Tag: history

Traveling the Covered Bridge Trail

November 8, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

A photo story of four covered bridges in Alabama

There are currently eleven historic covered bridges remaining in the state of Alabama. Of those, six remain at their original locations. We found four of them today.

Clarkson Covered Bridge

The Clarkson Covered Bridge was constructed in 1904 and was used by farmers and travelers to cross Crooked Creek. Today it is closed to vehicle traffic.

It was destroyed by a flood in 1921 and rebuilt the next year. It is located in Cullman, Alabama. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Horton Mill Covered Bridge

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1934. It is 220 feet long and spans the Little Warrior River. It is also closed to vehicle traffic.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

You can walk across the bridge, or drive the road around to the backside.

I’m so glad we found these bridges while we were out exploring.

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is located in Oneonta, Alabama.

Easley Covered Bridge

The Easley Covered Bridge was built in 1927. It is a wood and metal combination-style covered bridge that spans the Dub Branch of the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama.

After being closed for repairs in 2009, it was reopened to single-lane traffic in 2012. We drove across it to continue on to the last bridge on the list. It creaked a little, but we made it safe and sound.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Swann Covered Bridge

The Swann Covered Bridge was built in 1933 over a scenic gorge of the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River.

It is 324 feet long making it the longest covered bridge existing in Alabama.

The Swann Covered Bridge is currently closed to vehicle traffic. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

The metal bridge structures built today do not need protection from the elements, so they no longer need to be covered. Wooden covered bridges became obsolete because most were single-lane, had low width and height clearances, and could not support the heavy loads of modern traffic.

Old wooden covered bridges are a thing of the past.

Exploring Stones River National Battlefield

October 31, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

A National Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Stones River National Battlefield is a historic park and cemetery with a visitor center and walking trails along a Civil War Battlefield in Tennessee. There are several hiking trails and a driving trail.

The first place we stopped at of course was the visitor center. The Union victory at Stones River opened the way into the Confederate heartland. The battle was known as The Battle of Murfreesboro and lasted three days, from December 31, 1862, until January 2, 1863.

According to the History Channel —

The North was in control of central Tennessee, and the Union victory provided a much-needed morale boost in the aftermath of the Yankees’ loss at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. Stones River was a hard-fought, bloody engagement, with some of the highest casualty rates of the war.

The driving tour is easy to follow and highly recommended. Stop #1 is a field where Rosecran’s Union Army arrived and occupied on December 30, 1862, the eve of the battle.

Stop #2 is called the Slaughter Pen where Confederate forces launched attack after failed attack but the Union forces held their ground. Both sides experienced heavy losses.

Stop #3 is a cotton field where Rosecran’s Union Army established a defensive line and continued to hold its ground.

Stop #4 is a field where canister charges forced Confederates back into the trees. Union troops defended the Nashville Pike and railroad here. The railroad and pike are still there.

This National Battlefield contains several displays of original cannons and wagons from the battle.

Stop #5 is an area called the Round Forest. The Union Army held its position throughout the entire day. This forest was covered with Confederate dead and wounded soldiers and was dubbed “Hell’s Half Acre.”

After the battle, most of the dead from both sides were quickly buried on the field. In 1865, they were moved and reburied in the new Stones River National Cemetery which is located across the street from the visitor center. Over 6,100 Union soldiers are buried here, with 2,500 of them having no name.

Stop #6 — The Artillery Monument in the photo below marks the battle’s final attack. Here is where 57 Union cannons fired upon the approaching Confederates, killing or wounding 1,800 men in a short time.

The Hazen Brigade Monument is shown below. Colonel Hazen’s men were the only Union soldiers who didn’t retreat. Over 400 of his troops fell in the battle and the survivors didn’t want the world to forget, so they built this monument in 1863.

It is one of the oldest Civil War memorials in the country.

They were buried according to what state they were from…Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

The Battle of Stones River at Murfreesboro engaged approximately 76,400 men and had the greatest percentage of casualties of any major battle in the Civil War. It was declared a Union victory but at a great cost of life. Rosecrans’s men were so battered they would not campaign for another six months.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park

October 27, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Hodgenville, Kentucky

Did you know: If you visited only one National Park per year, it would take you 63 years to see them all — and that daunting number does not even include the plethora of national monuments, seashores, battlefields, and other properties managed by the National Park Service.

While the National Park System comprises 423 national park sites, only 63 of them have the “National Park” designation in their names. The other sites fall into different National Park System categories like Battlefields, Historic Sites, Monuments, Seashores, Recreation Areas, and others.

We are trying to visit all of them, or at least as many as we can as we travel around these wonderful states of ours.

And we hit another one yesterday…

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a small cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. His early life in Kentucky was a humble start for the 16th President of the United States.

