Natchez, Mississippi
Crossing the Mississippi, we arrived in Natchez. Because of time restraints we were unable to explore Natchez. There are several Antebellum homes located there that I am hoping we will be able to see in the future. We did stop at the visitor center and read about the area. We also, saw a paddle boat docked close by the visitor center. It was hot and humid by the Mississippi, surprise, surprise.
We did drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway. What a lovely drive! The trace, according to the National Park Service, was probably originally a series of hunters’ paths that came to form a trail from the Mississippi River over the hills and into the valley of the Tennessee River. By 1773 the French had mapped it. Ohio river farmers used the rivers it to float their crops and products down the rivers to Natchez and New Orleans.
The farmers then sold their lumber and had to walk back home. The Natchez Trace was the most direct back. By 1810 it had become an important wilderness road. Because it was used so heavily inns, or as the locals called it ‘stands’ were established. They provided basic food and shelter. The trace is heavily wooded , which contains insects that caused disease. It also, had swampy areas and was known to flood.
As river transportation grew the trace was not used as much. By the 1930s’ a road following the original trace was established. The National Scenic byways Program in 1995 recognized the historic and scenic qualities and it became an All-American Road. It is a straight, no traffic lights, no trucks, yes to Rvs’ beautiful ride.
We followed the trace for a short way. We did go off the trace to look at some of the small towns but did not see some of the historic sights. Again, another trip.
The Tennessee River was much bigger then I had realized and the mountains are beautiful.
on the road
Appomattox Court House
We have never been ‘Civil War Buffs’. I studied the Civil War in about 5th grade, that was more then 50 years ago. What we remembered about Appomattox was that was where the war ended. It became more then that as we visited the National Historical Park, known as Appomattox Court House., Virginia.
The National Park Service has preserved Appomattox Court House, which is the name of the town. The NPS has preserved some of the original buildings. There is the Clover Hill Tavern, the Plunkett-Meeks Store, The Woodson Law Office, The Peers House , the Mariah Wright House and the Jones Law Office. The original Court House burned in 1892 and in 1893 a company from Niagara Falls, N.Y. had the McClean house dismantled. The company had wanted to make a museum of it in Washington, D.C., that never happened.
Thank goodness for the National Park Service! J In 1935 legislation was passed that created this little village as a national historical monument. The park service did such a great job, the village looks much like it did in April 1865!
We did not visit all the houses, as walking was an issue. It is not an arduous walk but so many hours driving did not sit well with my husband.
On the day we visited, there was a period dressed woman and in character at the General Store, an original building. As she talked with us it helped bring the time to life. She talked of the dishes that were in the store for sale (not for our generation, but theirs’) the herbs and medicines. A young man, again in character, came in and was asking for his mail.
The most important structure is the McClean house. This house was reconstructed by the National Park Service using archeological evidence and detailed plans and specifications that were made by the Niagra Falls company that had had it dismantled L There are replicas of the desks the two Generals used to sign the surrender. In back of the house are a kitchen and slave quarters.
The McCleans House parlor was where Lee surrendered to Grant. Grant did some small talk to put Lee at ease. However, Lee just wanted to get the surrender over and they got down to business.
We learned that a few days earlier Lee had lost 8,000 men at a battle nearby.
At the Clover Hill Tavern, which we did not walk to, the Union printed parole passes for the Confederate soldiers. This is an original building. It is visible from the Court House.
At the park there is a trail 4 miles long, that brings you to Lees Headquarters.. General George Custer, of Little Big Horn fame, fought on the morning of the surrender, against Colonel Talcott and Gereral Gary. Captain Sims, CSA carried a flag of truce and was first received by General Custer.
Much of what had been meadows or farmlands are now covered with forest.
This was a very powerful experience for us. I can’t explain why.
Colonial Williamsburg
I have wanted to visit Colonial Williamsburg for over 20 years. I had heard about it and had wanted to take my children there. Unfortunately that never occurred.
