Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
Springtime in Rochester
By Linda Tancs
Nothing says springtime in Upstate New York better than the Rochester Lilac Festival. Now in its 126th year, the event boasts the largest collection of lilacs in North America with over 1,800 bushes and 500 different varieties of lilacs on display. More than just a flower show, the event features a series of concerts, wine tastings, vendors and the much-anticipated parade.
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Dutch Inspiration in Iowa
By Linda Tancs
Having been settled by Dutch immigrants, Orange City, Iowa, was first known as Holland. The name was later changed to Orange City in tribute to the royal House of Orange. The city celebrates its Dutch heritage annually with a tulip festival. Beginning later this week, the festival showcases about 50,000 tulips, as well as locals dressed in traditional Dutch clothing amidst the parades, shows, replica windmills and food vendors.
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All Things Rosie
By Linda Tancs
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park was established in Richmond, California, to tell the story of Home Front workers in the United States during World War II. “Rosie the Riveter” and her “We Can Do It” motto came to symbolize the 6 million women who entered the workforce to perform roles traditionally held by men who left their occupations for the front lines. Those roles included mechanics, welders and riveters. The park includes a number of historic places in Richmond to drive by, view or visit. The Rosie the Riveter Memorial in Marina Bay Park is the touchstone of the park. Shaped like a vessel, it includes quotes from “Rosies” and a World War II timeline. An actual vessel worth seeing is the SS Red Oak Victory Ship, the last surviving ship built in the Kaiser Shipyards. For an overview of the site, be sure to visit the Education Center at 1414 Harbour Way South.
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Sewing Through the Centuries
By Linda Tancs
Locals call it “M.” For the rest of us, it’s better known as the Vintage Sewing Center and Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The site boasts over 600 antique and vintage sewing machines as well as memorabilia and artifacts. You can even sit down at a machine and start sewing, or take lessons if you like. Both guided and self-guided tours are available.
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Three Sisters
By Linda Tancs
The Three Sisters Lighthouses in Eastham, Massachusetts, are so named because the original masonry towers looked like three women with white dresses and black hats when viewed from the sea. The original towers were replaced with wooden ones and moved further inland. Ultimately decommissioned, the lights were moved to their current location on Cable Road in Eastham after being purchased by the National Park Service.
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The Whitefish Trail
By Linda Tancs
The Whitefish Trail in Montana provides 47 miles of natural surface trails and 15 trailheads/connectors located in a forested, rural environment. It’s a popular destination for hikers, trail runners, bikers and equestrians in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. The resort town is a gateway to Glacier National Park as well, which is a great place to visit in the spring because it’s one of the quietest seasons. Glacier Park International Airport is only 15 minutes away.
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The Rock in Newport
By Linda Tancs
Once called “The Rock on Which the Storm Shall Beat,” the fortress at Fort Adams State Park is located at a strategic defensive position at the entrance to Narragansett Bay in Newport, Rhode Island. The fort is named in honor of President John Adams and was dedicated during his tenure on July 4, 1799. Its current structure was built in 1824 under the Third System model of coastal fortification, which provided more durability in construction. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the current fortification. Self-guided tours are available daily to explore areas above ground. On a guided tour, you’ll also delve into the underground tunnels and the quarters where officers and their families lived.
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The Battle of Princeton
By Linda Tancs
The Battle of Princeton was one of the fiercest battles of the American Revolution, when American troops under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars on the morning of January 3, 1777. At Princeton Battlefield State Park, visitors can participate in scheduled tours taking place from May to October. You’ll learn about the Mercer Oak, a tree that once stood in the middle of the battlefield not far from the spot where General Hugh Mercer succumbed to his battle wounds. The tree collapsed from old age in March 2000, but an offspring grown from an acorn now thrives next to the large stump of the original tree. The site also includes Clarke House, the farmer’s homestead that became a field hospital. Located on Mercer Road in Princeton, the park is open daily.
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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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