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
Arts and Crafts in Woodstock
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic landmarks in Woodstock, New York, is Byrdcliffe Arts Colony. It was founded in 1902 by Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead and his wife Jane Byrd McCall out of an ideal to form a “brotherhood of artists.” It’s the oldest operating Arts and Crafts colony in America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The organization continues to be a thriving year-round home to an ever expanding community of artists. Private tours can be booked by appointment. You can also take a self-guided walking tour of the grounds or a guided tour of White Pines, the original home of Byrdcliffe’s founders.
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A Phone for the Birds
By Linda Tancs
In Takoma Park, Maryland, there’s a phone fit for the birds. Known as The Bird Calls Phone, it’s an old payphone rewired by a local artist to play bird calls. The dial tone is replaced with the sound of a mourning dove, and each number corresponds to the call of a local bird. The phone’s buttons also play facts about the bird species. Instructions on use of the phone are provided in English, Spanish and Amharic (to accommodate Takoma Park’s sizable Ethiopian community).
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Halloween in NYC
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic events in New York City is the annual Halloween parade in Greenwich Village. Now in its 51st year, the parade starts at 7 p.m. with participants lined up on Canal Street and 6th Avenue. The procession can be viewed on 6th Avenue from King Street to 15th Street. Anyone can march in the parade, provided that you’re wearing a costume. You’ll be joined by hundreds of giant puppets, dancers and bands.
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Rhode Island’s Flagship Vessel
By Linda Tancs
The official flagship and tall ship ambassador of Rhode Island, SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is the largest civilian sailing school vessel in the United States and the first ocean-going, full-rigged ship to be built in the U.S. in over 100 years. The ship is named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a native of Rhode Island and the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. Its educational programming includes introductions to marine navigation and engineering. Public tours are also available. During the summer season (June to October), the ship is docked at Fort Adams State Park and thereafter relocates to Bowens Wharf, both in Newport.
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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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