HIGHAM'S GO TO VIRGINIA (HGTV)
July 1, 2021 -We are finally back on the road again trying to accomplish what we had planned for 2020. Fred and I had visited Colonial Williamsburg a few years ago and thought that we should have taken our children here when they were growing up. Now the grandchildren are getting that benefit. Today we arrived in St. Augustine, Florida with Claire along for the ride.
July 4, 2021 - Savannah, Georgia - Savannah was so fun and the town is full of so much history! For our first day in Savannah we decided to ride the old trolley tour, a live narrative Savannah history tour. We got off at stop twelve and went down to River Street for some coffee and ice cream! Yum!!! Next we went to (Gramma's pick) the Sorrel- Weed house. Awesome architecture and cool antiques aren't the only things that make this house spectacular. This 1830's house is a important (and very cool) piece of Savannah history, built for wealthy merchant Francis Sorrel. It is the first house in Georgia to become a state land mark. The building is amazing, and the history will just make you fall in love with the house. It is also the most haunted house in Savannah.
July 5, 2021 - Day two featured a lot of disappointing trips. Gramma and I visited a 1700's cemetery while Grampa stayed back to fix the toilet. The cemetery was interesting but disappointing. Then we went to a beautiful cathedral, but it quickly became apparent that the doors were locked so we couldn't get in. We scouted for other things to do in the area and settled on driving by a old mansion. On the way there we remembered that the grocery store was nearby so we stopped for some food, then drove bye the mansion, and headed back to the trailer. Good news was, when we got back to the trailer the toilet was fixed!
July 5, 2021 - Day two featured a lot of disappointing trips. Gramma and I visited a 1700's cemetery while Grampa stayed back to fix the toilet. The cemetery was interesting but disappointing. Then we went to a beautiful cathedral, but it quickly became apparent that the doors were locked so we couldn't get in. We scouted for other things to do in the area and settled on driving by a old mansion. On the way there we remembered that the grocery store was nearby so we stopped for some food, then drove bye the mansion, and headed back to the trailer. Good news was, when we got back to the trailer the toilet was fixed!
July 8, 2021 - Williamsburg, Virginia - Hurricane Elsa has been following us up the east coast and she finally caught up. We only had a bunch of rain and thankfully no wind. Katy, Mike and Ella flew in today with just a little delay of their flight. We went to dinner and celebrated Ella's 7th birthday by singing to her in front of the whole restaurant (it was karaoke night). Afterwards it was back to the trailer for cupcakes and presents.
July 9, 2021 - Today was our first day in the Colonial Williamsburg historic area. We explored a number of places in the world largest living history museum, including the shoe maker, gardens and governors palace, courthouse and the Capitol. Mike, Katy, Ella, and Claire have never been to Williamsburg before and it was quite the experience. We saw a number of reenactors that certainly made the city feel alive!!!! Hi, Judy is back for this narrative because we were having so much fun that Claire ran out of time to do the blog. The first Capitol was completed in 1705 and burned in 1747. A second Capitol was completed in 1753. Some of the original walls were used and it retained it's original layout. In 1929 Colonial Williamsburg decided to reconstruct the first Capitol because it was more documented. It was built on the foundation of the first one. An engraving of the building was discovered in 1920's. Construction began in 1931 and opened to the public in 1934.
The Courthouse is in the middle of the town. On July 25, 1776 the mayor stood on the steps and read the Declaration of Independence aloud for the first time. Civil and Criminal cases were tried here, except for felonies which went to the Capitol. One can actually watch cases being tried. Some of the crimes may be not attending church, pilfering a pig, or a person might be complaining about a master. Fred was fascinated with the posts that showed the attorney's fees.
The Courthouse is in the middle of the town. On July 25, 1776 the mayor stood on the steps and read the Declaration of Independence aloud for the first time. Civil and Criminal cases were tried here, except for felonies which went to the Capitol. One can actually watch cases being tried. Some of the crimes may be not attending church, pilfering a pig, or a person might be complaining about a master. Fred was fascinated with the posts that showed the attorney's fees.
