Furnace Town is a living heritage “outdoor” museum in the Pocomoke Forest, believed to be the “most haunted forest” in Maryland. On the grounds of the living museum are a collection of restored historic buildings and the remains of the old iron furnace. Although the buildings were not original to the site, paranormal activity has […]
Year: 2018
Bloody Knox and Clearfield Historical Society Museum
Clearfield County offers visitors and residents alike sites of historical interest, such as the Bloody Knox Cabin, an unexpected tidbit of Civil War history, and the Clearfield Historical Society Museum, which sheds light on the regions coal mining and timber industries, as well as what life was like for women in the area. Bloody Knox […]
Annapolis’ Hidden History
In Annapolis (as elsewhere), slaves usually weren’t sold out in public, but rather through word of mouth, often the transactions took place in the back of taverns such as this one. Annapolis, with its narrow, streets with historic houses overlooking the water; its interesting boutiques and restaurants, and the Maryland Capitol building is a great […]
The Underground Railroad in Caroline County, MD
I started exploring the Underground Railroad last year, inspired by the opening of the new Harriet Tubman Visitor’s Center in March 2017. This year, I followed the UGRR further north, into Caroline County. Whether you see it in a day or over a few years, it’s worth exploring the Harriet Tubman Byway to gain a […]
All Aboard! the Depot at Doolittles
To paraphrase Paul Simon, there’s something about a train … that’s very romantic and nostalgic and hopeful. There’s a place in Clearfield County, PA not far off Rt 80, that offers all the romance and nostalgia anyone could desire! Five restaurants, one location, and each one of those restaurants in a very cool historic railroad […]
Bucktown General Store
Born in Maryland in 1820, Harriet Tubman escaped slavery in 1849 to become a leading abolitionist. She led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. To understand Harriet Tubman, you must first understand her first act of defiance, when she was still a child. Just minutes from The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad […]
Governor Ross Mansion Brings You Back in History
The Gov. Ross Mansion was built in the 1850s by William Henry Harrison Ross for himself and his family. Ross served as the Democratic Governor of Delaware from 1851 to 1855. Extremely popular with the white community, he brought the railroad into Southern Delaware, and indeed, right past his own property. Trains running daily to […]
Go Fly a Kite
Kites, patriotic monuments, the National Mall, and a festival — what more could I ask? Or anyone? Or any kid? “It’s been a family tradition to come to the kite festival since my son was a baby,” Angie Williams said. How old is her son now? Twelve years old. “It’s a favorite thing to do.” […]
Soaring at Eagle Rock
The Appalachian Trail, and offshoots from it, offer many opportunities for incredible views. Many of the shorter trails make great, there-and-back day hikes, such as the hike to Eagle Rock, in Frederick County, near Winchester, VA. Eagle Rock has some of the best vistas in the Great North Mountain range, and can be accessed via […]
Biking the Butler – Freeport Rail Trail
On the southeastern side of Butler County, about an hour northeast of Pittsburgh, is a delightful bike trail, the Butler – Freeport Community Trail, which runs 20 miles through a scenic wooded valley, along the corridor of the diverse Buffalo Creek Watershed. In fact, in several sections, the trail parallels Little Buffalo Creek to Buffalo […]
Schuylkill River Paddle!
So ready for warmer weather and kayaking season again! On a warm Saturday last fall, we started our exploration of the Schuylkill River, near Landingville, PA, down to the basin created by the Auburn Dam. Because of a dam constructed to catch coal mine silt in the late 1940s — part of the effort to […]
Chasing Patty Cannon
March is Women’s History Month, an excellent time to share the story of one of the mid-Atlantic region’s remarkable although monstrous women. If you’ve ever traveled on the Delmarva peninsula and wondered about those historical markers about Patty Cannon or the Cannon Gang, this post is for you! The Nanticoke River, at Woodland Ferry (formerly […]
Enjoy the Countryside, Drink Some Wine!
Beginning in March, I started a series of posts about Clearfield County, PA. This is the second of the series. To see others in this series, click on the label “Clearfield County” at the bottom of this post Central PA usually raises visions of coal mines, lumber operations, or simply (and more positively) as elk […]
Murals of Chesapeake Country
All too frequently, folks drive right through Cambridge without recognizing its rich history and everything Cambridge and Dorchester County have to offer as a day trip destination it their own right. I’ve blogged about the region before The murals highlight Dorchester County’s culture and history and were inspired by James Michener’s famous novel, Chesapeake. Created […]
Amazing Nature at Bilgers Rocks
I’m always game for interesting rock formations and outcroppings, so when I learned about Bilgers Rocks, I knew it had to be on my visit list. The World Is Looking to US, carved in 1921 just after WWI, the “War to End all Wars” Bilger’s Rocks is a massive, 300 million year old rock formation […]