Historic Sites – Page 9 – Wandering Dawgs

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – California

January 12, 2017July 7, 2017Posted in California, Historic Sites, Lighthouse, National Parks, Nature, RVing, Wandering around AmericaTagged Cabrillo National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Redwoods National Park, Sequoia National Park, USS Midway, Yosemite National Park14 Comments

State 5:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride! I will be featuring the states alphabetically and next up is

California

California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850. The capital is Sacramento. California is the most populous state and the third largest in area.

In 2007 we spent three weeks exploring California. It wasn’t nearly enough time to see the whole state but the Pacific Ocean, giant trees, five national parks, San Diego and everything else were all spectacular.

Our first views of California were along the Pacific Coast Highway as we drove south from Oregon. Gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean, Redwood National Park, and the beautiful vineyards were a few of the things we enjoyed in northern California.

Along the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California

Lighthouse near Crescent City, California

Pacific Ocean in Northern California

Pacific Ocean in Northern Califoronia

Redwoods National Park

We were tiny beside the Big Tree, Redwoods National Park, California

Redwood National Park, California

Elk Meadow in Redwoods National Park

Redwood National Park, California

One of the many vineyards in the California wine country

Our home base for exploring Yosemite National Park was the Wawona Campground inside the national park. We drove through Yosemite Valley, took a few short hikes, made the the drive to Glacier Point, had a delicious lunch at the Ahwahnee Hotel, and felt small as we walked through the Mariposa Grove of Sequoias.

Yosemite Falls

We took the trail to Lower Yosemite Falls

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View Overlook

Overhanging Rock with Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park

El Capitan

Dining Room at the Ahwahnee Hotel

Mariposa Grove of Sequoias in Yosemite National Park

There were many more of the magnificent giant trees in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. We even spotted a bear in one of the meadows.

Sequoia National Park, California

General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park

Bear in Sequoia National Park

Kings Canyon National Park, California

After all that sightseeing we decided to take a couple of days to relax in a resort near Palm Springs and spent a day wandering through Joshua Tree National Park.

In the Mojave Desert

Joshua Tree National Park

Scull Rock in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

An oasis in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree National Park

Our final stop was San Diego where we toured Cabrillo National Monument and the USS Midway. Our Labrador Retriever Blondie was in heaven when we took her to the dog beach near Coronado. As we drove east from San Diego we passed by the Imperial Sand Dunes and the Chocolate Mountains.

Cabrillo National Monument, California.

Point-Loma in Cabrillo National Monument, CA

Point-Loma in Cabrillo National Monument

Point Loma

USS Midway in San Diego

Dog Beach in Coronado

Imperial Sand Dunes

Chocolate Mountains and Saguaro Cactus

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Arkansas

January 10, 2017July 11, 2017Posted in Arkansas, Historic Sites, National Parks, RVing, Wandering around AmericaTagged America the Beautiful, Fort Smith, Hot Springs National Park, Lake Chicot, Little Rock, Maumelle Campground, Mississippi River, Mississippi River State Park, Tom Sawyer RV Park13 Comments

State 4:

Arkansas

Arkansas became the 28th state on June 15, 1836. The capital is Little Rock.

When I was in elementary school my family lived on an Air Force base in northeastern Arkansas for four years. I remember there were cotton fields as far as the eye could see outside of the base.

Henry and I have traveled through Arkansas on several of our cross country trips and we have have made it a destination more than once. The Ozark Mountains, Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock, and several places on or near the Mississippi River were some of the places we enjoyed visiting.

We strolled along Bath House Row and the Grand Promenade at Hot Springs National Park. A relaxing day in one of the original bath houses was a real treat for me.

Hot Springs

The Grand Promenade in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Fordyce Bath House on Bath House Row in Hot Springs

Quapaw Baths on Bath House Row in Hot Springs

The magnolias were blooming in Hot Springs

At Fort Smith National Historic Site we toured the federal courthouse used by Judge Isaac C. Parker in the late 1800’s.

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Federal Courthousue at Fort Smith National Historic Site

The Gallows at Fort Smith National Historic Site

We loved watching the barges going by on the Mississippi River from our campsite at Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Sunrise over the Mississippi River at Tom Sawyer RV Park

We watched the barges go down the Mississippi River from our site at Tom Sawyer RV Park

Some of the barges were small

Another small barge on the Mississippi

Maumelle Campground on the Arkansas River was a great home base for attending a Georgia – Arkansas football game in Little Rock and for taking a day trip to Petit Jean Sate Park.

Ducks on the Arkansas river

Tailgating on a golf course next to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock

Blondie and Henry at Petit Jean State Park

Canyon Overlook at Petit Jean State Park

We enjoyed the scenic drives around Mississippi River State Park and Lake Chicot State Park so much that we made two trips to each park.

