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Sometimes it's difficult to physically visit fun places so how about taking a
virtual tour. Then when you can travel there, this tour will so
show you all the best places.You can do that now. Here's some fun and informative tours at Tours4Mobile.
Read more
Kathleen Walls
Published 5-28-2023
There
is no question. San Antonio is the heart of Texas and the
heart of San Antonio lies the middle of its 21st century
downtown. There one piece of 18th century architecture reigns
supreme. It is not the tallest or the largest. Not even the
grandest, but it is unquestionably San Antonio's crowning
jewel. The Alamo! No other symbol in American history is more
revered as a shrine to heroism in the cause of freedom. In
actual fact, the story is a little different. A group of
American who had been invited to settle in Mexico's then
owned territory, actually snatched Texas away from Mexico and
created a separate county, the Republic of Texas.
They declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. The
Republic of Texas was not recognized by the United States
until a year later in 1837.
Kathleen Walls
Published 5-13-2023
Until
1941, Onslow County was a quiet fishing village that depended
on naval stores, lumber, and tobacco crops as its main source
of income. Then in 1941, Onslow County and the world changed.
Marine Barracks Camp Lejeune located in Jacksonville,
Onslow’s main city. Today, tourism plays a major role in the
area. It has many unique attractions you won’t find anywhere
else.
Kathleen Walls
Published 5-4-2023
In
Huntsville, you can foresee the future at the Space and
Rocket Center. You can tour the museum’s artifacts from
Apollo and Challenger to present day and experience a
simulated space voyage aboard the Discovery Shuttle where you
“launch” from Kennedy Space Center, go into orbit, and
landing back at Kennedy.
Kathleen Walls
Published 4-7-2023
Here’s a secret about Florida. It’s not
all theme parks and crowds You can visit St Lucie County for
some natural resources and have a blast minus the crowds. I
recently took a nature press trip and want to share the beauty
of the Treasure Coast with you.
(Photo credit Ischell Laxton)
Tom Straka
Published 4-4-2023
Ashville, North Carolina is a fun city to
visit, with lots of hidden gems. Among them is the
Western North Carolina Nature
Center, one of North Carolina’s accredited zoos, but much
more than that. It is both plants and animals, intended to
connect people with an appreciation of the of the Southern
Appalachian native wildlife and habitats. The
WNC Nature Center is a menagerie of over 60 species of wild
and domestic animals, set in a landscape including hundreds of
native plant species, all characteristic of the unique Southern
Appalachian bioregion.
Kathleen Walls
Published 3-28-2023
Alachua
County, Florida has a museum for every interest. As a college
town, you expect this in Gainesville, but there are other
towns around the county worth a visit. Here are some I have
visited and enjoyed. I’ll start with Gainesville.
Kathleen Walls
Published 3-4-2023
Dudley Farm Historical State Park is an authentic 325-acre
working “Cracker” farm on the western outskirts of Gainesville.
A visit there gives you an accurate picture of North Florida
farming through the eyes of three generations of the Dudley
family. The farm began in the pioneer days of the 1850s when
Phillip B.H. Dudley and his wife, Mary, began the farm. After
Phillip’s death, the farm passed it on to his son, Ben, and his
wife, Fanny.
Kathleen Walls
Published 3-1-2023
When Zeddy Clarence Herlong came to
Micanopy with his wife, Natalie, in the early 1900s and settled
into the house along an Indian trading route, now known as
Cholokka Boulevard, he never imagined it would one day be a
famous bed-and-breakfast. The two-story pine “cracker style”
home, built in 1845 by R. S. Stoughton, and then owned by
Herlong’s father-in-law, John Simonton, is now
The Herlong Mansion and
listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Kathleen Walls
Published 1-30-2023
There
has been a lot in the news lately about the homeless. Yes,
that’s a sad situation, but at least people can try to get
help. What about animals who cannot ask for help or go apply
for a job?
Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jacksonville,
Florida helps those homeless. Animals that have been abandoned,
confiscated by law enforcement due to abuse, or just cats that
are unwanted at bigger zoos can find a “forever home” here.
Kathleen Walls
Published 2-25-2023
If
you’re visiting Jacksonville and want an adult beverage at a
fun location, visit the taproom at Manifest
Distilling. They’re located in the heart of the sports
district and since Jacksonville worships the Jaguars that is a
good place to be. It began in 2016 as a dream of David Cohen, a
graduate of the brew school at the Siebel Institute. He brought
in Scott Kennelly, Trey Mills, and Tom Johnson at first. Today
it has grown to 11 staff people and one territorial cat.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 1-25-2023
The
whereabouts of Jesse James may have been mysterious in the
latter part of the 1880s but scholars have successfully
traced his movements from birth through his burials and
exhumations. Across the country, from Texas to West Virginia,
there are explorable sites and markers that refer to his
domestic and his criminal lives. He joined the Civil War
guerrillas in 1864 and Post-Civil War he and his brother
Frank formed an alliance with the four Younger Brothers and
became the James-Younger Gang to continue the fight. James is
estimated to have participated in approximately twenty armed
robberies.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 1-15-2023
The
consolidation and incorporation of eight small towns in
Wyandotte County in 1872 led to the creation of Kansas City
eleven years after Kansas gained statehood. A biography of
the state, both prior to statehood and into the 21st-century,
is a microcosm of the history of the United States’ westward
expansion and the colorful characters who impacted on those
events. Until entry into the Union the region was recognized
as the Nebraska and the Indian Territories until 1854 and as
such settlers, outlaws, lawmen, natives and African Americans
entered the area. Kansas City, KS is listed as one of
fifty-five National Heritage Areas based on its historical
sites, culture and significant geography
Kathleen Walls
published 1-7-2023
I saw Patsy Cline last night. Well, she
looked like Patsy Cline. She talked like Patsy Cline. And boy,
did she sing like Patsy Cline! Actually, it was
Gail Bliss
performing in
the fantastic
A
Closer Walk with Patsy Cline at Jacksonville’s
Alhambra Theatre and
Dining.
