Right in the center of New Hope is a conspicuous and lovely stone mansion — clearly an old building (and therefore, incredibly interesting to me!). We were visiting Bucks County and staying across the street in the Logan Inn, so I was excited when I realized that the Benjamin Parry Mansion was open to the […]
historic houses
Chasing the Fox and Hounds at Ladew Topiary Gardens
Harvey Ladew loved hunting, and while visiting England in the 1920s, he became fascinated with the art of topiary. The hunt scene combines his love of the foxhunt as well as his gardening hobby. As traveler, artist, fox hunter and creator of an amazing garden, Harvey Ladew filled the nearly 90 years of his life […]
The Battle That Saved D.C.
True confession: Not only had I grown up in Frederick, MD, without ever going to see the Monocacy National Battlefield Park, which is a scant 9 miles south of Frederick, but I’d grown up without even knowing it had taken place. To be fair to the local school system, I’m an Army brat, and had […]
Washington’s Crossing
Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, 1851. Washington’s Crossing State Park, in Buck’s County, PA, is a park in two parts — one where the crossing itself occurred, and another part — just as, if not even more interesting, just up the road. The park commemorates the famous Crossing as the turning point of the American Revolution. […]
A Few More Sailor’s Creeks…
“….a few more Sailor’s Creeks and it will all be over.” — Confederate General Lee to President Jefferson Davis, April 6, 1865 The Sailors Creek Battles occurred after the fall of Richmond and Petersburg, on April 6 1865. Following the fall of Richmond and Petersburg, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s primary objective was to get his army […]
The Doctor Mudd House
Dr. Samuel Mudd was a lucky man: he missed swinging on the gallows by one jury vote, although he was sent to Fort Jefferson, in the Dry Tortugas, for over 3 years. The jury pivoted on a key fact: whether he knew the man he treated that dark and stormy night in April was John […]
Day Trip on a Budget: Checking Out an Historic Mansion in a State Park
If you’re trying to day trip on a budget, your best bet is to check out the state parks. Nominal entrance fees — even if you’re from out of state — make these a great go-to resource for anyone watching their bottom line. One of my favorite day trips was to Susquehanna State Park. I […]
Mary Surratt: Guilty as Charged? Or Innocent?
You don’t have to be a history buff to be interested in exploring some of the places that figure in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. If you haven’t traveled down to Washington DC to see Fords Theater and the little house across the street where Lincoln died, you really should try to do […]
Living History at Lander Lock House
From 1828-1924 the C&O Canal functioned as a transportation route for goods and passengers on the 184.5 mile route from Cumberland, MD to Washington, D.C. Now it’s a great day trip destination for millions of people each year. They come to bike or hike along the canal while enjoying the beauty of the Potomac River. Locks, lock houses, such as […]
Six Historic House Museums You Should Visit!
If you’re looking for great daytrip destinations as winter slowly turns into spring, consider visiting a house museum! Here are six of my area favorites! 6. Bushong Farm (New Market (VA) National Historic Battlefield)Although not the largest house museum, this one is interesting. Sitting in the middle of the national battlefield, it depicts a farm […]
Little Remembered Battle of Cedar Creek Helped End Civil War
I am constantly amazed at how little I know of several important battles. I must have slept during U.S. history class — a fact that makes me sad now. Although in my defense, my teacher’s loyalties still remained with the Lost Cause, so perhaps I can be excused from not knowing much about battles where […]
Beautiful Ruins, Beautifully Preserved
On a hilltop overlooking the Patapsco River Valley, stabilized ruins sit serenely in a park just above Ellicott City. I’ve known vaguely that these are the former Patapsco Female Institute, which was founded in 1837 as an elegant finishing school for young women. Despite living in Ellicott City for almost two decades now, only recently […]
My Top 5 Winter Day Trips
Periodically (i.e., whenever the whim strikes me, I’ll post my top picks. This another in the series of the My Top Picks posts. Links to the original posts will be embedded in the text. Let me know what you think of this new blog feature! 5. Snowtubing, of course!There are lots of places to go, […]
Shriver House Museum: The War Through the Eyes of a Family
I’m fascinated by the civilian experience that I learned about at this house museum because I believe my ancestors, who lived on a farm not that far away, may have had similar experiences, although their farm didn’t border a battle field. Like the Shrivers, my ancestors were immigrants from Germany. Like the Shrivers, the man […]
Getting to Know the Town of Gettysburg
This is part one of a five-part series over the next 2 months focusing on Gettysburg, PA as a great day trip destination. There is so much to do there — from strolling around the quaint town itself and eating at one of the taverns or cafes to touring the battlefields. My friend and I […]