The visitor center contains a small museum and gift shop. The photo above is the Lincoln Family Bible.

We always go inside the visitor center to get my stamp and sticker for my National Park Pass Book. The workers were extremely friendly and helpful.

The trails near the visitor center are paved and make it easy to walk to the buildings on display.

First is the Nancy Lincoln Inn and four cabins.

They were built by James R. Howell in 1928 to accommodate the increasing number of tourists who were coming to visit Lincoln’s Birthplace and Memorial.

The park preserves the Sinking Spring Farm, where Abraham Lincoln was born and includes the Memorial Building, which was built over the original log cabin he was born in. It was designed by John Russell Pope and was completed in 1911.

The building is a Greek Revival-style building with a white marble exterior. It is 100 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 40 feet high. It has a central portico with six Ionic columns. The inscription above the portico reads: “Abraham Lincoln, Born February 12, 1809, Died April 15, 1865, Sixteenth President of the United States.“

What a beautiful place to visit! I didn’t feel up to climbing the steps, so I didn’t go inside.

The interior of the Memorial Building is divided into two main rooms: the Memorial Room and the Lincoln Museum. The Memorial Room contains a marble statue of Lincoln by the sculptor Henry Merwin Shrady. The statue is surrounded by murals depicting scenes from Lincoln’s life. The Lincoln Museum contains exhibits on Lincoln’s life and family.

Off to the side of the memorial are some cement steps leading down to the Sinking Spring, a dependable water source which is probably why his father, Thomas Lincoln, chose this spot to build. This is called the Sinking Spring Farm.

There are additional trails through the woods, which we did not walk. Walking around the paved sidewalk was a good start for me to begin building my knee back up since surgery. I hate missing out on the entire area, but I just can’t do it all yet.

Entrance to this National Historic Park is free. We have our National Park Pass, but we didn’t need it here.

If you’ve ever been curious to see where Abraham Lincoln was born, this is a must-visit.

 

The Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site

October 17, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Dayton, Ohio

We drove to Dayton, Ohio today to visit the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park so I could get the stamp and sticker in my National Park book.

I didn’t know that Paul Laurence Dunbar’s house was available for touring as part of this National Park. We arrived too late to actually see the inside of the house or the grounds. It closed at 4:00 pm.

Who is Paul Laurence Dunbar you ask?

He was an American poet, lyricist, essayist, and novelist of the late 19th century who was born in Dayton, Ohio.

He was born on June 27, 1872, to parents who were slaves in Kentucky before the American Civil War.

He was one of the first African-American writers to establish an international reputation.

One of the poems I especially like of his is called “Dreams.”

What dreams we have and how they fly

Like rosy clouds across the sky;

Of wealth, of fame, of sure success,

Of love that comes to cheer and bless;

And how they wither, how they fade,

The waning wealth, the jilting jade —

The fame that for a moment gleams,

Then flies forever, — dreams, ah — dreams!

Suffering from tuberculosis, which then had no cure, Dunbar died in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 33. It’s a shame that he died so young.

Thanks for reading and joining me for another history lesson.

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park

October 17, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Dayton, Ohio

We drove two hours south the other day to visit the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park in Dayton, Ohio, and get my stamp and sticker in my National Park book. We didn’t realize this was in the heart of downtown Dayton and finding a place to park was difficult.

There are times we become a bit concerned about the area we are entering and driving through. We passed several police cars with people pulled over and lights flashing. The entire area looked quite poor and rundown, except for the buildings that were part of the park. But I refuse to be afraid when we travel. I will not live in fear.

The Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP commemorates Orville and Wilbur Wright who turned cloth, wood, bicycle chains, and gears into the first heavier-than-air airplane. Established in 1992, this national park includes six unique sites, each highlighting a different part of the story.

The Wright Cycle Company (shown in the main photo above behind the park sign) and the visitor center is the first place to begin. These two buildings are right beside each other. The cycle shop was closed the day we were there. This building was actually the fourth cycle shop location operated by the Wright brothers and is the only remaining testament to their cycle operation.

The visitor center was open. It is a beautiful building and the workers inside were extremely nice and helpful. The first thing we did was walk through the small museum.

The photo below is a replica of the 1902 Wright Glider. It’s the first display you see when you enter the museum. It has a wing span of 32 feet and weighs 117 pounds empty.

Located at the corner of South Williams and West Third Street, the visitor center and museum contains exhibits on every phase of the Wright brothers’ lives, exhibits about aviation history in the Dayton area, and exhibits about the life and works of poet and writer Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The house is the third building that is part of the park and is located on North Paul Laurence Dunbar Street. Dunbar purchased this house in 1904 for his mother Matilda. He lived here after he became too sick from tuberculosis to travel. He died in 1906. His mother lived here until she died in 1934. Free tours are available on select days and it was closed the day we were there.