Kathleen Walls
Published 12-8-2022
Starr Hill Winery is more than a winery and vineyard. It’s
almost a one-stop-for-all place. The vineyard sits atop a hill
in Curwensville in the Pennsylvania Wilds. We visited recently
on a press trip and met with Kenn Starr who told us a little
about Starr Hill Winery. It began with his father’s dream. He
started making wine in the ‘50s when he returned from Germany
where he had been stationed in the Air Force. He saw how they
made wine over in Germany and started making wine in 1967. Kenn
told us, “We have the original bottles here at the winery.”
Kathleen Walls
Published 11-16-2022
Anna Maria Island’s history goes way back.
The first record of European explorers here dated to the 1530s.
They claimed Anna Maria for Spain. Of course, they weren’t the
first people here. The Tocobagans, Calusa’s and other native
tribes using the island as a base for fishing and hunting.
Kathleen Walls
Published 11-15-2022
A
stay at
Trinkle Mansion Bed &
Breakfast in
Wytheville, Virginia is a way to experience traveling like the
elite in the Victorian era. Those days, wealthy people stayed
at the homes of friends and family many times when traveling.
That’s how it feels when staying at Trinkle Mansion. It is a
Classical Revival home built for William Trinkle, a gentleman
farmer and brother of a Virginia governor, Elbert Lee
Trinkle. Trinkle served as governor from 1922 to 1926 after
serving in the Virginia Senate. That may give you a hint of
what it would be like staying in William Trinkle’s home.
Kathleen Walls
Published 11-14-2022
I always love to know all the little secret stories about a
place I visit. On a recent visit to Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania, I got the entire condensed history of the area at
the Isett Heritage Museum. I’m using condensed loosely as the
museum is huge. There are three large buildings plus some
outside artifacts all telling the local history. J. Melvin
Isett and his wife, Beulah, began the museum after many years
of collecting and a variety of service-related businesses in
Huntingdon County. In 2001, shortly after Mr. Isett retired, he
opened his collection to the public in a 1940 renovated barn on
the property. In 2004 the museum expanded adding a ten thousand
square foot building, and once again in 2008, added another ten
thousand square foot building. The three buildings house a
collection of over forty thousand items.
Kathleen Walls
Published 11-1-2022
Bilger’s Rocks have been there since
before the
America continents split from Africa. It’s about 300-million
years old, give or take a few birthdays. Paleo-Indians used
some of its caves for shelter. The first European settler was a
German named Jacob Bilger in the 1800s. Today, it’s a park with
not only the rocks but a primitive camping area and playground
and the ruins of an old mill on Bilger’s Creek which runs
through the park. There are hiking trails and beautiful woods.
Article by Kathleen Walls
Photos by Martin and Kathleen Walls
Updated 10-28-2022
Nestled
in the northwest corner of the great Smoky Mountains National
Park, is a tiny treasure trove of Americana. Here, the
heritage carved by the early settlers of this pastoral valley
is preserved. Rustic log cabins still echo with the soft
whispers of Elizabethan English. The mills and barns recall a
time when man and nature were bound in an ongoing ritual.
Their houses of worship still ring with the strains of joyous
hymns from the past. On this eleven mile loop road you cover
a span of a century in the lives of Cades Cove residents but
the historic buildings are only a part of the Cades Cove
experience.
Kathleen Walls
Published 10-14-2022
Kitsap Peninsula is just minutes away from
Seattle, but it’s another world. A place of diversity, both
physically and culturally. It’s home to Native American Tribes,
has one town with a Viking heritage, and is a diners and
watersports lover’s heaven, with a lot of history.
Story by Tom Straka
Photographs by Pat Straka
Published 10-8-2022
Why
a tree to lead this article? To start with, it is a tulip
poplar, located at Poplar Forest. It is a very old tree,
believed to be over 200 years old. Popular Forest was a
Virginia tobacco plantation which included a plantation
house, also known as Poplar Forest. Work began on the
mansion, which is still there, in 1806. The tree is thought
to predate the construction of the mansion. The person who
owned Poplar Forest and built the mansion was an interesting
fellow.
