Category Archives: house

One of the most unique history sites

Posted on August 21, 2019 by

The Northern Neck of Virginia is a remote, flat region of corn and soybean fields sculpted by the rising and falling of the Chesapeake Bay’s tidal waters. It’s a long arm of land stretching east of Fredericksburg, between the Potomac … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, 18th century, American Revolution, house, Native American | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Within These Walls… if our houses could talk

Posted on July 14, 2019 by

  If you’re visiting Washington this summer, here is a must-see exhibition: Within These Walls at the National Museum of American History. It features the largest artifact in the museum’s collection, a house that stood at 16 Elm Street in … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, American Revolution, house | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Underneath a sheen of privilege

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Homewood Museum, a large “country” home in Baltimore, was not on my radar. I’ve been to Baltimore many times and like visiting historic homes. One reason may be because it sits on the campus of John Hopkins University in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, house | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Tracking a Killer

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

A day shy of the 154th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, I stood looking at the bucolic southern Maryland countryside, trees tinged with the bright green of early Spring. Staring at the simple white frame house surrounded … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, Civil War, house, military, President | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Authors Next Door

Posted on April 10, 2019 by

I grew up playing the card game Authors. In my childhood I hadn’t read most of the books featured in the game, but the more I played, the more familiar I became with each author’s works. Mark Twain, of course, … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, art and culture, house, popular culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Artist’s Inspiration – the Thomas Cole House

Posted on December 13, 2018 by

I was driving north headed for Maine. Seeking to avoid the congestion around New York City, I drove up Interstate 87. I wanted a break point in my trip and noticed the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. It’s a few … Continue reading →

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James Madison’s Montpelier

Posted on November 21, 2018 by

More and more historic sites are beginning to tell the whole story. What I mean is after many decades of avoiding difficult topics, such as slavery, they are pushing past self-imposed boundaries, seeking the complex truth, and striving to find … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th century, 19th century, American Revolution, civil rights, house, President | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Unexpected history in a South Carolina town

Posted on July 13, 2018 by

In November 1861, only seven months into the Civil War, Union gunboats captured the sea islands around Port Royal Sound in South Carolina, including the city of Beaufort. The area remained in Union control through the war and the city … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, cemetery/grave, city/town, civil rights, Civil War, house | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A historic inn on the Eastern Shore

Posted on July 2, 2018 by

I was standing on the roof in bright sun gazing at water on three sides. The view of the Chesapeake Bay was stunning and I could begin to imagine British warships approaching the property. Just over two hundred years ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, agricultural, cemetery/grave, house, tourism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Charles Lindbergh of Little Falls, Minnesota

Posted on June 4, 2016 by

Charles Lindbergh has loomed large in my life for fifteen years now. I somehow keep working at museums that tell his story and either display his plane the Spirit of St. Louis or a replica of it. So when in the vicinity of … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th century, house, transportation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment