Visited: Monday, July 12th, 2010
Getting to Washington's Birthplace is not particularly easy; it's on the Potomic, and honestly it's a beautiful site. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the site is the "home" built there when the site was created - only to discover the remnants of the original home a few years later. It was fascinating to hear about Washington in a very different context than usual; one tends to think of Washington the general, or Washington the president, not Washington the boy and his family.
This was the site where we actually came up with our goal of visiting all of the NPS sites. It's not at all clear to me that it's possible, but honestly that's part of the appeal.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
26) Yorktown Battlefield
Visited: Sunday, July 11th, 2010
Both Jamestowne and Yorktown are officially part of the Colonial National Historic Park, but they have the feel of separate parks.
We got to the Battlefield later than we intended, which limited our time in the visitor's center - but we were able to complete a driving tour of the battlefield sites, which was very interesting. The Yorktown Victory Center - the touristy version - is actually rather nice, with a camp reminiscent of the time, but again the NPS site stands out.
Both Jamestowne and Yorktown are officially part of the Colonial National Historic Park, but they have the feel of separate parks.
We got to the Battlefield later than we intended, which limited our time in the visitor's center - but we were able to complete a driving tour of the battlefield sites, which was very interesting. The Yorktown Victory Center - the touristy version - is actually rather nice, with a camp reminiscent of the time, but again the NPS site stands out.
25) Historic Jamestowne
Visited: Sunday, July 11th, 2010
Megan and I had visited Historic Jamestowne before, but the boys hadn't, and it had been a long time; our most recent visit was to the far more touristy Jamestown Settlement. But Historic Jamestowne is _much_ better. The ranger who gave us a tour had the presence of a former drill sergeant - and was fantastic. The park itself is a fascinating mix of archeological dig, historical preservation (of the Jamestown church, dating back to the 1600s), and museum. What I found most interesting is how the evidence has changed the conclusion as to where the fort was located over time.
Megan and I had visited Historic Jamestowne before, but the boys hadn't, and it had been a long time; our most recent visit was to the far more touristy Jamestown Settlement. But Historic Jamestowne is _much_ better. The ranger who gave us a tour had the presence of a former drill sergeant - and was fantastic. The park itself is a fascinating mix of archeological dig, historical preservation (of the Jamestown church, dating back to the 1600s), and museum. What I found most interesting is how the evidence has changed the conclusion as to where the fort was located over time.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
And Now For A Word
I've been trying to catch up this month; my intent is to provide more "just there" thoughts than I've been able to up to this point. And I'm getting there; I've got seven and a half more to go to catch up, and the more recent of these was visited less than a week ago.
24) Minute Man
Visited: October 11th, 2009
Unfortunately, this was the last NPS site we visited for many months, as less than a month before one of Megan's best friends discovered that her husband had what was, ultimately, a lethal brain tumor. And so most of the next 8 months was spent trying to find time for Megan to be with her friend, which didn't leave a lot of time for family trips.
But it was a very positive note to take a break on; the visitor's center has an excellent production (somehow, calling it a "movie" understates matters), and visiting the bridge in Concord really helps to bring the history to life. It's exactly my type of NPS site, and one I feel we gave fair time to.
Unfortunately, this was the last NPS site we visited for many months, as less than a month before one of Megan's best friends discovered that her husband had what was, ultimately, a lethal brain tumor. And so most of the next 8 months was spent trying to find time for Megan to be with her friend, which didn't leave a lot of time for family trips.
But it was a very positive note to take a break on; the visitor's center has an excellent production (somehow, calling it a "movie" understates matters), and visiting the bridge in Concord really helps to bring the history to life. It's exactly my type of NPS site, and one I feel we gave fair time to.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
23) Blackstone River Valley National Historic Corridor
Visited: Saturday, September 5th, 2009
This might be the oddest NPS "site"; there's a visitor's center in Woonsocket (not much to speak of), and then a bunch of _non_ NPS places to visit. We stopped at the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, a fascinating look at the mill towns of New England. There's not a lot of organization to this NPS site so far; hopefully this will change in the future.
This might be the oddest NPS "site"; there's a visitor's center in Woonsocket (not much to speak of), and then a bunch of _non_ NPS places to visit. We stopped at the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, a fascinating look at the mill towns of New England. There's not a lot of organization to this NPS site so far; hopefully this will change in the future.
22) Roger Williams
Visited: Saturday, September 5th, 2009
This was our first action in looking to follow up on our Summer fun, and is a fascinating experience - if small. The visitor center and accompanying park are easily traversed, in full, in under an hour, even including the movie at the visitor center. But it's my kind of NPS site - historic, and full of fascinating little facts. And you can see just where the early Rhode Island settlers built their homes.