Kathleen Walls
Published 10-8-2022
As a long-term travel writer, I have
stayed in all kinds of hotels over the years. Most good. Some
not so good. Sometimes it's a wonderful experience and
occasionally, it's like a horror movie setting. There are some
little things that a hotel can do to make the stay a pleasant
one. These are the top loves and hates I have at hotels. Hotel
managers, this one is for you.
Story by Tom Straka
Photographs by Pat Straka
Published 9-29-2022
Most readers will surely recognize the
person and home in the title photograph. Thomas Jefferson
standing in front of one of America’s most famous homes. The
home in the photograph,
Monticello, is real
and Thomas Jefferson is interpreter
Bill Barker. "Jefferson" spoke to us near the front of
Monticello, in a small group of about a dozen, first giving us
background, then allowing the group to ask questions. The
presentation was at the end of a full tour of Monticello. The
tour, the subject of this article, was outstanding and
"Jefferson" was a fantastic way to end the tour. We expected
the home to be the highlight of the day; instead, it was
Jefferson, "himself" who was the true highlight. Think about
it, spending time in small museum, then a full tour of the
house, and ending with a conversation with "the man himself."
Kathleen Walls
Published 9-1-2022
Patee
House Museum in St. Joseph is like entering a time machine of
Missouri history. I stood at the counter of the first Pony
Express station and felt like I was back in 1860. Patee House
was the Pony Express Headquarters when it began. Pony Express
is the first thing that comes to mind when most people think
of St. Joseph, but Patee House began several years earlier.
Kathleen Walls
Published 8-30-2022
Noah's
Ark is a sanctuary in Locust grove, Georgia for abused,
abandoned, neglected, or surrendered animals ranging from
domestic livestock to exotic animals such as tigers, monkeys,
wolves, primates, and bears. tours are free but you can
opt for a more close up paid tour. Volunteers, Patty and Mark,
took our group on a Walk on the Wild Side tour. It’s 1.5-hour
walking tour bringing us inside the first set of fences so we
could get a closer look at some of their more than 1,500
animals.
Kathleen Walls
Published 8-27-022
"Help
wanted. Young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over eighteen. Must
be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans
preferred. Wages $25 per week.” Would you answer this ad?
During the 18 months the Pony Express was in operation, over
230 young men applied and were accepted. Some died in
performance of their duties. Others went on to different
careers after the Pony Express ended.
Kathleen Walls
Published 8-16-2022
Little Red Riding Hood lied. She caused
generations to see wolves as evil creatures, intent on eating
people. I recently visited
Seacrest Wolf Preserve located in
Chipley, Florida. Cynthia and Wayne Watkins founded it in 1999
as a sanctuary for displaced captive wolves. Seacrest is one of
the few preserves in the country that allow up close encounters
with wolves.
Kathleen Walls
Published 8-8-2022
There
are many reasons to visit Virginia Beach. Aside from the
delightful weather most of the year, there are lots of
attractions and some delicious restaurants.
Tom Straka
Published 6-25-2022
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has lots of fascinating towns and
museums to visit. Many of the museums are related to the
region’s pioneering industries: copper, iron, and timber. The
Upper Peninsula once had huge iron resources and over two-dozen
iron blast furnaces, and many of the museums and historical
attractions deal with the iron mining and smelting industries.
The fuel for nearly all of the iron smelting furnaces was
charcoal, and if you look hard you can even see some charcoal
kilns that still remain to celebrate the iron industry history.
Marquette was center of the iron activity and if you enter town
from the east, you’ll see a huge, reconstructed charcoal kiln
to welcome you to the city.
Kathleen Walls
Published 6-11-2022
I've
been doing a lot of road trips lately and have discovered some
of the best dining in the South. Here are a few must-dine
places.
Kathleen Walls
Published 5-29-2022
Just
back from a press trip to Henry County, Georgia, where I had
the privilege of meeting many of the veterans who gave some.
For Memorial Day, we honor those who gave all. Henry County
recognizes both. Here's a little about those who gave some and
those who gave all.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 5-29-2022
Archaeological evidence exists attesting to the fact that
Native Americans inhabited the Oklahoma region as early as 500
AD. The state’s documented history begins with the Spanish
explorations of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541, followed
in 1682 by Robert de la Salle who claimed the land for France.
Kathleen Walls
Published 5-19-2022
Williamsburg
is one of those magic places where history is ever present.
Williamsburg was founded between 1630 and 1633 when some
Jamestown settlers moved there. Jamestown's capital building
burned twice, the second time In 1698. The locals in Jamestown
were tired of the unhealthy climagte and decided to
permanently move the capital Williamsburg. The once small
community grew and prospered until a later governor, Thomas
Jefferson, moved the capital to Richmond. Williamsburg retuned
to its early small village status.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 5-18-2022
Harriet
Tubman was born 200-years ago in Maryland and embarked on an
extraordinary journey that continues to resonate throughout US
history. Her story serves as an example of courage and
perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. She
employed her uncanny ability to conquer any situation
functioning as an Underground Railroad conductor,
abolitionist, lecturer, suffragist field nurse, Union spy and
scout, and in 1863, leader of a Union raid resulting in the
destruction of Confederate supplies and the liberation of
hundreds of the
enslaved.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 4-10-2022
There
have been no American military engagements in which African
Americans have not participated at some level. In the 1600s
British colonies blacks were used to defend against Indian
attacks. Massachusetts’ 1636 law was one of the earliest
documented laws to state that “all able-bodied Negroes” had to
report to serve in the militia. Enslaved and freedmen were
among the 9,000 African Americans serving in the Continental
Army as Patriots, largely in integrated units. During the War
of 1812 it is estimated that 15% of the soldiers and sailors
were of African descent and General Andrew Jackson called for
“free colored inhabitants of Louisiana” to enlist in the US
Army on Sept. 21, 1814 with the promise of equal pay. The
Civil War witnessed Union enlistment of approximately 200,000
African Americans, an estimated 100,000 once enslaved,
resulting in a death toll of nearly 40,000.