July 10, 2021 - The second day of our experience had us visiting the weaver, the silversmith, the engraver, the cooper, the tailor and the art museum.
My personal favorite was the weaver. As I was watching the interpreter "card" some wool I realized that it looked exactly like the hair that comes off of Sophie when I brush her. Yes, I can use her fur to spin yarn but it isn't recommended because the smell of wet dog never comes out. They suggested that I use cat hair instead.
Next was the cooperage. The girls were very interested (ok, just mildly interested) when they found out that their 8th great-grandfather was a cooper in France and then in the new world when he moved to Canada. We learned that there are different kinds of coopers, "Slack Coopers" who manufactured casks for the shipment of bulk goods and "Tight Coopers" who were the most skilled, that made casks that could hold liquids without leaking. The only cooperage in Williamsburg at the time was owned by a free African American.
Katy and her clan visited the Art Museum and said they really enjoyed it.
My personal favorite was the weaver. As I was watching the interpreter "card" some wool I realized that it looked exactly like the hair that comes off of Sophie when I brush her. Yes, I can use her fur to spin yarn but it isn't recommended because the smell of wet dog never comes out. They suggested that I use cat hair instead.
Next was the cooperage. The girls were very interested (ok, just mildly interested) when they found out that their 8th great-grandfather was a cooper in France and then in the new world when he moved to Canada. We learned that there are different kinds of coopers, "Slack Coopers" who manufactured casks for the shipment of bulk goods and "Tight Coopers" who were the most skilled, that made casks that could hold liquids without leaking. The only cooperage in Williamsburg at the time was owned by a free African American.
Katy and her clan visited the Art Museum and said they really enjoyed it.
July 11, 2021 - The third and final day of Colonial Williamsburg had us finding the Leatherworks, Printer, Joiner, Cabinet Maker, Gunsmith, and Carpenters Yard. It's really interesting how many specialized workers there were.
The Carpenters built the houses, the Joiners made the wooden mantelpieces, moldings and wainscoting and other ornaments for the house and the Cabinet Makers furnished the house, including your harpsichord or spinet. All of the trades in Williamsburg only use tools that were available in this time period.
The Gunsmith not only provides the rifles and pistols for the town, but they also sell them to people from this time period as well. Some of the guns go for $20,000 as it takes them 400 hours to make them.
Alas, some good times have to end. Mike, Katy, Claire and Ella must face reality and show up for work on Monday. Fred and I will be journeying on to Gettysburg on Tuesday.
The Carpenters built the houses, the Joiners made the wooden mantelpieces, moldings and wainscoting and other ornaments for the house and the Cabinet Makers furnished the house, including your harpsichord or spinet. All of the trades in Williamsburg only use tools that were available in this time period.
The Gunsmith not only provides the rifles and pistols for the town, but they also sell them to people from this time period as well. Some of the guns go for $20,000 as it takes them 400 hours to make them.
Alas, some good times have to end. Mike, Katy, Claire and Ella must face reality and show up for work on Monday. Fred and I will be journeying on to Gettysburg on Tuesday.
July 14, 2021 - Gettysburg, Virginia - Our first stop was the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center where we watched a movie called "A New Birth of Freedom" about the Civil War. After the movie we saw the Cyclorama which is a 360 degree painting created by French artist Paul Philippoteaux in 1883. It depicts the Confederate attack on the Union during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.
Fred downloaded an app that followed the auto tour of the battlegrounds. The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1 1863 and ended on July 3, 1863. Three of the bloodiest days of the Civil War that ended with almost 8000 soldiers killed , several of them were women who had disguised themselves so they could fight also. There are thousands of memorials on the drive.
A few of my favorite statutes were Battlefield Sallie Memorial, the John Burns Memorial, Peace Eternal in a Nation United, the Louisiana State Memorial and the State of Pennsylvania Memorial.
The Battlefield Sallie Memorial - Sallie was a pit bull puppy that was given to the 11th Pennsylvania Brigade and took part in all of their battles. She stayed at the end of the firing line and barked furiously at the enemy. She was separated from the regiment when they retreated through the town of Gettysburg. After the battle, the men returned to the site of the first battle where they found her, weak but alive, standing guard over the dead and the dying. She was killed in the Battle of Hatcher's Run in February of 1865, and despite heavy shelling, her men stopped to bury her.