Bear Creek Lake in Mississippi River State Park

Great Blue Heron at Bear Creek Lake

Cypress trees at Lake Chicot

Cotton is the number one crop in the Arkansas Delta

Egret on the fishing dock

Delta Cultural Center Depot in Helena, Arkansas

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama Alaska Arizona

Happy Independence Day!

July 4, 2016July 4, 2016Posted in Georgia, Historic Sites, LighthouseTagged American Flag, Fourth of July, Independence Day, July 4th, Tybee Island Light Station10 Comments

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

The Tybee Island Light Station displays the American Flag in celebration of Independence Day

Way Down Upon the Suwanee River

March 30, 2016January 6, 2018Posted in Florida, Historic Sites, RVing, State ParksTagged Big Shoals, Carrillon, Flowering Dogwood, geocaching, Live Oaks, Old Folks at Home, Stephen Foster, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, Telford Hotel, White Springs13 Comments

Way down upon de Swanee Ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere’s wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere’s wha de old folks stay

Florida State Song, “Old Folks at Home” by Stephen Foster, 1851

Carillon at Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center

One our favorite Florida State Parks, we have camped here numerous times through the years. Located on the banks of the Suwanee River, the park is named for American compser Stephen Foster and features a museum with exhibits about some of his most famous songs, a 97-bell carillon, a craft square with demonstrations and a gift shop, and a historic Spring House which once brought many tourists into the town of White Springs.

The Stephen Foster Museum houses many exhibits including several dioramas representing some of his most famous songs. Two of his songs have been adapted as state songs – “Old Folks at Home” is the state song of Florida, and “My Old Kentucky Home” is the state song of Kentucky. You may recognize some of his other songs such as “Oh! Susanna”, “Beautiful Dreamer” and “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair.”

According to The Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh, “Old Folks at Home” was written for a minstrel show and became the most popular song ever published at that time. Stephen Foster was never in Florida and never saw the Suwanee River. In his original draft of the song he used the name Pedee River but later changed it to Suwanee.

Diorama of "Old Folks at Home" — Diorama of “Old Folks at Home”

The road through the state park winds around the museum and carillon with ancient Live Oak trees covered with Spanish Moss all through the park. The campground is surrounded by pine forest with miles of hiking and biking trails. We love hearing the bells of the Carillon as it chimes on the quarter hour and plays Stephen Foster’s music throughout the day.

On the banks of the Suwanee River sits a Spring House which brought many tourists into the town of White Springs in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. An interpretive sign at the spring house calls it “Florida’s Original Tourist Destination”. The waters from the sulphur springs were thought to have healing powers and people flocked to the town of White Springs for the cure.

Florida's Original Tourist Destination — Florida’s Original Tourist Destination

Cypress Trees on the banks of the Suwanee River

Azaleas blooming in White Springs, Florida

Spring flowers were blooming all around the park and in the town of White Springs.

Flowering Dogwood in White Springs, Florida

We drove to nearby Big Shoals State Park do a little geocaching and to hike along the Suwanee River. Our destination was an overlook on a bluff high above the Suwanee River to see Florida’s only Class III White Water Rapids.

Big Shoals Trail along the Suwanee River

Henry found the geocache and when he opened the container he found this little critter inside.

Several years ago during one of our stays at the park we had a delightful lunch at the historic Telford Hotel in White Springs. In one room of the hotel were old hotel registers with signatures of some of the famous visitors to the hotel including Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft in 1913. I dug out this photo of the register I took that day and you can see their signatures are the last ones on the page.

Telford Hotel Registery from 1913 — Telford Hotel Register from 1913

Sadly, the hotel is now closed and the building for sale.

My review of Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park can be found on Campendium.

National Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse

March 14, 2016October 2, 2017Posted in Florida, Historic Sites, LighthouseTagged Blue Angels, National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola Lighthouse, United States Navy10 Comments

From the top of the walls of Fort Pickens we could look across Pensacola Bay and see the Pensacola Lighthouse. To get there by roads, we had to drive about 45 miles, crossing bridges and driving through downtown Pensacola before arriving at the Naval Air Station Pensacola where the museum and lighthouse are located.

National Naval Aviation Museum

The National Naval Aviation Museum is one of the world’s largest aviation museums and has been rated by TripAdvisor as the number 12 museum in the United States. The history of U.S. Naval aviation comes alive with more than150 beautifully restored aircraft hanging from the ceiling and on display on the floor for close inspection. In addition to the aircraft there are exhibits including an Apollo Space exhibit, models of air craft carriers, flight simulators, an IMAX theater, and the Blue Angel 4D experience (great fun!).

National Museum of Naval Aviation — National Naval Aviation Museum

Pensacola Lighthouse

Across the road from the museum is the Pensacola Lighthouse. The lighthouse is still in use as an aid to navigation. We had planned on climbing the 177 steps to the top but the tower was closed for renovations the day we visited. We wandered around the grounds and visited the keeper’s cottage before walking across a boardwalk to the beach for a look back at the lighthouse.