Renee S. Gordon
Published 3-30-2022
Native Americans settled along the shores of Sabine Lake in
what was to become East Texas more than 1,500-years ago. In
1528 Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca and three of his men,
including Estevanico an African, became the first Europeans to
travel into the interior of Texas. They were followed, nearly
200-years later, by transient Spanish, French and Englishmen.
In the 17th-century the lake became a draw for traders of legal
and illegal goods, settlers and pirates like Jean Laffite.
Kathleen Walls
Published 3-29-2022
Gulf Shores Zoo became a household word as "The Little Zoo That
Could" when a prime-time documentary told how the zoo's saved
its animals in 2004 before Hurricane Ivan struck Gulf Shores.
It all began in 1989 when Joey Ward built a small, community
zoo on his family's land just a mile from the beach. He named
it Zooland Animal Park. By 2000 it had grown and was renamed
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
Kathleen Walls
published 3-34-3033
Shelby in Cleveland
County is just 45 minutes west of Charlotte but a completely
different world. Creativity reigns here. Two music legends were
born in Cleveland County, Earl Scruggs and Don Gibson. Art is
all over Cleveland County. Museums are unique. Shopping and
dining is laid back and individually owned not chains.
Renee S. Gordon
published 3-20-2022
Native Americans, namely the Chesepians, inhabited the South
Hampton Roads region of Virginia for thousands of years prior
to first contact with English colonists on April 26, 1607.
Three British Ships sent by the Virginia Company, sailed for 4
months, landed on Cape Henry and erected a wooden cross on the
spot where they came ashore. Captain Christopher Newport, the
first English tourist, was first to go ashore to reconnoiter
and found “freshwaters, faire meadowes," and “goodly tall
trees”. A second party built a small boat and visited the
areas’ land and waterways. On May 14, the ships relocated to
Jamestown and established the first permanent English
settlement.
Renee S. Gordon
Published 3-9-2022
Native
Americans inhabited
the Norfolk region,
in a settlement
known as Skicoak,
for thousands
of years prior to
the establishment of
a European colony in
1636 and in 1682
Nicholas Wise sold
50 acres of
riverfront
property to the
Virginia General
Assembly to found
Norfolk.
Fifty years later it
was the largest town
in the colony.
During
the American
Revolution the busy
port, shipbuilding
industry and
transportation of
goods made Norfolk a
prime target for a
British attack and
on January 1, 1776
they destroyed
two-thirds of the
city. Citizens
torched what
remained to prevent
confiscation by the
British. The city
was rapidly rebuilt
and again
established
prominence as a port
linking
transportation
between North and
South
Kathleen Walls
Published 3-9-2022
Cape
Henry Lighthouse,
the 4th oldest
lighthouse in the
United States, was
authorized by
President George
Washington in 1792.
In 1881, the
government
constructed a second
lighthouse 350 feet
from the first. The
lighthouses are a
fun place to visit
but there is
something more in
their story.
Lighthouses are
beacons of hope, and
Cape Henry
Lighthouse offers a
story of one man's
hopes. From May 10
to July 26, 1870.
Willis Augustus
Hodges served as the
first African
American lighthouse
keeper at the Cape
Henry Lighthouse.
Kathleen Walls
published 3-6-2022
Can you imagine a culture of socialistic
church members in a society where the church controlled all
aspects of life and owned all property in the settlement and
smoking, drinking and partying was forbidden ever finding
common ground with capitalistic tobacco manufactures?
Renée S. Gordon
Published 2-3-2022
Western
Pennsylvania’s Clearfield County is as close to a recreational
paradise, replete with natural wonders, numerous outdoor
activities, unique tasting trails and culinary delights, as
any traveler can imagine. All season recreational offerings
make any time opportune for a trip to the county’s wild side.
More than 100,000-acres of State Forest and Game Lands allow
sport hunting and game viewing. Those who prefer water-based
experiences can choose from more than 250 lakes and rivers in
which to fish, swim, boat or canoe.
Kathleen Walls
Published 2-1-2022
It's
no wonder Amelia Island is such an interesting place to visit.
The blend of cultures that have created this special place
differs from any other place on earth. It lived under eight
flags. It was special to people from pre-Columbian Timucuans
to pirates and con men, as well as hardworking settlers from
many countries. Today, it's a wonderful vacation spot with
fewer crowds than the better-known Florida beach towns. Here
are just some of the best things to do on Amelia Island.