This was our first action in looking to follow up on our Summer fun, and is a fascinating experience - if small. The visitor center and accompanying park are easily traversed, in full, in under an hour, even including the movie at the visitor center. But it's my kind of NPS site - historic, and full of fascinating little facts. And you can see just where the early Rhode Island settlers built their homes.
21) Indiana Sand Dunes
Visited: Thursday, August 13th, 2009
This is the final national park site we visited during our big 2009 tour; we considered trying to hit one more on the way home, but opted for Corning and the Baseball Hall of Fame instead.
We didn't spend enough time at the Indiana Sand Dunes, mostly because we were tired, and in the middle of a _long_ drive (from Wisconsin to NE Ohio). And it was here that we first discovered the difference between the Eastern and Western national parks; our Western national park society membership was reluctantly accepted here, the last time save for an online order) that happened.
(A complete aside - I collect patches, and have since I was a kid. While patches have become a less popular souvenir, they are common at the national parks - and, almost without exception, beautiful. But they're entirely different in the Eastern and Western parks. In the Western parks, they only have official patches for the smaller, less touristy parks; so Hubbell Trading Post and the Mississippi River have official patches, but not Yosemite or Yellowstone or Zion, among others. But they're inexpensive - $2.95. In the Eastern parks, there's a patch for most of the reasonably major parks, they're a little bigger - and they're inevitably $5.95. And, of course, they don't offer any discounts, unlike the Western parks.)
This is the final national park site we visited during our big 2009 tour; we considered trying to hit one more on the way home, but opted for Corning and the Baseball Hall of Fame instead.
We didn't spend enough time at the Indiana Sand Dunes, mostly because we were tired, and in the middle of a _long_ drive (from Wisconsin to NE Ohio). And it was here that we first discovered the difference between the Eastern and Western national parks; our Western national park society membership was reluctantly accepted here, the last time save for an online order) that happened.
(A complete aside - I collect patches, and have since I was a kid. While patches have become a less popular souvenir, they are common at the national parks - and, almost without exception, beautiful. But they're entirely different in the Eastern and Western parks. In the Western parks, they only have official patches for the smaller, less touristy parks; so Hubbell Trading Post and the Mississippi River have official patches, but not Yosemite or Yellowstone or Zion, among others. But they're inexpensive - $2.95. In the Eastern parks, there's a patch for most of the reasonably major parks, they're a little bigger - and they're inevitably $5.95. And, of course, they don't offer any discounts, unlike the Western parks.)
20) Mississippi River and Recreation Area
Visited: Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Yet another unintentional stop. The visitor's center for this area is at the Science Museum in Minneapolis. There's not a lot to the visitor's center, but it's pleasant, and the woman running it suggested a wonderful stop for us, at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. It wasn't the way we were planning to go - but it actually made for a nicer journey and a great stop.
Yet another unintentional stop. The visitor's center for this area is at the Science Museum in Minneapolis. There's not a lot to the visitor's center, but it's pleasant, and the woman running it suggested a wonderful stop for us, at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. It wasn't the way we were planning to go - but it actually made for a nicer journey and a great stop.
19) Minuteman Missile
Visited: Saturday, August 8th, 2009
There is nothing to the Minuteman Missile National Park unless you get a reservation for the tour - and unfortunately we failed to do so. Definitely, now that I know it's there, somewhere to get back to.
There is nothing to the Minuteman Missile National Park unless you get a reservation for the tour - and unfortunately we failed to do so. Definitely, now that I know it's there, somewhere to get back to.
18) Badlands
Visited: Saturday, August 8th, 2009
Badlands is a fascinating and beautiful park, and a diverse one. In many ways, it's competing with Yosemite and Yellowstone - and it's not as interesting as those parks. But it's also nothing like those parks; the landscape isn't really like anything else. The prairie dogs were great to see - and very loud; it was our best view of them, though Devil's Tower was close.
Badlands is a fascinating and beautiful park, and a diverse one. In many ways, it's competing with Yosemite and Yellowstone - and it's not as interesting as those parks. But it's also nothing like those parks; the landscape isn't really like anything else. The prairie dogs were great to see - and very loud; it was our best view of them, though Devil's Tower was close.
17.5) Buffalo Gap National Grassland
Visited: Saturday, August 8th, 2009
This isn't run by the NPS, so it doesn't really count, but while looking for the Wounded Knee museum in Wall, SD (and driving by but not stopping at Wall Drug), we happened upon the visitor center for this Forest Service run site.
Interesting place, but not worth going out of your way for.
This isn't run by the NPS, so it doesn't really count, but while looking for the Wounded Knee museum in Wall, SD (and driving by but not stopping at Wall Drug), we happened upon the visitor center for this Forest Service run site.
