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
The Conrad Weiser Homestead
By Linda Tancs
The Conrad Weiser Homestead is a Pennsylvania state historic site in Womelsdorf that interprets the life of Conrad Weiser, an 18th-century German immigrant who played a major role in the history of colonial Pennsylvania. He was particularly notable for his knowledge of the Iroquois and in conducting matters of diplomacy with them. His efforts led to fairly stable relations between the Pennsylvania government and the Iroquois Nation during the 1730s and 1740s, and he later negotiated the Treaty of Easton, which concluded the vast majority of Indian insurrection in the eastern third of Pennsylvania. All visits to the homestead begin at the Visitor Center, which recounts Weiser’s many achievements in Native American diplomacy. In addition to the family home, the property includes his gravesite and an old springhouse.
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American Helicopter Museum
By Linda Tancs
The American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, Pennsylvania, is home to one of the world’s largest collections of rotorcraft. Its assets include a fully restored Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse, a Boeing CH-46E Sea Knight and a McCulloch J-2 Gyroplane. Several aircraft allow visitors to enter and experience what it’s like to operate it. A mobile unit called “Stubby” travels to schools, camps and community events and allows guests a chance to sit in the cockpit, operate the controls and learn how a helicopter works.
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Arkansas Grand Canyon
By Linda Tancs
It’s not unusual for a state to have a canyon so magnificent that it’s “grand.” In Arkansas, the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks is southeast of Jasper running alongside AR 7, the scenic byway. One of the most popular overlooks is Rotary Ann Roadside Park with its 180-degree view. The locale is also the first roadside rest area constructed in Arkansas, dating back to the 1930s.
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The Oldest State House
By Linda Tancs
Opened in 1819, the New Hampshire State House is the oldest state house in continuous use in the United States. It’s free and open to the public during business hours. One of many attractions in the capital city of Concord, you might consider seeing it as part of a historic walking tour in town. A self-guided tour takes less than two hours and is about 2 miles long.
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Scenic 7 in Arkansas
By Linda Tancs
Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway is arguably among the most scenic drives in America. Approximately 290 miles in length, the north-south state highway runs from Louisiana Highway 558 at the Louisiana state line north to Bull Shoals Lake at Diamond City near the Missouri state line. It’s the state’s first state-designated scenic byway, incorporating the coastal plain region in the south with the Ouachita and Ozark mountains. The region is rich in wildlife, outdoor recreation and historical resources, not to mention top-tier views on the ridgelines.
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An Elegant Estate in West Virginia
By Linda Tancs
In 1900, Cleveland industrialist Earl W. Oglebay purchased what is now known as Oglebay Mansion in Wheeling, West Virginia, to serve as a summer home. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, you can explore 13 period rooms and impressive collections of American furniture, china, silver, glass, pewter, toys and textiles. Another feature is The Glass Museum, located on the lower level of Carriage House, which boasts over 4,000 examples of Wheeling glass made from 1829 – 1939, plus the largest piece of cut lead crystal ever made – The Sweeney Punch Bowl. Standing 5 feet tall and weighing 225 pounds, this remarkable piece of Victorian artistry is world renowned.
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America’s National Maritime Museum
By Linda Tancs
Designated by Congress as America’s National Maritime Museum, The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia, is one of the largest and most comprehensive maritime museums in the world. In fact, the museum’s library contains the largest maritime history collection in the Western Hemisphere. One of its most iconic features is the USS Monitor, representing the world’s largest marine archaeological metals conservation project. More than 210 tons of material were excavated from the ship’s wreck site in the depths of the Atlantic. Historically significant objects recovered include the revolving gun turret, two Dahlgren guns and the steam propulsion engine. You can get a bird’s-eye view of the conservation efforts from the observation platform at the Batten Conservation Complex. Leave some time to visit the 550-acre park which features the award-winning 5-mile Noland Trail that surrounds the 167-acre Mariners’ Lake.
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The Boise River Greenbelt
By Linda Tancs
Located in Boise, Idaho, the Boise River Greenbelt is a 25-mile, tree-lined pathway following the north and south sides of the Boise River through the heart of the city. It boasts a series of parks along the trail known as the Ribbon of Jewels, properties that honor some of the city’s finest leaders. Fishing and bird watching are popular activities in the greenbelt, which is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
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New Mexico’s Most Visited Museum
By Linda Tancs
Just minutes away from Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science has an exciting new addition to its dinosaur collection, Tyrannosaurus mcraensis. Unearthed in western New Mexico, the predator is older and more primitive than its better-known cousin, Tyrannosaurus rex. Another dinosaur with deep ties to the state, Alamosaurus, is on display in Cretaceous Hall. You’ll find many more dinosaur specimens at the venue, billed as the state’s most visited museum. Its Triassic Hall, exploring the era of the early dinosaurs, is the only one of its kind in North America.
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The Mother Spring in Colorado
By Linda Tancs
Certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring aquifer, the Mother Spring in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, is indeed the mother of all springs. It isn’t a site for soaking or bathing, considering that its depth is at least 1,002 feet (based on at least one instrument of measure) although no one has been able to get to the bottom of it (no pun intended). It acts as a feeder spring for other popular sites in the region, like Springs Resort and Spa (home to the most geothermal hot spring pools in Colorado) as well as several free “hippy dip” springs along the San Juan River.
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