Renée S. Gordon
Published 1-30-2022
The
city of Aiken, named after William Aiken, SC Railroad’s first
president, was founded in 1835 after railroads entered the
area in 1833 and the world’s longest line, 136-miles,
connected the Savannah River with Charleston. In 1871 Aiken
County was formed from portions of four existing counties.
Story by Tom Straka
Photographs by Pat Straka
Published 1-6-2022
The
Battle of Ball’s Bluff was a small one by Civil War standards,
but a consequential one. It occurred early in the War on
October 21,1861, by accident, just a couple of months after
Bull Run (or First Manassas). The battlefield is on U.S. 15 in
Leesburg, Virginia, just before the highway crosses into
Maryland on to the Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields. We’ve
passed it many times and recently had the time to visit. It
turned out to be a well worth the stop; it is a small
battlefield, but an interesting one that abuts the Potomac
River. The 300-foot bluff is surprising, while being so close
to the ocean, it contains 100-foot cliffs, is covered with
outcroppings, and only a single steep trail led up to the top.
Union troops had to cross the Potomac River twice to reach the
battlefield, as Harrison Island stood in the middle of the
river. Union pickets protected the island during the crossing,
taking cover behind entrenchments for protection from hostile
Confederate fire.
Kathleen Walls
Published 12-17-2021
Tampa Bay is one of Florida’s most
popular playground areas. It has such a variety of attractions
even a picky group will find something each party will enjoy.
Horne
Creek Living Historical Farm
Story by Tom Straka
Photo by Pat Straka
published 12-16-2021
Horne
Creek Farm is a living history farm, a North Carolina Historic
Site, and the
actual Hauser family farm (as opposed to many living history
farms that are relocated farm buildings or rebuilt farm
buildings). This is the real thing, allowing visitors to
experience farm life in North Carolina’s northwestern Piedmont
circa 1900. The site features the family’s original farmhouse
(with original furnishings), a tobacco curing barn, a corn
crib, adjacent fields under cultivation, and even a heritage
apple orchard. The Site also offers programs ranging from old
fashioned ice cream socials to an annual corn shucking frolic.
There is a visitors' center with exhibits and a gift shop.
This living history is a chance to learn about the rural past,
a chance to see, smell, touch, and hear things once common in
rural North Carolina.orne Creek Farm is a living history farm, a
North Carolina Historic Site, and
the actual Hauser family farm (as opposed to many
living history farms that are relocated farm buildings or
rebuilt farm buildings). This is the real thing, allowing
visitors to experience farm life in North Carolina’s
northwestern Piedmont circa 1900. The site features the
family’s original farmhouse (with original furnishings), a
tobacco curing barn, a corn crib, adjacent fields under
cultivation, and even a heritage apple orchard. The Site also
offers programs ranging from old fashioned ice cream socials
to an annual corn shucking frolic. There is a visitors' center
with exhibits and a gift shop. This living history is a chance
to learn about the rural past, a chance to see, smell, touch,
and hear things once common in rural North Carolina.
Story by
Tom Straka
Photo by Pat Straka
published 12-5-2021
During
the COVID-19 pandemic we have visited attractions that were primarily out-of-doors and generally not that far
off the highway.Fort Dobbs State Historic Site meets those
requirements, being nearly at the intersection of Interstates
40 and 77, just north of Statesville, North
Carolina. Most forts in the South were associated with
the Revolutionary or Civil Wars. Fort Dobbs is a French and
Indian War fort. It is the only state historic site associated
with that period in North Carolina. The site is similar to
Oconee Station in South Carolina, visited last October and
described in an
ARGH article, in that it is mainly a blockhouse and it is
situated on what was back then the frontier, the foothills of
the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Kathleen Walls
Published 11-29-2021
For my friends who have never visited Jekyll Island, the
holiday season is the perfect time to visit. Take a ride on
Jekyll’s Holly Jolly Trolley to see over half a million lights
around the island. There are lights from the Historic District
to Beach Village. Trolley riders will enjoy festive holiday
beverages, and sing along to Jingle Bells and other carols.
Kathleen Walls
Some of the greatest art in the
world is in the Vatican, so when "Michelangelo - A Different
View" got sanctioned by The Vatican you know it is special.
The exhibit gives visitors an opportunity many people will
never have in a lifetime, namely to view famous frescos by
Florentine master sculptor/painter, Michelangelo, that
adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Read more.
Renee S. Gordon
Kehinde Wiley, one of America's foremost African American
artists, visited an exhibition of his works in the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and was stricken by the Confederate
statues, and what they represent, that line nearby Monument
Avenue. He conceived of a monumental sculpture, Rumours
of War, as a response that would enhance the country's
story by placing people of color into the narrative and
serving as a reminder that our cultural wars have not ended.
Since that time the Confederate statues have come down and the
“war” has expanded to include political, social and
historical issues. The sculpture expresses
Richmond's recognition of and commitment to societal
change through art. Read
more.
Kathleen Walls
I
know there are some places in Macon I haven't visited.
However, I was surprised to recently learn of an outstanding
event I had not known about before. I guess that's because I
was staying at the fantastic 1842 Inn and visiting some of
Macon's most interesting places. I must have gotten too
busy.Read more.