Interesting place, but not worth going out of your way for.
9) Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Visited: Monday, July 20th, 2009
I completely forgot about this; we hadn't intended to stop here at all, but after being disappointed by Hoover Dam (and not having any great desired to rush back to Las Vegas), we stopped here briefly. Well, at the visitor center, which was quite interesting, as it shows the effects of Hoover Dam better than anything at the site; we didn't explore the recreation area.
Nice visitor center, though - better, methinks, than anything at Hoover Dam.
I completely forgot about this; we hadn't intended to stop here at all, but after being disappointed by Hoover Dam (and not having any great desired to rush back to Las Vegas), we stopped here briefly. Well, at the visitor center, which was quite interesting, as it shows the effects of Hoover Dam better than anything at the site; we didn't explore the recreation area.
Nice visitor center, though - better, methinks, than anything at Hoover Dam.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
17) Wind Cave
Visited: Friday, August 7th, 2009
Many of the national parks we visited during the Summer of 2009 were intentional. A number of them were on the "hit" list; others were on the "consider" list. By this point in the trip, though, we were open to stopping at _any_ NPS site; thus, when we stumbled upon Wind Cave, we stopped.
And - not for the first time - I wish we'd planned for the stop. They run little tours of the cave, and I would definitely like to have done one. Still the history of the cave is fascinating, and the wildlife is amazing; we saw nearly as many bison here as in Yellowstone.
Many of the national parks we visited during the Summer of 2009 were intentional. A number of them were on the "hit" list; others were on the "consider" list. By this point in the trip, though, we were open to stopping at _any_ NPS site; thus, when we stumbled upon Wind Cave, we stopped.
And - not for the first time - I wish we'd planned for the stop. They run little tours of the cave, and I would definitely like to have done one. Still the history of the cave is fascinating, and the wildlife is amazing; we saw nearly as many bison here as in Yellowstone.
16) Mount Rushmore
Visited: Thursday, August 6th, 2009
One of the joys of the national parks is that they aren't, with rare exception, heavily commercialized. Mount Rushmore is an exception; I'm tempted to add "unfortunately", but there's at least one fortune to it (a chance to meet one of the carvers of Mount Rushmore), and it wasn't too showy.
Mount Rushmore was well positioned to disappoint me; I was looking forward to it as much as _any_ stop we made during the course of our trip. But it didn't; the site was well set to handle the large crowd, and the carving is simply amazing.
Even more amazing was the fog that rolled in, completely obscuring the view, and then rolled back out again, all over the course of less than ten minutes.
One of the joys of the national parks is that they aren't, with rare exception, heavily commercialized. Mount Rushmore is an exception; I'm tempted to add "unfortunately", but there's at least one fortune to it (a chance to meet one of the carvers of Mount Rushmore), and it wasn't too showy.
Mount Rushmore was well positioned to disappoint me; I was looking forward to it as much as _any_ stop we made during the course of our trip. But it didn't; the site was well set to handle the large crowd, and the carving is simply amazing.
Even more amazing was the fog that rolled in, completely obscuring the view, and then rolled back out again, all over the course of less than ten minutes.
15) Devil's Tower
Visited: Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
I've never seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As a result, I'm not sure Devil's Tower had the draw for me of other sites. It's interesting - but I definitely think I'll appreciate it more if the crowd is smaller. And, at that, I think the display at Pompey's Pillar is much more interesting; Devil's Tower is a fascinating structure, but not a park for a long visit unless you're going to climb it.
I've never seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As a result, I'm not sure Devil's Tower had the draw for me of other sites. It's interesting - but I definitely think I'll appreciate it more if the crowd is smaller. And, at that, I think the display at Pompey's Pillar is much more interesting; Devil's Tower is a fascinating structure, but not a park for a long visit unless you're going to climb it.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
14) Little Bighorn Battlefield
Visited: Tuesday, August 4, 2009
When I think of NPS sites from my youth, I'm mostly remembering battlefields. So Little Bighorn felt very familiar - and very sobering. Battlefields have always struck me differently from other historic sites - never moreso than seeing Bloody Pond at Shiloh - in spite of being so far removed from the battles in question. One thing I like about Little Bighorn is the attempt they've made to present both sides of the story.
Any of the national sites are better with a small crowd; unfortunately, visiting Little Bighorn around the time of Sturgis made for a _very_ large crowd. Didn't make the site less interesting, but I would like to visit on a quieter day sometime.
