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
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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A President’s Life in Washington
By Linda Tancs
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson is the only president who made Washington, D.C., his permanent home following his term in office. In 1921, President Wilson and his wife retired to a Georgian Revival mansion on S Street, in an area known for stately homes and diplomatic residences. Having led the nation through World War I, he made a radio address (the first nationwide remote radio broadcast) to the American people from The Woodrow Wilson House on November 11, 1923, the fifth anniversary of Armistice Day. Wilson was also a president of Princeton University and a governor of New Jersey.
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An Art Colony in Connecticut
By Linda Tancs
Overlooking the Lieutenant River, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, is a National Historic Landmark. Once the home of a wealthy sea captain, the Late Georgian-style mansion became a boarding house under Miss Florence Griswold, hosting some of the most noted names in American Impressionism forming what became known as the Lyme Art Colony. This museum of art and history tells the story of how Connecticut played a pivotal role in fostering American artists.
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