I was raised in New York State. The town where I went to school had a building that George Washington had slept in, it was torn down for a fast food restaurant. L West Point was a ¾ hour away by car, I saw the chain that went across the Hudson during the Revolutionary War. The Sterling mines where the chain was forged was also nearby. New York City was 1 ½ hours away. I was never a great student, but I liked knowing about our American Colonial History. It was all around me.
The first building and presentation we saw at Colonial Williamsburg was the House of Burgess. It is a recreation, but you would never know it. The presenter talks about he taxes and the lack of representation that occurred the Crown has disbursed the colonist form of gov’t. This and similar actions, taxes without representation spurred on American Independence. Many of the houses are originals. The actors give presentations of what and how transpired in ‘their establishments,’ The wig maker, dressmaker and general stores. I am interested in herbs and would have like to have seen more from the Apothecary other then leeches. My husband is a Journeyman Cabinetmaker, we don’t think they would have had a female apprentice at that time.
There were a few skits be given showing how men and women were speaking for Independence and how many were torn by it.
The gardens were beautiful.
Colonial Williamsburg is an alive city. By that I mean some of the homes are not open to the public as they are rented to contemporary people, who do not work at Colonial Williamsburg.
We found Colonial Williamsburg to be pricey. A tri-corner hat for a kid without decorations was about $30.00, without any braiding. Plastic soldiers went for around $15.00 No souvenirs’ for us to bring home to the grandkids were gotten here. We had lunch at Chowning’s Taverns, if you ate outside it was $1.00 less, even though we were experiencing record heat we ate outside. We were expecting to have food that was more as the Colonials would have had it, but it wasn’t and it wasn’t that good. We don’t know about the other taverns. Had we walked to the other side of town, which is still part of Colonial Williamsburg, but not the attraction we would have had a cheaper and better meal.
We did get a 1 day-plus pass on line, and saved a few bucks. There are so many buildings to see and there was record heat at this time that we did go back a 2nd day. WE went to the Rockefeller Museum, which is located in the first mental health facility. That was very interesting. The museum was awesome! My husband is a journeyman cabinetmaker so he really enjoyed seeing work by the old master craftsman.
Some of the people dressed in costume are not in-period, as we were told that was a higher paid position. Hmm, I know it has been a dreadfully hot summer, and the costumes of the day are extremely hot, but unhappy employees, at a place like this is sad.
Merchants Square is modern day shopping. I had thought is was going to be from the day. Wrong. Again we found it to be pricey.
We saw a ham for $130. We are not use to prices like that. Maybe in the east that is the norm?
Jamestown
Again we are visiting with the National Park Service!
This is the actual place where John Smith in 1608 lands. It is a small fort, the archeologist have found exactly where the buildings were built. Where the fence was put up to protect the settlement, and have put up a fence as it would have been in the day. The outlines of the foundation are visible. They have built a stick replica so one has an idea of the constructions .
Tobacco becomes the big crop and the beginning of Virginia.
On original 17th -century church tower is still there and a 1907 Memorial Church is built by it also. Earlier generations put up the church and different plaques and statues. Now they fund archaeological digs. There is an Archearium that houses recent artifact discoveries‘. Although, we did not see it what we saw at the Park rangers entrance was extremely interesting.
We also did not see the glass blowing ruins as the parking lot was getting fixed. I understand that they had more information as to how three cultures, European, Native American, African lived and worked there.
Just as the original settlers were going to go back to England another ship arrives with more settlers and Jamestown Settlement begins.
We did not go to Jamestown Settlement which has replicas of the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery the ships that bought the early settlers over. There is also a re-creation of a Powhatan Indian villange and 1610-1614 English fort.
Yorktown Battlefield
The National Park Service is a wonderful use of our tax monies!
We have seen short videos at every National Park we have visited which helped us understand what we are seeing.
“Siege of Yorktown” is a 16 minute film that brings to life the seven mile battlefield. The Park service has General George Washington’s military tents and different artifacts from the siege area. There are flags which indicate where different regiments were located. The original cannons are there too. The battlements that the soldiers built still stand. The site of surrender negotiations of Cornwallis to Washington and the start of our nation is here.
