Concord, Massachusetts

 

 

 

The Old Manse, Concord, Massachusetts

 

 

 

You can really feel the life of this place. I went focusing more on the history, but left loving the literature and people of its day. My favorite detail was all of the little verses inscribed into the glass of the windows by Nathanial Hawethorne and his wife. Some of them are painfully tender, such as the one put there after Sophia's miscarriage. Definitely a "must see."

Masonic Temple, Salt Lake City

 

 

 

 

The Salt Lake City Masonic Temple is located along South Temple. It was completed in 1927. The building consists of several lounges, Great and Lesser Halls, a Banquet Room, Auditorium, four Lodge rooms, and administrative offices. Each room is adorned uniquely with architectural influences from Renaissance Italy, Colonial Virginia, Egyptian Temples, 14th Century English Courts, and Moorish Spain. The plans for the Temple began in the fall of 1920 when a small group of Salt Lake Freemasons met to discuss the feasibility of erecting a new Masonic Temple in the city. By 1925 the land had been purchased, and the details of interior furnishings were in the process of finalization. Re-dedicated in a public ceremony during the 2002 Olympics, free public tours of the Temple are availabe.

Old South Meeting Hall, Boston

 

 

 

Since the 1773 mass protest meetings that led to the Boston Tea Party, Old South Meeting House has served as a gathering place for discussion and celebration and a haven for free speech.

Check Out the Shows at Lagoon

 

 

 

 

If you just go to Lagoon for the rides, you're missing out. This summer we were there during a parrot show from Las Vegas. The music before the show was so much fun that the kids had to get down and dance. The parrots were incredible. So, slow down and grab a show!

Washington Crossing Historic Park, Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

The park is headquartered in the village of Washington Crossing located in Upper Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It marks the location of where George Washington crossed the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War.

The park includes 13 historic buildings including McConkey's Ferry Inn, where General George Washington and his aides ate dinner and made plans prior to the crossing. Among the historic buildings is a 20th-century barn that houses several replica Durham Boats. Durham boats were large, open boats that were used to transport pig iron along the Delaware River at the time of the Revolution and these boats, along with others, were used to transport soldiers, horses, and equipment across the river on the night of December 25, 1776. The replica boats are used each Christmas when the famous crossing is re-enacted in the park.

Located in the park's northern section is the 100-acre (0.4 km²) Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and Bowman's Hill Tower, the Thompson-Neely house, which was used as a military hospital during Washington's encampment in the area, and the graves of an estimated 40 to 60 soldiers who died there. The exact location of the graves is unknown, though they were partially unearthed during the construction of the nearby Delaware Canal in the early 19th century and during other nearby construction projects. Presently there are memorial headstones as a reminder that the area is a gravesite.

Concord, Massachusetts

 

 

Pinkerton Hot Springs, Colorado

 

Lexington, Massachusetts

 

 

 

On April 19, 1775, Lexington was the location of the first battle of the American Revolutionary War. Shots were fired from the Battle Green and the nearby Buckman Tavern. No one knows from where the first shot was fired, or by whom. From there the British marched on toward Concord. The battle in Lexington allowed the Concord militia time to organize at the Old North Bridge, where they were able to turn back the British and prevent them from capturing and destroying the militia's arms stores.

West Point

The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key role in the Revolutionary War. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, 50 miles north of New York City. The large chains that you see were actually strung across the Hudson River to stop the British from coming any further up in their ships. Amazing! I was in awe of the size and power of the Hudson; it was immense.

Waldon Pond, Massachusetts

 

 

 

 

Henry David Thoreau lived at Walden Pond from July 1845 to September 1847. His experience at Walden provided the material for the book Walden, which is credited with helping to inspire awareness and respect for the natural environment. Because of Thoreau's legacy, Walden Pond has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is considered the birthplace of the conservation movement.

The reproduction of his cabin looks just as I had it pictured in my mind from reading Walden. When they say pond in Massachusetts, we would say lake in Utah. It is larger than expected, though from reading his descriptions, I should have known it was larger than what I consider a pond. It is a beautiful place, though not as serene as it was in Thoreau's time.

West Point, New York

 

 

 

 

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, it is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. I loved their beautiful chapel. The soldiers were actually visitors from Kazakstan.