Broke and Cheap

Kathleen Walls

If you've been putting off visiting Savannah because you think it’s expensive, think again. It can be costly especially parking but there are many free attractions well worth a visit. I just visited and had a wonderful time. There is so much to do there I will be writing about Savannah for months at least but for now, I'll give you the skinny on doing Savannah almost free. Read more.

North Carolina Transportation Museum
Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Some Boats

Tom and Pat Straka

This is one of the gems which is hidden right off a major interstate. It’s for transportation buffs, especially railroad buffs. In the late nineteenth century, J.P. Morgan, owner of what was once the Southern Railway Company, located its largest steam locomotive servicing facility halfway between the railroad’s major terminal points of Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. Read more.

Henry County, GA from Reel to Real (Part Two)

Renée S. Gordon

Hampton, located 26-miles south of Atlanta, has a population of less than 10,000 but receives thousands of visitors annually drawn by the city’s unique sites and attractions. Seven years ago Hampton was deemed a “Playful City,” one of under 220 in the country. Read more.

Reel to Real in Henry County, GA (part one)

Henry County, Georgia, comprised of four major communities, Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough, and Stockbridge, is situated 20-miles from downtown Atlanta. It was named in honor of Patrick Henry upon its creation in 1821 on land obtained through a treaty with the Creek Indians. Read more.

Cross Hazzard County with Mayberry and you get Leiper's Fork

by Kathleen Walls

Leiper's Fork, Tennessee is one of the prettiest little towns you can find. It's no coincidence that as you drive into town, a bright orange car and a police cruiser catch your eye. It's the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard and Barney Fife's cruiser from the Andy Griffin Show. Leiper's Fork, just off the Natchez Trace, is very reminiscent of Mayberry or Hazzard County. However I never spotted a nefarious Boss Hogg type there. Read more

Westville: The 1800s Return

Kathleen Walls

Long awaited Westville, a living history recreation of a typical Georgia town in the 1800s is now alive and in full swing again in Columbus, Georgia. Its authentic homes and building have been moved from around the state. It had begun in Lumpkin and was closed down for a good while to complete the move. I visited there this month and was transported back to the old days. Read more.

McLemore House: A Step on Freedom's Ladder

Kathleen Walls

Franklin, Tennessee has a lot of stories to tell. Alma McLemore sat with me on the porch swing of McLemore House and told me some of that story. Alma's Porch Talks are famous around Franklin for telling about the town's African American history. Read more

Heart and Seoul in Gwinnett County

Eleanor Hendricks McDaniel

Gwinnett County is the most diverse county in Georgia. So much so that it voted for Stacy Abrams for governor. Only 30 miles from downtown Atlanta, it brings its own eclectic mix of international culture and cuisine, arts, music and more. Read more.

Westville: Something Old--Something New

Kathleen Walls

It's fun when something old gets refurbished to live again. But when that something gets a second rebirth it is really something unusual. This is happening now with Historic Westville. You say you've never heard of Westville? You will soon. It's quite a story. Read more.

The Real Cassadaga

Kathleen Walls

Cassadage Spiritualist Camp is one of the most unique places in Florida. It is possibly the most misunderstood as well. So many people view mediums as charlatans at carnivals. Here you learn a completely different version. Read more

Oxford, MS Octet

Renee S. Gordon

Oxford, Mississippi, located in northern MS and the heart of the South, has a long and storied history that begins with the three great tribes, the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez, that inhabited the region prior to European arrival in 1541. The land was meagerly populated until the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 and in 1798 Congress delineated the Mississippi Territory. The Chickasaw Indian Cession Treaty relocated the tribes in 1836 adding 6,283,804-acres to the territory, including what is now Oxford. Read more

Spring into Saint Augustine

Kathleen Walls

There’s a reason why USA Today counted St. Augustine among the top 10 travel destination in America last year and it was one of only three Florida cities included in TripAdvisor’s Top U.S. 25 Destinations in 2015. If you haven’t visited in a decade and remember a sleepy little town, you won’t recognize this new Oldest City. Read more

A Family Adventure in Cascais and Sintra, Portugal

Renée S. Gordon

Portugal is the primary destination for international visitors wishing to explore Europe. The country offers something for all ages from history, shopping and culinary adventures to beaches, hiking and panoramic views from castle walls. Portugal is a great value for the money, is the 4^th safest country in the world and English is widely spoken, all things that make it ideal for families. Read more