Colonial Beach
We have now moved to Colonial Beach, Va. We are camping in an RV and move to different campgrounds as we get to see our country. We use Thousand Trails and Escapees’ as well as the National Park Service, National Forest, Corp of Engineers and State Parks,.
The reason for this trip is to seem my Step-mother who is 88 years old, I do not get to see her often. She lives in Townsend , Md. This is the closest we could find within our budget.
The Capitol
I have been to Washington , D.C. before and I have seen the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and part of the Smithsonian, and the Washington Monument. I have driven by the Capitol Bldg, The Supreme Court and the White House before, but I have never been inside the Capitol.
I had contacted Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford’s office, as I do support her, to get tickets to see different landmarks. Unfortunately, we did not get all the tickets I had hoped for, one needs to plan very, very far in advance. I highly recommend that anyone who want to see Washington contact either their House or Senate representatives their offices give great tours.
I like being an American, we have our problems and we are definitely not perfect. But I do think we have a great country. When I travel internationally I do not hide that I’m American even where it might not be so happily received. I’m so silly, but I did get a ‘rush’ being in the Capitol. It was emotional, here I was where our laws have been made for so many years. So many famous people have helped formed who we are today. I would like to see things done differently in Washington and I do think our representatives need a wake up call but still this is our country.
We were fortunate to get a tour of the Capitol building. It was a two hour tour that I wish had been longer and slower. There is so much to see in the Capitol building by itself. All the different statues representing the different states, who knew? Why were they important to the different states other then Arizonans‘. Heck we learned of one person, I forgot his name, but his wife started the Arizona Inn located in Tucson,
who I had never heard before. I was born in N.Y. my husband in N.J. I don’t know who the people were that were honored by those states. Two hours was just not enough! Lol
We ate lunch at the Capitols cafeteria. The food was good and not too expensive. I talked to a lobbyist, didn’t learn much from him. I also, talked to a young woman, a lawyer who graduated from Georgetown University. She was working for a Congressman, forgot his name, on the medical issues. She passed the bar for Florida, her husband was up here so she moved back and she did not want to take another bar exam. She told me her Dad had graduated from Harvard and how he had had a great law career. As if Georgetown was not a prestigious school.,Lol Here she was working on something so important for all of us and had, in my opinion, forgotten she was doing something important, and that her education helped her with this job.
The young man who took us on our tour, attended the University of Arizona, he also was doing research on the Medical bill.. I think they ‘forget’ how important their research is, even though they ‘know’ it is important.
I think our lives have gotten so complicated and we want easy answers and there are none. The talking heads don’t help either.
The House gift shop is cheaper then the Capitol gift shops, but no souvenirs’ bought here.
We did go across the street and was able to see the movie about the Supreme Court. I think this movie should be distributed to every school in the nation.
We ran out of time and were not able to ‘go thru’ the building. We did see Sandra Day O’Connors robes! As they are just outside of the theater. She is from Arizona and the first woman on the bench. I wish I could talk to the justices and ask why they gave corporations the same rights as individuals! Just don’t understand that one at all. I understand there is a justice who travels in an RV wouldn’t that be a hoot to meet up with him!
Alexandria, Va.
On our way into the Capitol, we got the Metro train from Alexandria. Across from the train station was a tribute to George Washington from the Masons. I didn’t know it existed. We thought we’d be going thru again and get to see it but that did not happen . I did look at it on line and it looks very interesting. Hopefully we will get out here again and we get to visit.
George Washington Birthplace
A mile and a half from where we are staying is George Washington’s Birthplace, again run by the National Park Service.
Washington was born in a middle-sized plantation along the banks of Popes Creek, Va. His great-great grandfather came to America in 1657. I had no idea how long the Washington’s had been here. His family had served in the House of Burgess, been sheriff and lawyers. During these early years of our country a ’man of honor’ was expected to perform under public scrutiny. Fame and glory were virtues.