Kathleen Walls
As some of you know, I recently purchased
a 2003 Ford Econoline 250 cargo van from Apex Autoline and
have been converting it into a camper van. Her name is
Maybelline from one of Rock-and-roll's early Chuck Berry songs
about an unfaithful gal named Maybelline, a Cadillac Coupe de
Ville, and a hot rod Ford. My van is not a hot rod and I hope
she will be faithful. (If you are too young to remember the
song, Google it and enjoy. It was a big hit and a fun song.)
Read more.
Kathlleen Walls
Ever wonder what it is like to take
a real road trip? Imagine a trip where you went from the
highest mountain in one state to the deepest cave in another.
Get the feel of spending one night in a luxury hotel and the
next in a tent in a campground. Add in a little rain—no make
that a downpour—one of the camping nights. Here's the scoop on
my fun–mostly– road trip. This is just a teaser, there will be
stories about many of these places coming soon.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
Sometimes
hidden treasures are right in your face. Like many others, I
took home county sites for granted. Sure, I live just a few
miles from Camp Blanding and can hear the booms of drills
often. Camp Blanding began in 1939 as a Florida National Guard
training site and remains that today. What I wasn't thinking
about was the Camp Blanding Museum telling its history. I
can't believe I never visited before. After all, during WWII,
this was the fourth largest city in Florida. Wow! What a
little gem.
Read more.
by Tom Straka
This
is a trip for a pandemic, one that minimizes crowds and is
mostly out-of-doors. The highest point in any state offers a
destination with a view. A day trip from my location offered
three choices in North Carolina (highest in eastern United
States), South Carolina, and Georgia. Georgia won, as it
includes a museum and a view of the Atlanta skyline from 80
miles (on a very clear day, not the day I was there). On
regular clear day, four states should be visible. The name of
the top attraction is Brasstown Bald.
Read more.
Renee S. Gordon
On
April 26, 1607 three English ships docked in Virginia's
Chesapeake Bay and placed a wooden cross on the beach. They
named the site of the first landing Cape Henry in honor of
Prince Henry of Wales. Approximately 18,000 indigenous Native
Americans, the Chesepians, who had inhabited the region for
thousands of years, greeted the settlers. Fourteen days later
they relocated upstream to the more easily defended Jamestown
Island and established the first permanent English
settlement. Based on this early history Virginia Beach can lay
claim to being the first tourist destination in the country.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
The
Book of Esther is the story of a beautiful Jewish girl named
Hadassah who becomes the wife of Ahasuerus, the Persian king
Xerxes I, and is renamed Esther. Her religious identity is
hidden, making her life at court precarious, and
inexorably leads to her being called upon to save her people
from total annihilation.
Read
more.
by Tom Straka
Good pandemic travel destinations need to be interesting,
generally not crowded, and preferably mostly out-of-doors.
Etowah Indian Mounds just off Interstate 75 north of Atlanta
near Cartersville, Georgia meets that definition. It includes
a small museum with a huge outdoor expanse which was the
largest Native American settlement in the Etowah Valley. Still
remaining are historic Indian mounds on the north bank of the
Etowah River.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
The
first recorded European explorer to reach Mississippi was De
Soto in 1540. At the time Native Americans had been living
there for 12,000-years and three indigenous tribes had the
largest presence, the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Natchez. It was
Indians who gave the river and the state its name as the
“Father of Waters”, “Misi-ziibi". The native
inhabitants were displaced through unfair treaties
and oppression and in 1719 the French introduced a significant
number of slaves into the area.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
The U.S. Civil
Rights Trail runs through 15 states and the District of
Columbia and seeks to interpret the fight for Civil Rights
through exploring the cities and sites along the route. Each
destination is a testament to the fortitude, resolve and
unwavering commitment of those, both black and white, who
engaged in the struggle. Guides and maps are available
throughout the trail aid in traveler's site selections and
understanding of each site's place in the history of the
movement,
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
When it comes to Black History Month, no place
figures more in Black history than Saint
Augustine.
Walk through almost any section of the
city and you will find reminders of its rich
Black history. In 1606, 13 years before the
first enslaved Africans were brought to the
English colony of Jamestown in 1619 an event
happened that was little noted but it was of
great historical importance in Black history.
The Cathedral Archives in St. Augustine
recorded the birth of the first African American
child in the continental United States. This
free child was the first spark in the fight for
civil rights for African Americans
.Read
more.
Kathleen Walls
Roswell, New Mexico was described as "West of
lost and North of nowhere"in the 1993
documentary UFO Secret: The Roswell Crash by New
Century Productions. The documentary of course
refers to the July 4, 1947 crash of an alien
spaceship which did —or did not —happen near
Roswell. This was what put Roswell on the map as
far as visitors were concerned. As a teen
in the 1960s, I developed an intense interest
and have followed possible UFO incidents so when
I finally got chance to visit Roswell, New
Mexico just months before the pandemic slowed
down my travels, I was thrilled.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
When
the first Europeans arrived the region of Fairfax County in
1608 the land had been inhabited for thousands of years by
Indians. The Doeg, the largest tribe in the area, lived in
three villages in what is now Fairfax. They farmed and fished.
