In 1848 women could not inherit property, sign contracts, serve on juries or vote in elections. Job prospects were virtually non-existent with few exceptions. The most controversial plank in the convention was women’s suffrage. Many thought that was an impossible dream and would diminish the whole effort. Many of the participants were also in the anti-slavery movement as well. This mural is on the wall of the museum for Women’s Rights in Seneca Falls, NY.
5AM Line at Walmart /
Must save $200. Must save $200. Must save $200.
Thanksgiving Blessings /
Rather than enumerate let me just quote Paul who wrote, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-18 NLT
Photo is from the White Mountains of NH.
Burnside Bridge /
This stone bridge was the focal point of the late hours of the battle at Antietam. The Union finally crossed the bridge with great losses but it was not the complete victory they anticipated as the last reinforcements from Harpers Ferry arrived to allow the Confederates to withdraw from the field. The tree on the far side was growing here at the time of the battle.
Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS (2 photos) /
Our final new park on this journey was in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. A system of five steam engines on each side of the mountains, 10 in all, lifted canal barges up one side and down the other. They were pulled short distances in between by very early steam locomotives. This was a major engineering feat completed in 1834 that allowed for goods and people to move more easily between the east and west sides of the state. This photo is of a reconstruction of one of the engine houses.
Interior of the steam engine shed with brick boiler.
Harriet Tubman NHP /
What an amazing woman and a fitting place to spend some time appreciating her life. This was her final home but the house in the photo was not where she lived. It was a home she designed as the “Tubman Home for Aged and Indigent Negroes,” primarily women who had no place to live out their years anywhere else in the country. Funding was a serious issue so she deeded the house to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church she attended to complete her vision. All of this happened AFTER her 74th birthday. What a testimony and what perseverance. She and her husband rebuilt their home after it burned by themselves when she was in her 80’s making the bricks by hand. The new park is not near finished but worth the visit. They are rebuilding a VC in the manse and the church about a mile from this location. Both early in the project. Her home’s exterior is almost done and they are started on the interior. We visited the grave and the outsides of the church, home and the grounds. Excellent tour by a committed ranger, K. Szewczyk, who went out of her way to allow us to see the home even though we were late for the last tour. Inspirational story - inspirational place. A new park for us, number 13 on this trip.
Raging Seas /
Walking along the beach near sunset at Assateague Island National Seashore is always a joy. I love the waves and the air and the birds. Just being here is renewing. It is also a powerful force.
“But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore — the Lord above is mightier than these!” Psalm 93:4 NLT
Most Fun Ever /
I am OK with most rides but I really liked this one. The scenery, the concept and the ride itself. Cars Land at Disneyland was just spectacular. THE reason I would go back.
Women's Rights National Historical Park /
Seneca Falls was the site of the first convention to secure women’s rights held in July of 1848. The park has a museum and the former church where the convention was held. The story of why events and people converged on this small town is intriguing and included abolitionists and anti-slavery factions too. Important story well explained here. The statues in the main hall are life size and are used to introduce you to each of the primary people in the story. New park number 12.
Fort Stanwix (Two photos) /
This is a reconstructed fort (1976) on an urban area that was leveled to create a space on the original site for the re-built fort. As such it is rather difficult to get great photos here. The modern city rises up over the walls, the walls are very low and the fort built lower than the surrounding ground and, on our trip, half of the fort was being rebuilt again so lots of construction and yellow tape. This place played a role in the Revolution holding off a siege but never seriously engaged it provided protection for troops supplies moving in the Mohawk Valley. Nice ranger tour here with a well-informed guide. New park eleven on the journey.
Fort’s outer gate
Saratoga National Battlefield /
This was our first visit to this well-preserved crucial battlefield of the American Revolution. We were here three days shy of the 241st anniversary of the battle and on the same type of day, heavy overcast with periodic rains. The battlefield consists of two primary battles one on 9/19 and one in early October. The Americans held their own in September at Frazier’s farm and turned the latter battle into a complete victory. This is the first time in history a British army surrendered. It allowed France to enter the war on the American side and is seen as the military turning point of the war. Good place to tour, lots of places to walk and super scenery along the Hudson River. This structure, the Neilson House, is original to the battle and about 60% of the structure is dated to the battle. It was the center of the American line of defense. New park number 10 for this vacation.
A touch of fall color and a threatening storm cloud approaching.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (2 photos) /
My friend Dennis (https://www.thewanderinglensman.com) asked me the other day were there parks that I did not think ought to be parks. The answer is a clear “yes.” However I understand politics enter into the decisions (First State in Delaware when Biden was VP or Tupelo Battlefield that makes no sense to me) and I might put Saint Croix into that category or at least leave it solely to the Canadians. The island in the river is the site of a short-lived effort in 1604 by the French to establish a permanent settlement. It failed and by spring of 1605 it was deserted. You cannot ordinarily even visit the island but there is a small park, maybe three acres on the riverbank with some statues and interpretation signs. The ranger was enthused and very nice but I did not capture that excitement with my visit. Again, a very rainy deeply overcast day may have contributed to the lack of excitement. Samuel Champlain was a young man and part of the exploration and his name is associated with several places in New England along with the leader of the group, Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, for whom a spring is named in Acadia NP. This was a new park for us, number nine on this trip.