The John Burns Memorial is a tribute to a local 72 year old shoemaker who was angry with the invasion of the town. He took his musket and volunteered his services to Colonel Wister who advised him to fight in the woods as there was more shelter. He did not listen to that advice and was wounded three times. He recovered from his wounds and died nine years later.
The Peace Eternal Memorial commemorated the 1913 Gettysburg reunion for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
I thought the Louisiana Memorial was beautiful.
The Pennsylvania Memorial is the largest of the state memorials on the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Fred downloaded an app that followed the auto tour of the battlegrounds. The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1 1863 and ended on July 3, 1863. Three of the bloodiest days of the Civil War that ended with almost 8000 soldiers killed , several of them were women who had disguised themselves so they could fight also. There are thousands of memorials on the drive.
A few of my favorite statutes were Battlefield Sallie Memorial, the John Burns Memorial, Peace Eternal in a Nation United, the Louisiana State Memorial and the State of Pennsylvania Memorial.
The Battlefield Sallie Memorial - Sallie was a pit bull puppy that was given to the 11th Pennsylvania Brigade and took part in all of their battles. She stayed at the end of the firing line and barked furiously at the enemy. She was separated from the regiment when they retreated through the town of Gettysburg. After the battle, the men returned to the site of the first battle where they found her, weak but alive, standing guard over the dead and the dying. She was killed in the Battle of Hatcher's Run in February of 1865, and despite heavy shelling, her men stopped to bury her.
The John Burns Memorial is a tribute to a local 72 year old shoemaker who was angry with the invasion of the town. He took his musket and volunteered his services to Colonel Wister who advised him to fight in the woods as there was more shelter. He did not listen to that advice and was wounded three times. He recovered from his wounds and died nine years later.
The Peace Eternal Memorial commemorated the 1913 Gettysburg reunion for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
I thought the Louisiana Memorial was beautiful.
The Pennsylvania Memorial is the largest of the state memorials on the Gettysburg Battlefield.
The battle began near the McPherson barn on July 1, 1863. The bloodiest battle was at Picketts Charge that occurred on July 3, 1863. The sharpshooters would hide behind the rocks at Devils Den and take out enemy soldiers. At the Trostle house, the family was forced out during the battle and even left their dinner on the table. They returned to the house to find most of their belongings looted or destroyed. Look for the cannonball hole at the top of their barn.
Warfield Ridge was held by the Confederates directed towards Devils Den which was occupied by the Union.
Warfield Ridge was held by the Confederates directed towards Devils Den which was occupied by the Union.
July 16, 2021 - National Cemetery - The day before Lincoln's famous speech, he was invited to spend the night at David Wills house where he finished his speech. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was delivered at the cemetery's dedication on November 19, 1863. Edward Everett, a famed orator, spoke for two hours before Lincoln delivered his speech. Afterward, Everett wrote to Lincoln "Permit me also to express my great admiration of the thoughts expressed by you, with such eloquent simplicity and appropriateness, at the consecration of the Cemetery. I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes". Yes, the Gettysburg Address only took two minutes. In fact, it was over before the photographers could set up to take their pictures. There is only one quite blurry picture of Lincoln at Gettysburg. "...so that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."
After the somber effects at the cemetery, we stopped in at the candy store. The fudge is good!
A Polish Pottery place was right next door where I purchased a new coffee mug. The Boleslawiec stoneware originated as folk art in the early 1800's in the German province of Silesia, a part of now Poland that my family originated from. Today in that small village, skilled artists individually handcraft and hand-paint each piece of pottery using a hand stamping technique and free-hand design.
No visit to Gettysburg is complete without a stop at the Dobbins House Tavern. It is the oldest and most historic, and maybe even haunted, building in Gettysburg. It was built by Reverend Alexander Dobbin in about 1774 for use as a home and as a school for theological seminaries and a liberal arts college. In the mid 1800's a secret crawl space served as a hiding place for runaway slaves on their way to freedom aboard the Underground Railroad. After the battle of Gettysburg ceased and the armies had departed, it served as a hospital for both the North and the South's wounded. Now it is a tavern that has been renovated to it's original state with even the wait staff in period clothing. And the food was excellent.
