Gettysburg NMP

                                                             

A New Birth of Freedom:

The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion", Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address". 

10 - 13 July 2014

This is a return trip for us. We have been looking forward to this for many years. This visit did not disappoint us. We took in the new Visitor Center and movie "A Birth of Freedom". The Visitor Center also has the restored cyclorama. This Visitor Center is a MUST see. Afterwards we took in the David Wills house, the home where Lincoln stayed before he gave his Gettysburg Address, we then went to the National Cemetery where I have a family member interned to pay our respects. Day two found us doing a 2-hour horseback ride through the Battlefield. This was on our must do list and we had a great guide. The ride gave us a great perspective of the size and scope of this battle. This 3-day battle encompassed 6,000 acres. We will be back for a return visit.

3 July 1995. We toured a few different parts of the Battlefield today. There is so much to take in and we will have to make a return trip to see it all.

NPS Website

Our 19th NPS Unit

Cyclorama

                                           

The Battle Field on Horseback

                       

        

Statue of Liberty NM

Liberty Enlightening the World

"The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886.  It was designated as a National Monument in 1924.  Employees of the National Park Service have been caring for the colossal copper statue since 1933.

July 2, 2014

Another return visit. Amazing as always and this time we got to share it with our Granddaughter. We did not get crown tickets as there is a 6 month wait now; we will have to plan the next trip sooner.

Nov 3, 2011

This was a return trip but this time we spent more time at Ellis Island due to the Statue of Liberty being closed for remodeling. This site is a must visit site with so much to take in.

Aug 5, 1995

This is such an inspiring site to visit. We spent our day exploring the Statue. We got to take in the views from the crown. We will have to come back to take in Ellis Island. 

NPS webpage

Our 21st NPS Unit

Assateague NS

                                                     

Life on the Edge

Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Rest, relax, recreate and enjoy some time on the edge of the continent.

27 June 2014

Spent the day enjoying the Island and spotting wildlife. First stop was at the Visitor Center to get advice on trails to take and taking in the movie. The movie was a 20-minute film about the wild horses and other wildlife on the island. We left the visitor center for the park, and it did not take long to run into our first band of wild horses. We're used to bear jams in Yellowstone, but this was our first horse jam. We took in two short trails and with the help of our Granddaughter we spotted lots of birds, crabs, and another band of horses. In all we spotted 5 bands of horses during our visit. This was the first park we have had our Granddaughter along and we hope this is the start of making another National Park Traveler. We still have the Virginia portion to see so a return visit will be in the works.

NPS Website

Our 99th NPS Unit

                                                    

                                                     

Andrew Johnson NHS

"The Constitution is my Guide"

Andrew Johnson's complex presidency (1865-1869) illustrates the Constitution at work following the Civil War. Even as the President and Congress disagreed on Reconstruction methods, the Constitution served as their guide on balance of powers, vetoes, and impeachment. In the end, it evolved as a living document with pivotal amendments on freedom, citizenship, and voting rights - topics still vital

02 June 2014

Taking in this site helps in understanding the different directions and ideas for reunifying the country that was still in a bitter divide following the Civil War. This divide was evident in Washington DC and lead to a President being brought up for Impeachment, for lack of 1 vote he would have been Impeached. Take in the Visitor Center and the short film to start your visit. At the VC you will see his tailor shop. We took in the homestead with a Ranger who gave a great tour and was very knowledgeable about Andrew Jackson. Then it was on to the National Cemetery to take in the grave site of Andrew Johnson and his family.

NPS Website

Our 98th NPS Unit

                              

Ninety Six NHS

                                                                         

Walk Where Battles Were Fought and Heroes Were Forged

Settlers struggled against the harsh backcountry to survive. Cherokee Indians hunted and fought to keep their land. Two towns and a trading post were formed then abandoned to the elements. And two Revolutionary War battles claimed over 100 lives. Come discover the 18th century history of South Carolina.

01 Mar 2014

A great park that adds another page to the understanding of the Revolutionary war in the southern states. The park has a great movie that gives you a understanding of the area and battle here. After the movie we got to take a tour of the battlefield. There are a few longer trails that will bring us back to do later. The park Volunteer and Ranger were great and went out of their way to help us understand the area. This a unit that is off the beaten path but is worth the time to go and see.

NPS Website

Our 97th NPS site