Charming Charleston

Renee S. Gordon

Travel + Leisure magazine, for the 6th year in a row, designated Charleston, SC the number one city in the US as well as the 10th best city worldwide. The city is a traveler’s dream with a complete range of dining experiences, entertainment venues, superior architecture, historic sites and blended cultures. The city was thriving years prior to the founding of the country and as one of the 13 original colonies the area has participated in every one of the nation’s pivotal historic events. Read more

Along the Hammock Coast:
St. Helena Island to Charlston, SC

By Renee S. Gordon

The majority of South Carolina’s 16 barrier Islands were formed during the Ice Age along with nearly 200-miles of Atlantic Ocean shoreline. The Hammock Coast (HC), ...Read more

Fort Caroline: Where Jacksonville Began

Kathleen Walls

Bountiful Beauford, SC

Renee S. Gordon

Revolutionary War Field Days
at Historic Camden

By Tom Straka

By 1778 the American Revolutionary War had stalemated, with the French joining the war to aid the Americans. With the northern campaign at an impasse, the British had decided on a southern strategy of focusing their efforts on the colonies of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Read more

Montréal Tech Trek

Renée S. Gordon

Jacques Cartier reached the island at the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers in October 1535 and became the first European to explore the area. A fortified indigenous village, Hochelaga, preexisted on the island and was described as having about 1,500 residents and 50 longhouses. The natives accompanied Cartier the crest of a small mountain on the island he named Mont Royal and from which Montréal gets its name. Read more.

Moorish Influences in Lisbon, Portugal

Renée S. Gordon

Portugal is the westernmost country in Europe and, along with Spain, makes up the Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west, with 500-miles of ocean coastline and is the approximate size of Maine. The country’s geography shaped its more than 800-year history and culture and continues to affect tourism.
Read more

A Portuguese Odyssey:
Óbidos, Alcobaça, Batalha, Nazaré and Fatima

Renée S. Gordon

Lisbon is so filled with activities, fine cuisine and wines that it is difficult for visitors to tear themselves away from the city but I assure you there are wonders throughout the country. Some of Portugal’s most historic sites and monuments, as well as unique experiences, are to be found within a day’s drive of Lisbon and the small cities and quaint villages provide glimpses into the heart of the country. You can opt to rent a vehicle or book a Gray Line tour to one or more of these destinations. Read more

Washington DC, America's Pulse

Renee S. Gordon

President George Washington surveyed and chose a location on the Potomac River to become the permanent site of the nation's capital and the 1790 Residence Act made his dream a reality. He commissioned Pierre L'Enfant to design the city. L'Enfant tired for one-year then he abandoned the project taking his plans with him. Benjamin Banneker, a free African American, recreated those plans from memory so that the work could continue. Read more

Asbury Park, New Jersey Rocks On!

Renee S. Gordon

The thing about Icons is that we somehow expect them to be arrested in time and evoke our feelings In the same way forever. They do not disappoint and they certainly do not succumb to the lure of changing times. This can prove daunting for artists, structures and, most of all, cities. Asbury Park, New Jersey has managed to strike the perfect balance between memory and modernization, retro and revitalization and is a wonderful destination for families, group or solo getaways, beach lovers and music aficionados.Read more

Turpentining in Georgia

Story by Tom Straka
Photos by Pat Straka

My spell checker tells me I have two suspicious words in the title. It has not heard of turpentining or a catface. Many of the readers can probably figure out what the former means, but I bet they don’t know what the latter is. There are lots of festivals across the country which provide a travel adventure immersed in local history and folk culture. The CatfaceTurpentine Festival held annually in early October in Portal, Georgia is one of those. Read more

Fort Ligioner

by Kathleen Walls 11-29-2018

Long before United States was born, there was a world war. It started in the American colonies and spread across Europe. There it was called the Seven Years' War.Read more

California Coast Town and Gown College Tour

by Renee S. Gordon 11-29-2018

While academic programming may be considered the most important factor in selecting a college, also essential to success are both the campus and local culture. College tours are an excellent way to experience a slice...Read more

Saxonburg:
Best Pennsylvania Town You Never Heard of

by Kathleen Walls 11-29-2018

Saxonburg, Pennsylvania is a beautiful example of what one immigrant can do for this country. John Roebling and his brother, Carl, came here in 1832 to escape totalitarian conditions in Germany.
.read more

Hampton Four Centuries on the Bay

By Renee S. Gordon 11-29-2018

At the end of August in 1619 the White Lionlanded at Old Point Comfort, in what is now Hampton, Virginia, and exchanged “20 and odd negroes” for food and supplies. These Angolan ... Read more