In the 1930’s a replica of a house of the time was erected here. The original house burned down in 1779, the foundation is outlined in oyster shells. The park service has created a colonial farm to give us an idea of what it was to live on a farm of the day.
George actually grew up on Ferry Farm, across the Rappahannock river from Fredericksburg, Va., which currently has a lot of archeological digs going on. We did not stop there but saw it from the road. He did spend a lot of time at Popes Creek.
Fredericksburg
We had heard that Fredericksburg was a quaint town. We drove into it to check on the train to Washington. We had no idea of its history!
Here we learned of the Civil War. On our drive east we had seen Confederate Cemeteries and memorials and the Confederate flag fly all over the place and wondered WHY. I never remembered Union cemeteries in the north or constant reminders of the war. Why did the south still have such strong feelings?
It is here that we learned how important good leadership for the military is. Not that we did not know, but here we saw! And were taught by a National Park Ranger, a young woman who calls herself a misfit! Like the misfits of this battle. She brought this whole battle to life. She was knowledgeable and engaged..
She explained how the Emancipation Proclamation was to become law within the next month and that Lincoln needed some winning battles so the Europeans would not do business with the South. She told us of his changing Generals and his ‘wish’ for a win. How this all intertwined into a terrible battle. How the soldiers of one state would not help the soldiers of another state even thought they were on the same side, how bad command let soldiers ‘rape a city..’
We walked on the Sunken road, where the Confederate Soldiers stood 4 deep and the Union Soldiers trying to take Maryes Hill, a divisionary battle lost 8,000 men. How 1 man, a man of 18, I believe his name was Kirkwood, went out that night and gave comfort to his enemy by giving them water as they died. History teachers could learn a lot from her and our young from Kirkwood.
More then 15,000 Union Soldiers are buried at the National Cemetery, Confederate soldiers are buried in Confederate Cemeteries
In this area the National Park Service and private parties have preserved as best they can Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Old Salem Church, Chatham, the National Cemetery the spot where Stonewall Jackson was shot, the Confederate battlements, cannons the woods and battlefields themselves. It is a radius of 17 miles!
Put this area on a must see list!
Naval Academy
It was way too hot and humid for us to walk around the Naval Academy. From what we did see it looks like a nice campus.
But I can say now that I have seen all 3 of our military academies!
Annapolis is a small town with tiny streets! Parking is an issue. Ego alley where some pretty nice ‘boats’ parade says a lot.
Sherando Lake, Va.
Nestled in the George Washington National Forest is Sherando Lake. This was built by the CCC in the 1930’s . It is a lovely campground (cg) with two lakes. Here we have no phone or internet service. Electic is available at sites but no water or sewer, so we are roughing it. Lol …It is an extremely clean cg. And space between campsites make it lovely. The facilites are clean and modern. It is close to Charlotesville and the Univ. of Va.
My father-in-law worked for the CCC in the Moristown area of N.J. He used what he learned about trees in his yard. I have seen other cg worked on by the CCC in Colorado this has been the nicest. I think the CCC would be a good thing to reintroduce. It was used to teach young men to read and write and public service. We could probably use that again . Maybe we could teach, engineering, electricians, water convervation and administration to our young who are without jobs and are not college people. I think our elected officials should really rethink this. Could not TARP monies be spent here. Then these people could help in rebuilding our roads and bridges and our infrastructure would all be better off.
The Forest Service does utilize some of us older citizens as volunteers in the parks to help maintain them, young muscle would be good too.!
On our way here we passed James Madison’s Montpelier, about 30 miles from our destination. It is run by a private organization, this is their website www.montpelier.org. James Madison the fourth President of the U.S. , Father of the Constitution developed it here. We had decided to see Thomas Jeffersons Montcello so we did not stop here. I understand that restoration has been done and the organization that runs it is now looking for house furnishings that would have been there in the day. Maybe the next time we come to this area we can see this house. I would like to know more about Dolley, she who saved Washington’s portrait in the War of 1812.
Staunton, Va.
During our travels we talk to other campers, we had been told to see Staunton.
Staunton is located in the Shenandoah Valley.
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