When I think of NPS sites from my youth, I'm mostly remembering battlefields. So Little Bighorn felt very familiar - and very sobering. Battlefields have always struck me differently from other historic sites - never moreso than seeing Bloody Pond at Shiloh - in spite of being so far removed from the battles in question. One thing I like about Little Bighorn is the attempt they've made to present both sides of the story.
Any of the national sites are better with a small crowd; unfortunately, visiting Little Bighorn around the time of Sturgis made for a _very_ large crowd. Didn't make the site less interesting, but I would like to visit on a quieter day sometime.
13) Yellowstone
Visited: Sunday, August 2, 2009 -> Monday, August 3, 2009
Yellowstone is very deserving of its reputation; the variety of wildlife, the variety of natural phenomenon, and the divergent beauty of the park really stand out. I missed out on Old Faithful while our tire was repaired, but there are other geysers in the park which are in their own ways every bit as fascinating.
About the only disappointment for me was the hotel, which wasn't air conditioned and our room was situated right above the bus drop-off, making for an unpleasant evening during an otherwise very enjoyable stay.
Yellowstone is very deserving of its reputation; the variety of wildlife, the variety of natural phenomenon, and the divergent beauty of the park really stand out. I missed out on Old Faithful while our tire was repaired, but there are other geysers in the park which are in their own ways every bit as fascinating.
About the only disappointment for me was the hotel, which wasn't air conditioned and our room was situated right above the bus drop-off, making for an unpleasant evening during an otherwise very enjoyable stay.
12) Grand Teton
Visited: Saturday, August 1, 2009 -> Sunday, August 2, 2009
Impressive as all get-out, but this is definitely Yellowstone's little sister. Beautiful - Megan took some wonderful pictures - and some interesting wildlife, but somehow there's just not as much there there. Absolutely worthwhile as a side trip when visiting Yellowstone, but not really a primary destination.
Impressive as all get-out, but this is definitely Yellowstone's little sister. Beautiful - Megan took some wonderful pictures - and some interesting wildlife, but somehow there's just not as much there there. Absolutely worthwhile as a side trip when visiting Yellowstone, but not really a primary destination.
11) Golden Spike
Visited: Thursday, July 30, 2009
Now _this_ is my type of NPS site. Nothing against the sites offering natural beauty - I enjoy them very much - but I love the history one can learn at sites such as Golden Spike. For some reason, history is a lot more interesting when one has been there. The transcontinental railroad never really captured my imagination, until visiting the site of the golden spike.
The site is out in the middle of nowhere - there's really nothing there save for the national park site. The museum is well done, if small; what really makes the site is the trains, which provide a strong visual representation.
Not as strong, however, as the trench that was dug out for the railroad, viewed on a car tour around the site, but never used; both companies were trying to dig as far as they could as fast as they could, and dug well beyond Promontory Point before actually backtracking and lining things up. The unused trench - dug over 140 years ago - remains, an amazing way to see just how much work there was to connect the country even when they weren't trying to deal with the Sierras.
Now _this_ is my type of NPS site. Nothing against the sites offering natural beauty - I enjoy them very much - but I love the history one can learn at sites such as Golden Spike. For some reason, history is a lot more interesting when one has been there. The transcontinental railroad never really captured my imagination, until visiting the site of the golden spike.
The site is out in the middle of nowhere - there's really nothing there save for the national park site. The museum is well done, if small; what really makes the site is the trains, which provide a strong visual representation.
Not as strong, however, as the trench that was dug out for the railroad, viewed on a car tour around the site, but never used; both companies were trying to dig as far as they could as fast as they could, and dug well beyond Promontory Point before actually backtracking and lining things up. The unused trench - dug over 140 years ago - remains, an amazing way to see just how much work there was to connect the country even when they weren't trying to deal with the Sierras.
10) Yosemite
Vistied: Monday, July 27th, 2009
Yosemite is a park which really requires multiple days to get the most out of. Unfortunately, we spent only a day there.
The sequoias are fascinating - not the easiest part of the park to get to, but well worth the bus trip. But just as breathtaking is Yosemite Valley - and Tioga Pass has some incredible views as well. And that's just the portion of the park we saw something of; there's a lot more we didn't even begin to investigate.
I had no real exposure to Yosemite before - about all I knew of it was some photos Mark Jackson has posted - and I definitely want to get back.
Yosemite is a park which really requires multiple days to get the most out of. Unfortunately, we spent only a day there.
The sequoias are fascinating - not the easiest part of the park to get to, but well worth the bus trip. But just as breathtaking is Yosemite Valley - and Tioga Pass has some incredible views as well. And that's just the portion of the park we saw something of; there's a lot more we didn't even begin to investigate.
I had no real exposure to Yosemite before - about all I knew of it was some photos Mark Jackson has posted - and I definitely want to get back.
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