Stretching across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, the Shenandoah Valley is home to Skyline Drive, The Blue Ridge Parkway and the world famous Appalachian Trail.
Arline & Cody on the Appalachian Trail
101 miles of the 2,180+ miles of the trail passes through the park, and we hiked a very small portion, but enough to say we hiked the Appalachian trial! We just missed the peak of the fall color but it was still a thrill to look out over the Shenandoah Valley from Skyline Drive’s many scenic turn-outs.
Shenandoah Valley also played an important role in the Civil War as it was through the valley that General Lee lead his troops into Pennsylvania which ended at Gettysburg.
We stayed at a campground not far from Shenandoah NP in Waynesboro, Va. The town itself was basically a four-way stop sign. It did have a diesel shop where I got the truck lubed and tires rotated. The “check engine” light came on and it was the same glow plug that I had replaced in Pigeon Forge. I learned how to change these plugs myself!
Refered to as “America’s Historic Triangle”, Colonial Williamsburg, where Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and others fashioned what was to become the Declaration of Independence is the center of the area with Jamestown, America’s first and oldest permanent settlement just a short drive away and historic Yorktown, the site of the final and decisive battle of the Revolutionary War on the banks of the York River not far up the road.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Colonial Williamsburg has a number of colonial era buildings surprisingly good shape. The Governor’s Palace, Capitol Building, the Courthouse and other buildings, some historic, and others of more recent origins make up a quaint colonial village. We walked the streets and looked into the historic sites and of course “cute little stores”. There were parades complete with drums and fife as the colonial troops marched down the Palace Green. There was an auction conducted by “locals” in period costumes in Market Square where you could bid on different items from the general store. Arline wanted a lantern but we didn’t hang around long enough for it to come up on the block.
Yorktown is a mix of history. First, it is the site where the British forces under General Cornwallis surrendered and ended
Yorktown Victory Monument Oct. 29, 1781
the Revolutionary War in 1781. We toured Augustine Moore’s house where the surrender negotiations took place and a Docent was there and gave us the history of the house and the role it played in the war.
Second, Yorktown came under siege again in 1862 when Gen. George McClellan began his campaign to capture Richmond. The Confederates defending Yorktown actually use the remains of the defenses built by the British in 1781. The actual town of Yorktown was quite limited to the area around the waterfront of the York River.
We thought Jamestown was the most interesting of the three. We didn’t spend much time at the newer “colonial” Jamestown but found the historic, original, Jamestown settlement, which was the first permanent settlement in the New World dating back to 1602. This area is more of an archeological site than a historical exhibit. While looking at one of the “dig sites” a man standing there asked me if I knew what I was looking at? There was a sign explaining the area but I said “not really”. He
Original church 1608
introduced himself and was actually one of the archeologists that has been working on this site for the past ten years. He told us what they had found and the explained what the excavations have revealed over the years. We were able to put together a good picture of what the settlement looked like 414 years ago. We saw the site within the partially excavated church where John Rolfe married
Ruins of Ambler House in Jamestown
Pocahontas in 1614. Rolfe was credited with starting the tobacco industry in Virginia which became a sustaining economic factor in the success of the region.
For the Bob Newhart fans out there here is a link to his skit titled Sir Walter Raleigh It’s a telephone conversation with the queen about his “tobacco” discovery in the New World. This is a real funny monolog from his early career.
There was just too much to see in Washington D.C.! That’s just a fact; but we gave it a good try. We planned to be there four days, arrive on Saturday, and leave on Wednesday. We arrived Saturday in the early afternoon and discovered that the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception was nearby. It was one of places we planned to visit, so we made plans to attend Mass there that night. Wow! This is the largest Catholic Church in North America, and it is the 10th largest in the world. The dome stands 237 feet from the floor and has a capacity of 10,000. It was started in 1920, opened in 1959 and completed in 1961. This was truly an experience.
Our campground was a short 10 minute drive to the subway station, and they even had a bus stop right in the campground. On Sunday, we headed out for our first day in D.C. We got off the subway in front of the Navy Memorial and offices, crossed Philadelphia Blvd. and were standing in front of the National Archives.
Subway Station
This is where the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Constitution, and other documents are displayed.
After going through security, we entered a rotunda that was dimly lit with display cases forming a half circle in front of us. In these cases were the documents mentioned above.It was amazed standing in front of a somewhat faded, yellowing document with the words “We the People” at the top. The Constitution was just as inspiring.