Saint Croix and the 1880’s boat house from the park
This statue shows a native bringing food that saved many of the men.
Acadia NP /
My favorite park. One reason is familiarity as this was our 15th week here over several trips but also it is so beautiful and accessible. In fact, this year I completed all 16 of the major mountain hikes. The combination of oceans, mountains, lakes, trails, streams, carriage roads and amenities simply add up to my definition of a perfect place to spend a week or two or ten. It is also one of the few places where I simply like to sit and absorb the atmosphere. I am sure that is a fault of mine, arrive at a park, set up and go see, hike, photograph and do it again with the first light of the next day. Here I stop (occasionally) and sit as Cindy is here along the Atlantic Ocean just off the Shore Trail before the rain rolled in for the evening.
Thank You /
Eleventh month, eleventh day, eleventh hour marked the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, known as “the Great War.” Three years later on November 11th an unknown soldier of that war was reinterred at Arlington Cemetery. Now November 11th recalls all the veterans.
“Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past.” Deuteronomy 32:7a NLT
Not Misty... /
…who made the wild ponies at Chincoteague famous but one of her kin grazing in the tall reeds of a marsh.
Saugus Iron Works /
This was a disappointment. I did not expect the place to be great but often I am pleasantly surprised. Not this time. Saugus was not a good experience. We arrived early, very early, because we had to traverse Boston on a Monday morning so we left Hingham at 5:15 and it still took over 2 hours for the 71 mile drive. We arrived, parked and ate breakfast. Meanwhile a worker arrived and I verified it was ok to park where I was. Then about 8:30 (sign said open at nine, website said 10) two young rangers arrived and began to hang signs around the park, I walked to where they were and they were preparing for a pre-school group. She said park opens at 10 now and sometimes they are early. At 10 a third ranger was at the gate to the small park, she greeted us as we walked to the VC and we waited until 10:15 with no one around, so back to the third ranger. What time is the park open? “We are closed on Monday.” The web site says seven days a week? “Not the Facebook page, you should have checked there.” No apology, no further conversation. I really appreciate the Park Service Rangers and write often of what they do, but…
So we did not get to see inside anything but we did walk the grounds. That is sufficient for Saugus. It is a tiny park hemmed in by housing and urban encroachment. This is a park that would make a nice state park, not a National Park. Yet it is and a new one for us, number 8 on this trip if you are counting.
The wheel worked two large bellows.
Paul Revere's House /
This is a small part of the Boston National Historic Park. It includes places like Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall and several more places crucial as a part of the Revolutionary War heritage. We have visited this park several times and walked the 3 or 4 mile Freedom Trial on most of those occasions. This time I just wanted a better photo of Revere’s house. We did the tour, it was $5 or so but I needed to get off the street to see the front of the property. Park 14 on this journey.
Boston African American NHS (2 photos) /
You ought to visit this African Meeting House built in 1806 and now the oldest African-American church in the US. It was organized and built by about 20 members of the Black congregation led by Thomas Paul that was meeting in Faneuil Hall. They constructed a simple but elegant building now restored to its 1854 appearance when some aspects were upgraded. The pews are curved, the balcony mirrors those curves in the pews upstairs. The speakers platform has a small pulpit and two lights that were gas in the 1800s. I took a very low photo to show the floors that are original to the 1806 building and one from above to see the stunning lines of the church. What you cannot see is the echo of William Lloyd Garrison who founded the New England Anti-Slavery Society here in 1832 or Maria Stewart, abolitionist and woman’s rights activist, the first woman to speak before a mixed audience on political issues. Or Frederick Douglass who recruited soldiers here for the famed 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments. Or the intensity of Harriet Tubman or the passion of Sojourner Truth or a host of others who sought dignity and freedom. You ought to visit the African Meeting House. This was a new park number 7 for us and 13 on the itinerary for this trip.
Boston Harbor Islands /
Multiple islands make up the Boston Harbor Islands NRA. Some are wholly under the auspices of NPS some are partnerships, some are easily accessible some are a challenge and some access is not permitted. We were able to visit two (Worlds End and Georges Island) and had great views of several more. We reached Georges Island by ferry from Hingham about 1/2 hour before anyone else was on the island. Neat to walk around by ourselves. Almost the entire island is covered with Fort Warren. The 1840’s era fort is in very good condition and we had a great ranger tour. Unfortunately for me I got a migraine part way on the tour and visited the infirmary for about an hour. Thanks to the rangers who assisted me! CJH finished the tour and before we left for Boston I was able to walk a bit more of the fort. This photo is after the guard house but before you enter the main gate of the fort. Another new park for us on the trip, number 6.
Highland Light (Cape Cod Lighthouse) /
We spent a whole day on Cape Cod and barely scratched the surface of things to do and see. When people enthuse over the Cape it is easy to see why. We loved the scenery and the history. We walked on the bay side, the ocean side and in two marshes as well as two woodland trails. Just a great day. The light house was a popular stop and I was fortunate to get this shot with no crowds of people. It seems to have two names but the more common now is Cape Cod Lighthouse. Not a new park for us but our remembrance from 1972 was more than faded. We must return. This was park #11 in our sequence for this trip.