By the end of the 1600s they had either migrated, died of
disease or war.
Read more
Renée S. Gordon
One
can trace the country's military history through visiting
sites and attractions throughout Fairfax County Virginia from
the pre-American Revolution Era to modern contemporary times.
The region has always been significant, as the site
of three Native American villages, a route between the
revolutionary northern and southern colonies, a Civil War
transit hub and the location of several museums that interpret
US military history.
Read
more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kathleen Walls
The
town of DeLand, Florida began in 1876 when a New York
businessman, Henry A. DeLand, visited and fell in love with
the area. He remained there and built his home. The city was
incorporated in 1882 and named in his honor. It has blossomed
into a delightful place to visit. No hustle and bustle, no
traffic and no parking problems create a wonderful background
for dining, shopping, and relaxing. Since I visited near
Halloween, it's only natural to include some ghostly fun
spots. Read more.
Kathleen Walls
Car camping is becoming
more popular. Many years ago I camped in
everything from a station wagon to a stretched
tarp between trees to motor homes and every kind of camping
in-between. After getting hooked on RVing and
Glamping, I thought "no more primitive stuff
like car camping for me." I was wrong. On a trip
last year, I had a long drive of about thirteen
hours between places that were graciously
hosting me. Being cheap, I decided to go back to
the old ways and do a night of car camping.
Read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kathleen Walls
Just outside the city of Ocala
lies a different "Magic Kingdom." Mother Nature
rules this kingdom. It's the Ocala National Forest,
430,000 scenic acres of the most diverse terrain
imaginable. It contains highlands, swamps, 600
lakes, countless ponds, 23 streams and springs of clear
crystal water, it's bounded by the slow, dark waters of
the Oklawaha River on the west and the larger, faster
moving St. Johns River on the east. It is the oldest
national forest east of the Mississippi and it has its
ghostly secrets.
Read
more.
By Cheré Dastugue Coen
Some
say that the personalities of ghosts in the afterlife are much
like the ones they had while living. Amelie Comeaux who haunts
T-Frere's Bed and Breakfast in Lafayette was a “canaille,” a
mischievous girl, and her antics in death reflect this wily
nature.
Read More
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.
Kathleen Walls
Being trapped at home courtesy
of Corona Virus has me thinking of many lesser known
places I visited over my years of travel writing and want to visit again . Each of these places has a unique
treasure you won't find anywhere else. Here are just a
few of my favorites. You can click on the linked names
for more about that place.
Read more.
Tom Straka
There are many
interesting historical and natural attraction
located just a few miles off the interstate; one
is a fantastic botanical garden just ten miles
from the exit on Interstate 85, halfway between
Atlanta and Charlotte. It is Clemson
University's South Carolina Botanical Garden,
which is much more than the standard botanical
garden. All the traditional plant-focused things
are there, but a lot more, like a special
natural heritage trail that allows the visitor
to transect the natural plant habitats of the
state in just a half-mile.
Read more.
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
Renée S. Gordon
The
U.S. travel industry has emerged as one of the hardest hit
industries in the country. Prior to the pandemic
travel produced a $2.6-trillion profit and
created 15.8-million jobs across the industry. As of the end
of April, 8-million jobs have been lost and projections
estimate that the total effect of the economic loss will be
nine times that of 9/11.
Read more
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kathleen Walls
Two
events happened in 1965. Country Willie – His Own Songs
became Willie Nelson's first RCA Victor album leading to his
success as a singer instead of just a songwriter. The same
year, the Saint Augustine Amphitheater was built commemorating
Saint Augustine's 400th birthday. Willie and Saint Augustine
have another thing in common, being the oldest. Willie is the
oldest, male, country star still performing; Saint Augustine
is the oldest city in the United States and they are both
still in great form.
Read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Renée S. Gordon
Montgomery,
Alabama is widely recognized as both the Cradle of the
Confederacy and the Birthplace of Civil Rights.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
David
Friedman, author of Food Sanity, gives us one good reason to
drink rum. He states, “Also, while too much drinking can
damage your brain, moderate consumption of rum may actually
lower that risk: Rum has properties that may help protect your
brain cells and decrease your risk of dementia and
Alzheimer's.”
Read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Renée S. Gordon
The
Hamburg-America Line launched the Princess Victoria Louise,
the first ship built solely for luxury cruising, on June 29,
1900. Prior ships were ocean liners created to transport
passengers and cargo on transatlantic journeys as
expeditiously as possible but the Victoria Louise was designed
to provide a truly luxurious experience with the aura of a
floating 5-star hotel.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
The
Beaumont, Port Arthur Metropolitan area in Texas is called the
Golden Triangle in reference to the wealth that flowed in
after the oil gusher at Spindletop in 1901. It includes other
smaller cities such as Orange, Nederland, Groves, Port Neches,
Vidor, and Lumberton, and smaller places within the area. It
could also be called "Golden" in regard to the number of gold
records local musicians have earned.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
Nothing
is more welcoming on a cold night than a warm fire flickering
in an old fashioned cast iron stove. It's really a gas heater
but it looks and feels like a real old fashioned wood one.