Western New York's Famed Corrider:
Buffalo to Niagara

By Renee S. Gordon 11-29-2018

The Buffalo-Niagara Corridor in Western New York has the distinction of having always been both a permanent sanctuary and a reliable embarkation point. Geography, accessibility to the Falls and ... Read more

The Natural Bridge of Virginia

By Thomas Straka 9-1-2018

One of the best attractions along Interstate 81 is the Natural Bridge of Virginia. Early in the nation’s history, Hudson River School artists painted the landscapes of America’s most iconic natural scenes. These are the large landscapes that hang in the U.S. and state capitols. The Natural Bridge, Virginia, painted by Frederic Edwin Church, is one of them. That landscape is little-changed from 1852 when he painted it... Read more

America's Oldest Unsolved Mystery

By Kathleen Walls 9-1-2018

American's oldest mystery has never been solved.The story began with the settlement of Roanoke in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The prelude was the earlier all-male expeditions. The first led by Arthur Barlowe and Philip Amadas, in 1584 was more of an exploratory one. Read more

Enchanted Mountains of New York

By Renee S. Gordon and Kathleen Walls 9-1-2018

Cattaraugus County New York is known as the Enchanted Mountains for good reason. It may be a lesser known destination but there is so much to see and do among those picturesque mountains you will be enchanted.Read More

Louisiana's Plantation Country River Road

by Renee S. Gordon 9-1-2018

No experience has so impacted the United States as profoundly and lastingly as the years of black enslavement from 1619 to the end of the Civil War. “The peculiar institution” remains a defining characteristic of who we were, are and will become as a nation. How do we align the events of the past with the view of ourselves that we are a country founded on the principles of liberty for all and malice toward none? Read more

Auburn: A Sanctuary City

by Renee S. Gordon 9-1-2018

In 1793 when Revolutionary War veteran Colonel John Hardenbergh, the first documented white settler in the Finger Lakes area, arrived in the Auburn, NY region it was home of the Haudenosaunee and was called “Ahskuby.” Read more

Charming Charleston

Renee S. Gordon

Along the Hammock Coast:
St. Helena Island to Charlston, SC

By Renee S. Gordon

The majority of South Carolina’s 16 barrier Islands were formed during the Ice Age along with nearly 200-miles of Atlantic Ocean shoreline. The Hammock Coast (HC), the region from Myrtle Beach to Charleston, includes the Gullah culture, quiet beaches, historic sites, fine dining and exquisite regional cuisine. From Beaufort you can set out on the 170-mile drive north into the state’s 493-year biography. Read more

Fort Caroline: Where Jacksonville Began

Kathleen Walls

Jacksonville is fast making a mark on the tourism market. People come to see the art museums, like Cummer and Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). They visit TIAA Bank Field to see the Jaguars play football. They ride the River Taxi from The Landing for a Sunset Cruise or over to see The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) but they often miss the original Jacksonville. Read More

Bountiful Beauford, SC

Renee S. Gordon

Beaufort, established in 1711, is the second oldest city in South Carolina and predates the founding of the US by sixty-five years. It is situated in the Lowcountry on Port Royal Island along the Atlantic shore. By virtue of its age and location it has been a participant and a witness to the events that shaped our country. To interpret those stories it offers seventy sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the largest Gullah community, an unparalleled number of architectural treasures. Read more

Revolutionary War Field Days
at Historic Camden

By Tom Straka

Renée S. Gordon

A Letter's Legacy

Kathleen Walls

Letter from the Birmingham Jail is one of the most notable documents from the Civil Rights movement. On a recent press trip to Birmingham I got to visit and appreciate these places in a whole new light. It's one thing to read about a place or see it on TV. It's an entire different matter when you walk in the footsteps of these folks. Read more

Stories from OregonTrail

Anne Jenkins

Stories from the Oregon Trail enthrall, terrify or impress with their perserverance and strong sense of hope. People from all walks of life packed up their belongings, loaded wagons and walked thousands of miles over months in search of a better life. Read more

Road Tripping Georgia's I-75 Corridor

Kathleen Walls

A road trip down Georgia’s I-75 from Tennessee to Florida offers lots of fun stops along the way. Navigating I-75 through Georgia can be a nightmare. Or it can be fun. The difference is in finding good food and interesting attractions with convenient stops en-route. Turpentining in Georgia