Since time was limited and we wanted to see as many of the museums as we could, we moved along and started with American History Museum. Parts of the museum were closed in preparation for new exhibits and many exhibits are out on loan to other museums, we were told. Since it was getting to be later in the afternoon, we decided we would get a bite to eat in the museum cafeteria. It was past the lunch hour and must of the cafeteria was closed except for the grill. Arline had a hot dog, and I had some rubbery chicken strips.We both agreed it was probably the worst food we’ve had in a while, and to add insult to injury it cost $28. Yep, ripped off by Washington again, but hey, the museums are free! After lunch we headed across the mall to the Holocaust Museum.
“work will make you free” Holocaust Museum
This was certainly a very sobering presentation of Hitler’s development of the “final solution” and the resulting holocaust. The museum has three stories and provides a self guided presentation which includes artifacts, film footage, photographs, and eyewitness accounts highlighting individuals. It was a very moving experience. All because someone thought one race was superior to another. Look around; have we really learned that lesson?
Day two. Back on the subway to the Archives station. This time we’re off to the capital building for a tour.One just happened to be starting when we arrived so we were able to join. We toured the hall of statues – each state contributed one statue to the collection. California’s was Ronald Reagan. We stood in the he rotunda where some of our past dignitaries lay “in state”. There are
Chamber of Statues
actual markings on the floor where the casket is supposed to be placed. It is that precise. Visitors are required to obtain a pass from their representative or senator to visit the house or senate chambers, so were unable to see them. We did see the entrance to Speaker Paul Ryan’s office though. We then walked through a long tunnel to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
and spent some time looking at the exhibits and the “reading floor”. Arline was mesmerized by first edition books such as “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. After leaving the library and passing in front of the Supreme Court building, we headed over to Grand Central Station. That was a destination in for it itself. They sure don’t build them like they used to, high vaulted ceilings, giant columns and arches, almost looked like a gothic church. They had a huge food court there and decided on “Johnny Rockets” for lunch. Not far from there was the U.S. Postal Museum . We saw the world’s first postage stamp, the 1840 Penny Black, as well as a letter mailed aboard the Titanic on her one and only voyage, displays of international stamps and an actual re-creation of a mail train and history of the mail delivery system from the American Revolution to the present. Glad we didn’t miss this one. We didn’t even know it was there. Did you know that my 2x great-uncle was the first postmaster of Las Vegas Nevada?
As we headed back toward the subway station, we stopped to see the Japanese American Memorial which honored the 120,000 Japenese Amercians who were removed from their homes and interred in detention camps during World War II.
Since we planned to be in DC for 4 days, we decided to take the next day off as we were exhausted. We hoofed it for about 7 miles on day two and just needed a break. As we were relaxing and enjoying the day, it dawned on me that our stay there was for 4 nights, not days, and we were scheduled to leave the next day! We hadn’t even seen the White House! We had to scramble around adding an additional night at the current campgroung and calling the next campground to change our reservations. I think I’m getting a little too relaxed on my scheduling.
Day Three. Our first stop of the day was the Jefferson Memorial, then we followed the path along the river to the FDR Memorial, the MLK Memorial, The Korean War Memorial,the Vietnam Memorial, ending at the Lincoln Memorial. It was surreal to stand at the site where King delivered his “I have a dream” speach looking out across the national mall in view of the Washington Memorial and the Captial Building.
Korean War
From there we walked down to Pennsylvania Avenue to see the White House and future residence of Donald Trump.I think he will be downsizing some! Arline noticed the “National Christmas Tree” across Pennsylvainia Ave. in the Commons. She thought it was a puny, scruffy looking tree not worthy of the honor. We were headed back to camp and were told that we could see Ford Theater, Lincoln’s Assassination site along the road to the train station. Unfortunately, we never found it.
Gettysburg Battlefield Resort was our home for the week, and its location was actually part of the battle. While looking for a place to go to mass, Arline was looking online at some of the local attractions in the area and found a real gem. A few miles away was the Saint Elizabeth Seton Shrine. Elizabeth Ann Seton was born in 1774. She established the first Catholic girl’s school in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and also founded the first American Congregation of religious sisters She is the first American to be canonized.. Check out her story and the Shrine at Elizabeth Seton Shrine .
The Basilica was completed in 1965 and was designed as the chapel for the sisters, but once she was beatified, it was decided that the chapel become a National Shrine.
Shrine of St. Elizabeth Seton
Gettysburg is touted as a “must see” tourist destination, and I think that’s true; but after actually seeing and walking the fields that played such an important part in our nations history, I believe it to be more of an “experience” than a “must see”. The Civil War came to the doorstep of the David Wills house. He was a local Gettysburg attorney and it was at his home that Lincoln spent the night and completed the Gettysburg address.The David Wills house is now a museum and we walked through the bedroom where Lincoln spent the night before he gave the address.
