Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for March, 2016
History on the Waterfront
By Linda Tancs
History awaits along the waterfront at Patriots Point in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. That’s where you’ll find the USS Yorktown, the 10th aircraft carrier to serve in the U.S. Navy. Originally named Bon Homme Richard, it was renamed Yorktown in honor of the Yorktown that was sunk during the Battle of Midway in 1942. The carrier participated significantly in the Pacific Theater, earning 11 battle stars for service during World War II. It was decommissioned in 1970 and later towed from New Jersey to Charleston to serve as the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.
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Under the Antlers in Jackson
By Linda Tancs
Jackson, Wyoming, gets its share of visitors thanks to its proximity to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. But it’s quite the attraction in its own right, particularly at George Washington Memorial Park. Popularly known as the “Town Square,” its four points of access are marked by arches. No, not golden arches like McDonald’s or moon gates like Bermuda. These arches are made from elk antler sheds retrieved from the nearby 25,000-acre National Elk Refuge. Originating in 1953, the arches were recently rebuilt with fresher sheds for safety. The total output of 14,000 pounds of elk antlers means visitors will be posing under the arches for years to come.
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A Part of Florida History
By Linda Tancs
Bathed in tall palms, Fort Lauderdale’s Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is a part of Florida history. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests that the estate represents one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the New World. And a shell midden illustrates habitation by the Tequesta, one of the first tribes in South Florida. In addition to its historic significance, the grounds are one of the last examples in the area of a native barrier island habitat. Five distinct ecosystems can be found on the property, including the Atlantic Ocean beach and primary dune, a fresh water slough, a secondary dune, mangrove wetlands and a maritime forest. The property’s former owner, Evelyn Bartlett, was a passionate orchid collector. When she gave Bonnet House to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, the orchid varieties she left them comprise one of the largest collections in the Southeast.
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A Contrast in Illinois
By Linda Tancs
Unlike most of Illinois, the southern tip between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers boasts rolling hills and rugged cliffs teeming with plant and animal life, the likes of which can only mean one thing—you’ve reached a forest. Indeed, this is the site of Shawnee National Forest, the only national forest in the state. Comprising nearly 287,000 acres, one of its best kept secrets is likely High Knob. Just steps away from the parking area, its mountain views rival that of the Smokies. A picnic area provides daytime parking and a trailhead for the five miles of interconnecting trails below the Knob.
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A Gamble in California
By Linda Tancs
Designed for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter & Gamble Company, The Gamble House in Pasadena, California, is an outstanding example of American Arts and Crafts style architecture. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, it is the most complete and best-preserved work of American Arts and Crafts architects Charles and Henry Greene. Every Tuesday enjoy a picnic on the terrace for Brown-Bag Tuesday and a docent-led, 20-minute tour.
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Dayton’s Historic Depot
By Linda Tancs
The Dayton Depot is the oldest surviving train depot in Washington State. Originally built in 1881, it was moved to its current location at Commercial Street in 1889. Designed in the fashionable Stick/Eastlake style, it still boasts original bead board walls typical of that era. Now a museum, revolving exhibits are featured in the upstairs gallery.
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Lunar Rock and a Church
By Linda Tancs
At every turn, Washington National Cathedral is a piece of history 83 years in the making. Located in Washington, D.C., the foundation stone was laid in 1907. In 1990, over 80 years later, construction was completed on this Gothic masterpiece. Among its many jewels you’ll find a piece of lunar rock comprising the Space Window, a sculpture of Darth Vader at the west tower, peal and carillon bells at the central tower (the only place in North America to house both) and one of the few old growth forests still standing in the nation’s capital (Olmsted Woods).
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New Jersey’s Official Tall Ship
By Linda Tancs
New Jersey’s official tall ship is the A.J. Meerwald, a restored oyster dredging schooner used for onboard educational programs. It should come as no surprise that her home port is Bivalve, a word that just happens to refer to any number of species of mollusks, like oysters. Located in Cumberland County, the town was once the center of a thriving oyster industry. The ship was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1995.
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A Sip on Route 66
By Linda Tancs
One of the biggest kicks on Route 66 is Pops, a soda emporium/gas station/convenience store in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Pops is home to Bubbles, the world’s largest bottle of soda pop. The thirst-inducing structure is 66 feet tall and weighs over four tons. Reputedly it glows at night.
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