Naturally, there is back up heat and air conditioning if you
visit in summer. When I visited Two Casitas in November, Santa
Fe's nighttime temperature dropped to 19%. It didn't bother me
at all.
Read
more
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.
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.
Kathleen Walls
Say
“Roswell, New Mexico” and everyone's first thought is
“aliens.” Mine too. That's way I am so thrilled to be here
today exploring the unknown. My first stop naturally was the
International UFO Museum & Research Center. This is not some
hokey museum dealing just with Hollywood's version of aliens
from outer space.
Read more.
Treasures in Oklahoma City
Kathleen Walls
Oklahoma
City is filled with treasures I discovered yesterday and
probably many more I did not have time to visit. My stay began
at the historic 21C Museum Hotel. This early 1900s building
earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places
by being a former Fred Jones Ford Motor Company assembly plant
that crafted Model Ts.
Read More.
Kathleen Walls
I'm in Lake Charles and just visited the very first Southern
Cast Iron Cook-Off.
Picture
Cajun food and culture, music, venders offering samples of and
information about everything from alligators to cast iron pots
and pans. Professional chefs and amateurs competed in four
categories– Meat & Game, Seafood, Sweet & Savory Baking, and
Vegetables & Sides.
Read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Halloween
is an especially good time to seek out haunted hotels. But
these are fun any time of year. Southern hospitality mingled
with the spirits of long ago.
Read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kathleen Walls
Woodstock,
Georgia has a huge variety of great restaurants but if you
like Italian, Vingenzo's stands out. It is an Italian treasure
in Woodstock's downtown entertainment district. One
taste of Vingenzo's Chef Michael Bologna's Neapolitan Pizza or
homemade sausage will have you thinking you died and went
to—no, not Heaven—Italy.
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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.
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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.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
You may go to Savannah for the history
and fun but you gotta eat. So why not eat at the most fun and
interesting restaurants. As icing on the cake many of
Savannah's restaurants have a historic background. Here are a
few I loved there and why.
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Kathleen Walls
She
was born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932. In a
life filled with muc
h misfortune, she not only survived but
became a role model for female singers and women everywhere.
Read more.
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.
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Kathleen Walls
On
the 50th Anniversary of Hank Williams death, I had the honor
to meet the man who slapped his bull fiddle for Hank's
Drifting Cowboys in the 1940s.William Herbert "Lum" York,
(November 16, 1918 – August 15, 2004) was a musician best
known as the bass player in Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys.
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Kathleen Walls
Who
knew there is so much to see and do in Woodstock, Georgia?
Just visited it with Travel Media Showcase this year and
discovered a treasure. It began with the Georgia Gold Rush and
grew when Marietta and North Georgia Railroad built a depot
there in 1879. There are a couple of legends about the city's
name.
Read more.
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.
Read more.
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.
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.
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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.
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Kathleen Walls
In
the not too distant past, if you wanted to get close to nature
you needed to pack your camping supplies or hitch up your RV.
I just did a magnificent close to nature trip with neither of
those things. How? I went glamping in Ellijay in the North
Georgia Mountains. Read
more.
Kathleen Walls
NashHouse
Southern Spoon & Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee is more than a
dining establishment. It's a tribute to Nashville's Country
Music icons. It's relatively new having opened in March 2018
and is booming. Location of course is important. It's in the
Cambria Nashville hotel putting it walking distance from the
Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Center, and the Johnny
Cash/Patsy Cline Museums.
Read more.
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.
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Kathleen Walls
If an apple a day really keeps the doctor
away, R and A Orchards in Gilmer County, Georgia can keep you
in perfect health. In this era of not knowing where our food
comes from, it's a pleasure to visit a real family run orchard
and produce store.
Read more.
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.
Kathleen Walls
There
are many fun things to visit in Ellijay, Georgia but there is
one unusual place many people might miss. If you are an animal
lover this one is a must-see. It's Build an Ark Animal Rescue.
Read more.
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.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
"Return
with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the
Lone Ranger rides again"--no make that the Lone Writer. Here
at French Broad Outpost Dude Ranch in Eastern Tennessee, I'm
getting as close to the old western days as you can get. I
followed a gravel road that is not on most maps to the ranch.
Read more.
By Eleanor Hendricks McDaniel
I
recently visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view an
exhibition of their extraordinary collection of Impressionist
and Post-Impressionist artworks. More than 80 important pieces
by the masters of those avant-garde movements can be seen in
the media of painting, sculpture and works on paper.
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Kathleen Walls
One of the greatest musicians of our time is memorialized
in a museum in downtown Nashville. Only a handful of musicians
have left as large a footprint on Country Music as Johnny
Cash. The Johnny Cash Museum is rated number one music museum
in the world and a must-see by Forbes, Conde' Naste,
and National Geographical Traveler.
Read more.
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.
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.
Read more
Kathleen Walls
There
are some places in Jacksonville a visitor should not miss. One
of them is Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens. It's on the
north side of Jacksonville and not in the main path of
visitors headed into Jax's busy downtown.
It
began back in 1914 and has grown ever since.
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