Because all but one of these sites are in Maryland. I am challenging myself over the next year to find some good daytrips to ruins or ghost towns OUTSIDE of Maryland! By the way, I don’t do breaking and entering, so I’m not into sneaking into abandoned asylums or hospitals. If it’s fenced off and posted […]
Whether Natural Chimneys Or Cyclopean Towers, Still Awe-Inspiring
Natural Chimneys, limestone rock formations standing an impressive 120 feet above the ground, have intrigued our imaginations for centuries. Thus on a recent visit to Harrisonburg, VA, I traveled some 15 miles southwest of the home of James Madison University to visit the regional park where Natural Chimneys is located. I prefer an old, 1800s […]
The Field of Lost Shoes
New Market Battlefield State Historical Park is a historic American Civil War battlefield and national historic district located near New Market, VA, in Shenandoah County. The park is also the site of the Virginia Museum of the Civil War, which is operated by the Virginia Military Institute. Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant designed a “grand strategy” to […]
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 […]
A Return Visit to Bombay Hook
I have yet to find a bad month to visit Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, but I’m setting a new goal to go more often this year, maybe even every month, and share the photos and notes with the blog. There are always interesting things to notice — the birds and different species. Bombay Hook […]
Romance on the Rails
My husband suggested a romantic evening on Saturday, 13 February. He started describing the evening. He had me at “train ride.” But it kept getting better and better. A four-course, romantic meal in one of Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s restored dining cars, a complimentary bottle of wine, and a kidless evening out… We arrived in […]
Great Lakes Lighthouses and Why Michigan Is So Great About Its Lighthouses
This is the last of five posts about our late summer trip to Mackinaw City and Michigan’s upper peninsula; we visited the area after bringing my son up to college in Michigan. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse was built in 1892 in the same northern park that was originally allotted for its construction. This lighthouse would […]
Mackinac Island
This is the fourth of five posts about our late summer trip to Mackinaw City and Michigan’s upper peninsula; we visited the area after bringing my son up to college in Michigan. The Victorian Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. After exploring Mackinaw City, we wanted to go over to St Ignace to explore it too. […]
Two Lakes, a Bridge, a Fort, and a Park
Focusing on Mackinaw City, MI, this is the third of five posts about our late summer trip to Mackinaw City and Michigan’s upper peninsula; we visited the area after bringing my son up to college in Michigan. If you drive to the top of Michigan’s lower peninsula, you will arrive at Mackinaw City, which lies […]
Marsh of the Blueberries and More to See in Michigan’s UP
This is the second of five posts about our late summer trip to Mackinaw City and Michigan’s upper peninsula; we visited the area after bringing my son up to college in Michigan. We were impressed with how much there is to see and do in Michigan’s upper peninsula and just how lovely it is. What […]
The Ghost Ships of Lake Superior
This week we depart the Mid-Atlantic states for a brief journey across Michigan, which brought us all the way up to Lake Superior to see shipwrecks underwater, back down to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island — a magical place — and then down the coast of Lake Huron to visit a few lighthouses. This post […]
Out Foxed at Island Beach State Park
A colleague, upon reading several of my blogs, suggested I check out Island Beach State Park. Island Beach is currently one of the most popular state parks in New Jersey and attracts approximately one million visitors every year. With beautiful, pristine beaches, I was surprised when he suggested that winter is a great time to […]
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 […]
The Lost Post
C&O Canal Between Monocacy Aqueduct and Catoctin Creek Aqueduct I call this the lost post because I had this article almost completely written — I was just feeding in the photos, when my beagle, Meeko, sat his big fat hairy butt on my little laptop and butt-erased most of the post. I was more sad and […]