Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for April, 2024
The Black Doctor of the Pines
By Linda Tancs
Dr. James Still was a renowned herbalist and homeopathic healer often called “The Black Doctor of the Pines.” Born to former slaves, he was mostly self educated and entered into medical practice as a result of an interest in medical botany. One of the wealthiest men in Burlington County, New Jersey, he built an office in Medford as well as a home. The office building remains today and is the centerpiece of the Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center. Guided tours are available by appointment. There is also a nature trail on the property that is open from dawn to dusk.
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A Gem on the Blue Ridge Parkway
By Linda Tancs
You’ll find a charming bit of history at milepost 176 on Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway. That’s the location of Mabry Mill, an industrial complex emphasizing the pioneer culture of the Blue Ridge Highlands. The gristmill and sawmill (dating from the 1900s) have been fully restored, and live demonstrations (including sorghum molasses making, apple butter making, and grinding corn and buckwheat) occur regularly. You’ll also find a woodworking and blacksmith shop. Viewable any time of year (so long as the parkway is passable), the mill is one of the most iconic and photographed structures on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The interior, including the restaurant and gift shop, is staffed between April and early November.
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Horses on the Mall
By Linda Tancs
Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center provides visitors with information on the history of the Mounted Unit, one of the oldest and most beloved equestrian units in the country. Open Thursday through Sunday, the schedule of the horses will vary based on patrol times, rest times and meal times. The four-legged patrol will be viewable through special windows in the center as well as in the paddocks. The two-legged patrol, the U.S. Park Police, was created by President George Washington in 1791 and functions as a unit of the National Park Service with jurisdiction in all federal parks.
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Supremely Scenic in New Hampshire
By Linda Tancs
Supremely scenic excursions await you aboard the Conway Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire. In fact, the Mountaineer is touted as the most scenic ride of all, offering 1950s-era streamlined passenger cars to Crawford Notch, a major pass through the White Mountains. Other trains to Conway and Sawyer River offer heritage rail excursions by employing early 20th-century railcars to recreate the experience of traveling from town to town. Regardless which trip you choose, the trains depart from the 1874 station in North Conway.
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Between the Forks
By Linda Tancs
Nestled between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island, New York, is Shelter Island. Approximately 27 square miles, it’s accessible only by ferry from either Greenport on the North Fork or North Haven on the South Fork. Known for its natural beauty, it boasts Mashomack Preserve, a coastal nature reserve featuring over 2,000 acres of woodlands, marshes and creeks. Enjoy a hike along the many trails, which are open daily from dawn to dusk.
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The Cranberry in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Known locally as “The Cranberry,” Tannersville Cranberry Bog Preserve in Pennsylvania is a remnant of the Ice Age, producing the southernmost boreal bog east of the Mississippi River and a unique ecosystem. It boasts some of North America’s most beautiful native orchids, including rose pogonia and the state-endangered heart-leaved twayblade. The Boardwalk Trail is open only with guided access, but other trails are open to self-guided visitors and feature a mature oak hardwood forest and wetland habitats.
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Berlin’s TV Tower
By Linda Tancs
The tallest building in Germany, the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz in Berlin is the city’s most prominent landmark. It’s a must-see for tourists, who get panoramic views up to 50 miles on a clear day from the observation deck over 600 feet high. A floor above the deck is a restaurant; book early if you want a window seat.
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New York’s Research Forest
By Linda Tancs
Black Rock Forest is a 3,920-acre forest and biological field station in Cornwall, New York. Named for the black magnetite in the forest’s bedrock, the nature preserve is as much a gem for hikers as it is for researchers. The site boasts 26 miles of trails and 17 miles of forest roads which are open to the public year-round. From there you can experience the area’s rich biodiversity in trees, mammals, birds and reptiles owing to the forest’s location at the intersection of two ecological systems: the New York-New Jersey Highlands and the Hudson River Basin. On a clear day, you might even see Manhattan.
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The Switzerland of Alaska
By Linda Tancs
It’s easy to understand why Valdez, Alaska, is affectionately called “the Switzerland of Alaska.” Like its counterpart in Europe, it offers unparalleled scenery. Located at the head of a deep fjord in Prince William Sound, you’ll find glaciers, mountains, a temperate rainforest and scores of wildlife. One of the best places to learn about the area is at the Valdez Museum. The facility’s permanent exhibits explore the history of Valdez, the Copper River Valley and Prince William Sound from Native Alaskan occupation to the present day.
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The Prized Home of a Playwright
By Linda Tancs
Eugene O’Neill is America’s only Nobel Prize-winning playwright. At the height of his career, he chose to make Tao House his final home. Located in Danville, California, the house and grounds comprise the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. This is where he wrote his most memorable plays: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day’s Journey Into Night and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Due to its location in a private, gated community, the site is only accessible via a National Park Service shuttle from the nearby Museum of the San Ramon Valley.
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