July 19, 2021 - Harrisonburg, Virginia - It is a little bit cooler here in the Shenandoah Valley. The scenery on our drive south was lovely, hilly and lush vegetation. What would one of our trips be if we didn't include a cavern tour? We opted to visit the Shenandoah Caverns as opposed to the Luray Caverns because of the advertised "Virginia's only cavern with elevator service". Although we walked down the 79 steps into the cave, I was very happy to have the elevator for the way out. We also heard that the Shenandoah Caverns were much less crowded and we were not disappointed. The one hour hike was easy and had stalactite formations that looked exactly like bacon, a first time view for me. At the cafe I had a hand dipped chocolate milk shake (yummy). We visited the Shenandoah Heritage Market that featured local crafts. The veggie stand left a lot to be desired. After dinner we relaxed by our first campfire of this trip since it was finally cool enough to do so. Above us stood a semi scary tree.
July 20, 2021 - Today our mission was finding the Shenandoah River which wasn't as easy as we thought it would be. We ended up at the Shenandoah River State Park for a picnic lunch. Yellow jackets swarmed us half way through our sandwiches. I was stung and we returned to the trailer promptly.
It has been very hazy the last few days. The weatherman tells us it is from forest fires in Canada and out west.
It has been very hazy the last few days. The weatherman tells us it is from forest fires in Canada and out west.
July 22, 2021 - Wytheville, Virginia - (pronounced Withville) As we are slowly making our way back home this little town was a good stopping point to regroup, provision, and do some chores. I did laundry while Fred cleaned the car. And we just had to see what makes this town famous, The Pencil.
July 23, 2021 - Waynesville, North Carolina - We are travelling here to see Fred's sister Cheryl and her husband Bob. Upon arriving at our campsite we couldn't find our site. There was no office to register in, just a confusing map with our site number. After several wrong turns and ending up having to back up, the owners took pity on us and showed us our site. This has been our most challenging site to get into ever! The owner asked us if we thought we could do it and Fred replied, "It's only 2:30, yes, we can before dark". With Fred's expert guidance it only took us about a half an hour. The owner came back after watching us and said that if he had a backing up award to give us, he would have. Fred asked him where the bathroom was and the reply was something that we didn't want to hear. There weren't any! Fortunately, Cheryl and Bob have guest space and many bathrooms so we took them up on their offer of staying with them. And they have fed us too well during our visit.
July 24, 2021 - We all trooped to downtown Waynesville for the Folkmoot International Festival. It had to be curtailed due to Covid, but it was very enjoyable wandering through the displays and shops.
July 25, 2021 - Fred, Cheryl and Bob went to a creek side bar to watch a friend of Cheryl's perform. They had big fun. Judy and Sophie stayed at the house and caught a lovely nap.
July 26, 2021 - Our last night at Chez Beatty afforded us a spectacular sunset over the mountains. The figures on the ridge line are horses and goats.
July 24, 2021 - We all trooped to downtown Waynesville for the Folkmoot International Festival. It had to be curtailed due to Covid, but it was very enjoyable wandering through the displays and shops.
July 25, 2021 - Fred, Cheryl and Bob went to a creek side bar to watch a friend of Cheryl's perform. They had big fun. Judy and Sophie stayed at the house and caught a lovely nap.
July 26, 2021 - Our last night at Chez Beatty afforded us a spectacular sunset over the mountains. The figures on the ridge line are horses and goats.
July 28, 2021 - Cleveland, Georgia - Today we scoped out Helen, Georgia, a small alpine town. It has grown a bit since the last time we visited about 30 years ago, but the essence is still t-shirt shops and gift stores. Although we find a glass blowing shop that was interesting. I wouldn't want to have to dust all that! Lots of people were having fun rafting down the Chattahoochee River. The bridge is trying to emulate the Ponte Vecchio in Italy.