Turpintining in Georgia

Story by Tom Straka
Photos by Pat Straka

Cajun Food: A Way of Life in Lafayette

by Kathleen Walls

Food is an intricate part of Cajun culture. Café Vermillionville, (circa 1835) was built as an inn for salesmen in Lafayette then named Vermillionville. During a Union occupation during the Civil war supposedly a Cajun shot a Union soldier for making advances at the man's wife. Rumors claim the old build is still haunted by the soldier as well a young female ghost. Read more

Fort Ligonier

by Kathleen Walls

Long before United States was born, there was a world war. It started in the American colonies and spread across Europe. There it was called the Seven Years' War. We called it the French and Indian War. It's not mentioned much today in discussions about history but it launched the career of a man whose name everyone recognizes, George Washington.
Read more

California Coast Town and Gown College Tour

by Renee S. Gordon

While academic programming may be considered the most important factor in selecting a college, also essential to success are both the campus and local culture. Read more

Saxonburg:
Best Pennsylvania Town You Never Heard of

by Kathleen Walls

Saxonburg, Pennsylvania is a beautiful example of what one immigrant can do for this country. John Roebling and his brother, Carl, came here in 1832 to escape totalitarian conditions in Germany.They founded the town of Saxonburg .. .read more

From Slavery to Freedom

By Kathleen Walls

Pittsburgh has so much history related to the Underground Railroad. Senator John Heinz History Center has an exhibit, From Slavery to Freedom, that tells the story well. They use the term “freedom seekers” or “runaway” instead of fugitive slaves. The exhibit begins with the slave trade. The image used in my header is the first one you see as you enter.. read more

History Lives at First Colony Inn

By Kathleen Walls

First Colony Inn is the perfect place to immerse yourself in Outer Banks history while enjoying all the modern conveniences. Lost Colony Inn is not luxurious but it is comfortable and so welcoming. From the minute you step in and register you feel like you are home.

The Natural Bridge of Virginia

By Thomas Straka

America's Oldest Unsolved Mystery

By Kathleen Walls

American's oldest mystery has never been solved.The story began with the settlement of Roanoke in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The prelude was the earlier all-male expeditions. R ead more

Enchanted Mountains of New York

By Renee S. Gordon and Kathleen Walls

North Carolina's Newest Treasure: Carvers Creek State Park

By Kathleen Walls

It's always exciting to watch a new state park develop. North Carolina's newest is Carvers Creek State Park. It was authorized in 2005 and opened the first stage in September 2013. Park Superintend Jane Connolly, told us about the park's background. In the mid 1700s Scottish immigrants began moving into the area. Read more

Louisiana's Plantation Country River Roads

by Renee S. Gordon

Delaware's Quaint Cities of Kent County

by Renee S. Gordon

Delaware really is the most amazing state. It was the first of the original colonies to join the Union and is the second smallest state, a tiny jewel filled with history, mystery, quirky sites and a plethora of outdoor activities. The state consists of three counties. Read more

Auburn: A Sanctuary City

by Renee S. Gordon

In 1793 when Revolutionary War veteran Colonel John Hardenbergh, the first documented white settler in the Finger Lakes area, arrived in the Auburn, NY region it was home of the Haudenosaunee and was called “Ahskuby.” Read more

Mother Earth's Powerhouse: Niagara Falls

by Kathleen Walls

There is nothing more beautiful than Mother Nature's most powerful places. Niagara Falls is one of those special places. I just returned from a visit there and was literally blown away. At the top of Cave of the Winds as I stood on Hurricane Deck I felt as if I was experiencing the most powerful storm.Read more

Wildwood Sanitarium: Do You Want to Spend The Night?

By Kathleen Walls

Today the stately stone building in Salamanca, New York looks deserted and run down but just looking you feel that there is a strange history. You would be right. Read more

St. Simons: A Georgia Barrier Island Bursting With Charm

by Christine Tibbets

Barrier islands distinguish Georgia’s coast.Their geography’s interesting to know, and to see up close. What’s happening on the one named St. Simons Island is robust, ever changing while holding on to historic charms. The tides here are distinctive; consider them metaphor for beachfront lodging, expansive culinary, bustling downtown and personal ways to delve into the history. Read more

Fayetteville Can Bragg

by Kathleen Walls

When it comes to the telling American war history, Fayetterville, North Carolina has bragging rights. Fort Bragg's 82d Airborne Division War Memorial Museum commemorates the sacrifices made by the 82 nd Airborne and Special Operation Troops in wars from WWII and ongoing today. There are even more veterans honored in the NC Veterans Park. Read more