THE PARK Gettysburg National Military Park began as a battlefield protection society in August 1863 with the purchase of 600 acres and now encompasses more than 6,000 acres
Confederate Battle line on Semenary Ridge
plus, 4,000 additional acres that are associated with the Battle of Gettysburg. Within the park are 1320 monuments & markers, 410 cannons in their original locations and 148 buildings including the home of David Wills where President Lincoln finished the Gettysburg Address. Attempts are being made to bring some important locations remaining under
private ownership into the parks jurisdiction. One
General Robert E. Lee
such location is the house established Meade’s headquarters during the battle.
THE BATTLE Gettysburg was never considered an important or strategic location by either side. It was by chance that a small northern Calvary unit noticed a sizeable number of Confederate soldiers just west of the town of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 and proceeded to engage them. Lee’s army of about 70,100 troops was moving south through the Shenandoah Valley with the intent of engaging the northern defenses at Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. The army there was understaffed and under supplied and Lee
Gettysburg & the National Cemetary from Little Round Top
thought a victory there would weaken the northern resolve and would bring about a truce. Instead, Lee met the 93,700 troops of the Army of the Potomac, commanded by George G. Meade leading to a bloodbath that included no less than nine engagements over a three day period ending on July 3rd with Pickett’s Charge into the main battle line of the Federal army. During the three days with 163,000 troops engaged, 7,550 were killed outright, 27,400 were wounded 22,000 were left on the battlefield after the retreat and were treated at local churches and homes, 10,500 were missing, including captured and deserters, over 5,000 horses, mules and cattle were killed. So, total it up and you have 45,500 soldiers killed, injured or missing, all this in an area measuring 3.3 miles by 5.3 miles!
THE EXPERIENCE Most of the areas where major engagements occurred are part of an auto tour. When driving the route, we stopped at some of the major sites and walked around the area. It was quite sobering to
National CemeteryRows of grave markers. Some say “unknown”
look down where we were, and realizing that hundreds, if not thousands of men died right there. We walked around the area of Little Round Top and Devils Den but the most impressive was the area known as Pickett’s Charge where 12,500 Confederate troops charged across 3/4’s of a mile of open field
directly into the center of the Union line. The Confederates lost 50% of their soldiers and began the decline of the Confederate efforts.
In President Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” he said “…the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here today, but it can never forget what they did here…” But, the world immediately noted and we will always remember.
In light of todays political climate, I thought it appropriate to remind us all that politics don’t change, just the names do as indicated by the article from the Chicago Times.
“The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly flat and dishwattery remarks of the man who has to be pointed out as the President of the United States. … Is Mr. Lincoln less refined than a savage? … It was a perversion of history so flagrant that the most extended charity cannot view it as otherwise than willful.”
As Linda Ellerbee used to say…”and so it goes”.
FAMILY FOOTNOTE The Bringhurst family had 5 known participants in the Civil War. Only one, Henry Bringhurst – 72nd Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry fought at Gettysburg and he was involved in small skirmishes that happened on July 4 & 5th. The others, Thomas – 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry Company F, fought at the first battle of Bull Run. and Charles was with the 1st U.S. artillery unit at Fort Sumper April 1861. The only Bringhurst to fight on the Confederate side was Robert – 49th Tennessee Infantry at the Battle of Atlanta 28, July 1864. Robert was apparently going to school in the south at the time and fought for the Confederacy.
This is the largest 
Catholic Church in North America, and it is the 10th largest in the world. The dome stands 237 feet from the floor and has a capacity of 10,000. It was started in 1920, opened in 1959 and completed in 1961. This was truly an experience.
when we arrived so we were able to join. We toured the hall of statues – each state contributed one statue to the collection. California’s was Ronald Reagan. We stood in the he rotunda where some of our past dignitaries lay “in state”. There are
re-creation of a mail train and history of the mail delivery system from the American Revolution to the present. Glad we didn’t miss this one. We didn’t even know it was there. Did you know that my 2x great-uncle was the first postmaster of Las Vegas Nevada?
along the river to the FDR Memorial, the MLK Memorial, The Korean War Memorial,the Vietnam Memorial, ending at the Lincoln Memorial. It was surreal to stand at the site where King delivered his “I have a dream” speach looking out across the national mall in view of the Washington Memorial and the Captial Building.
White House and future residence of Donald Trump.I think he will be downsizing some! Arline noticed the “National Christmas Tree” across Pennsylvainia Ave. in the Commons. She thought it was a puny, scruffy looking tree not worthy of the honor. We were headed back to camp and were told that we could see Ford Theater, Lincoln’s Assassination site along the road to the train station. Unfortunately, we never found it.
Craig & Arline's circle the U.S. trip 