Did you know that the Wright brothers not only figured out how to fly through the air, but they also built a better bicycle with improved brakes?

The Frank B. Hale Grocery store was also located here in the early 1900s. For seventeen years Hale sold canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other goods to the people of Dayton, including the Wright brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar. This grocery store replica has been carefully furnished with historically correct items to show what it looked like at the time.

In 1920, the Wrights opened the first factory in the United States designed especially for building airplanes. They had just returned from a European tour and came home to Dayton with orders to build three airplanes. The factory is going to be the newest part of this National Park but is not yet open to the public.

Located on West Third Street is this 1905 Wright Flyer III Sculpture. The Wright Flyer III was the third powered aircraft by the Wright Brothers and was built during the winter of 1904–05. Orville made the first flight with it on June 23, 1905.

I love traveling the country and visiting all the national parks and historic sites. I hope you enjoyed this little tour of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park.

Do you collect stamps and stickers of the National Parks?

Thanks for reading.

Annie Oakley: A Pioneer for Women’s Rights

October 15, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

The little sure shot from Ohio.

Rich and I drove 45 miles south today to the birthplace of Annie Oakley. Located on Spencer Road in Yorkshire, Ohio is a small memorial dedicated to the site of her home. It’s a shame that the home itself wasn’t preserved.

The plaque reads that the log cabin was a little over 1,000 feet east which puts it in that cornfield behind the memorial.

Phoebe Ann Mosey, (there is some argument that the last name was Moses, not Mosey), better known by her stage name Annie Oakley, was one of the most famous sharpshooters of the Wild West era.

She was born on August 13, 1860, into poverty in southwest Ohio, but her skill with firearms helped her rise to international fame.

Oakley’s father died when she was young forcing her to learn to hunt and shoot to help support her family. She was so skilled that she was able to sell her wild game around the city of Greenville, Ohio. Some of it was even shipped off to market in Cincinnati.

She was so skilled that she won a shooting match in Cincinnati, Ohio against a professional marksman at the age of 15. That’s how she met the man she would eventually marry, Frank E. Butler.

After visiting her birthplace memorial we drove eight miles to Brock Cemetery just outside of Versailles, Ohio to visit the gravesite of Oakley and her husband Butler.

She adopted the stage name “Oakley” when she began performing with her husband in the early 1880s.

There are several theories about how she chose her stage name. One theory is that she took it from the town of Oakley, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, where she and her husband lived for a time.

In 1885, they joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Oakley quickly became one of the show’s biggest stars, dazzling audiences with her amazing feats of marksmanship.

We left the cemetery and drove 12 miles south into downtown Greenville to the Annie Oakley Memorial Park. Being downtown there was not much parking available so we pulled into the alley and got out for a few minutes.

During her life, Oakley was a role model for women and girls everywhere. She proved that women could be just as good as men at shooting sports, and she inspired many women to learn how to shoot.

She was a strong advocate for women’s rights and equality, a national icon, and one of the most famous women in the world.

Oakley died of pernicious anemia on November 3, 1926, at the age of 66. Her ashes are buried in the Brock Cemetery near Greenville, Ohio. Her devoted husband, Frank Butler, died just three weeks later on November 21, 1926, and is buried right beside her.

Annie Oakley was a true American pioneer, a hunter, and a role model. She showed the world that women could do anything they set their minds to. Her legacy continues to inspire people. She is remembered as one of the greatest sharpshooters of all time and a pioneer for women’s rights.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed seeing the photos and learning about Annie Oakley — the little sure shot from Ohio.

Fort Greene Ville Historical Landmark

October 14, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Greenville, Ohio

We drove south to Greenville, Ohio today and I wanted to see the fort.

The photo above is a replica of The Fort at Greene Ville that was built by General Anthony Wayne in 1793 during the American Indian Wars.

According to military history, Fort Greene Ville was the largest pioneer fort in Ohio. It was used to house about 2,000 American soldiers dedicated to neutralizing the Native American threat and casting American dominance and law over the region. The construction of the Fort was finished by the fall of 1793.

The Treaty of Greene Ville was signed on August 3, 1795, by both the Delaware and Wyandot tribes and the United States at this Fort, after General Anthony Wayne’s victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in northern Ohio.

The treaty marked the end of the Northwest Indian Wars and negotiated the land boundary between the settlers and natives.

The gate was locked the day we were there so we couldn’t go inside.

The fort was abandoned one year after the treaty was signed and settlers in the area descended on it stripping it of construction materials and finally burning it down to scavenge the metal.

I love driving around to find hidden gems like this in the towns we visit and then learning some history about them.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed your history lesson for today.