Oregon Trail

by Anne Jenkins

Stories from the Oregon Trail enthrall, terrify or impress with their perserverance and strong sense of hope. People from all walks of life packed up their belongings, loaded wagons and walked thousands of miles over months in search of a better life. A great place to get an inkling of what it all entailed is at the National Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on the outskirts of Baker City in Easter Oregon. Read more

Visiting Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station

by Kathleen Walls

Before the days of the Coast Guard guarding our shores to prevent shipwreck deaths, another facility was hard at work. Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station fought to prevent drowning death in the Outer Banks since 1874. Their museum is one of the most complete U.S. Lifesaving Stations left in the country. The present station was constructed in 1911. It's located on Rodanthe. The name means shifting or sinking sand and considering its beach location that is so appropriate.Read More

Sleeping with Civil War History

By Eleanor Hendricks McDaniel

History buffs and those interested in America’s Civil War must travel to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the site of the most unforgettable and important military conflict of the war and President Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech, “The Gettysburg Address.” Gettysburg National Military Park is mentioned in the book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die in the USA and Canada. Read More

Living History at Conner Prairie

By Tom Straka
Photographs by Pat Straka

Conner Prairie calls itself an interactive history park. I'd use the term living history museum. It is located just northeast of Indianapolis, is one of the largest attractions in the region, and one of the most-visited outdoor museums in the country.
Read more.

Hewn Timber Cabins Tell Florence History

By Kathleen Walls

Much has been told about the way enslaved people worked and interacted with the white owners in the old South. Little is known about their personal lives when their work was done and they went home. Did you ever wonder what was it like to live in a slave cabin in the 1830s and 40s? Read more

American's Colonial History at Historic Camden

By Kathleen Walls

Camden is South Carolina’s oldest inland town. It witnessed many of the events leading to the birth of our country. The old town played host to Revolutionary notables including Nathanial Greene, Horatio Gates, Casmir Pulaski, Francis Marion, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Light-Horse Harry Lee, Thomas Sumter, Marquis de Lafayette, Andrew Jackson, Johann de Kalb, and George Washington. It was an involuntary host to Lord Cornwallis and his British troops. Read more

Sojourn in Saint Augustine

by Jim DeLillo

Whether young lovers or just young at heart, romance can undoubtedly be found at the dreamy Casa de Suenos in Florida’s historic city of St. Augustine. The first impression of this cozy bed and breakfast is one of a sheltered haven from the hustle and bustle of larger towns, lodgings, and the interstate left far behind. From wherever you may have come, the pastel yellow stucco welcomes you in the warmth that is echoed within by its soft colonial decor. Read more

Georgia's Footsteps of MLK

by Renee S. Gordon

April 4, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. The single shot did not erase the legacy of the dreamer or the end of the dream. Although he traveled worldwide Georgia was his home and Georgia has embraced him as its most honored native son. Visitors can trace his physical life from birth to burial, his philosophical and ideological stances Read more

Always Unique Clearwater, Florida

By Renee S. Gordon

In 1528 Spanish explorer Panfilo de Narvaez came to Pinellas peninsula and probably stepped ashore in Clear Water harbor, named for the now nonexistent springs, in the bay. He encount-ered Tocobaga Indians who inhabited the area for thousands of years, a maritime culture whose villages lined the shore. By the early 1700s the tribe was virtually wiped out by European diseases and Spanish brutality. Narvaez was accompanied by black explorers including Estevanico. Read more.

Mississippi Blues Trail Highway 61 Redux

by Renee S. Gordon

The history of the Delta, the triangular floodplain that lies between the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers, has long been noted as some of America's most fertile land and it was home to Native Americans for more than 1300-years before Columbus. The French, the first European settlers, began importing slaves from Africa in 1720. They attempted to grow various crops but by the end of the 1700s cotton...Read more

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela's 2018 Centenary Celebration:

Renee S. Gordon

Nelson Mandela, widely referred to by a tribal honorific, Madiba, would have been 100 years old this year. South Africa, and the world, has taken this opportunity to commemorate his life and legacy Read more.

Pews and Pulpits Ramble

by Christine Tibbets

Some hold Sunday services. Some only special events now and then.
But several dozen historic southern churches share their stories of resilience in personal, up-close ways on lively tours called the Pews and Pulpits Ramble. Happens twice a year. Read more.

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