Benjamin Franklin was in his seventies when the fight for independence began. He played a critical role in the Revolutionary War and that is the Ben we often think about, rather than the man whose plethora of contributions, inventions and scientific discoveries changed the world forever. It is hard to…
Built in 1723, the Three Tuns Tavern was already a half-century old at the start of the Revolutionary War. I could not find any definitive history of the tavern, in fact, most resources refer to its past as “sketchy” (meaning not thorough or detailed). The information I did locate suggested…
Built by Thomas Shinn in 1712, the Shinn Curtis Log House is made of hand-hewn logs. The Curtis family took possession in 1802, continuing to own the home for almost 150 years. As the family grew, rooms were added around the log house, as well as two additional floors The…
Built in 1856, the Ulysses S. Grant House is located on Wood Street in Burlington, New Jersey. General Grant’s wife, Julia, and their four children lived here during the final year of the Civil War. It is thought that President Abraham Lincoln invited General and Mrs. Grant to join him…
Lately I have been thinking about US history (if you are a frequent reader of this website, that will not be a surprise), how even if you don’t have an interest in history, it is still a part of you. Everything that happened in the Revolutionary War impacted those of…
Our house was built in 1907 and much of it, I am happy and proud to say, has remained unchanged. Of course additions have been made in order to align with the times. One of those updates is a large mailbox affixed to the brick wall on our porch. The…
The Rim of the World in Stanislaus National Forest is a beautiful vista point located near the entrance, or in my case, the exit, to Yosemite National Park. On Highway 120, it provides panoramic views, including, in early May, snow-capped mountains in the distance. This east coast girl will never…
My husband and I have always traveled in the spring and fall as opposed to the summer. First of all, I hate the heat. Secondly, we have never had the constraints of having a child in school, affording us the opportunity to avoid the months when crowds are at their…
The Yosemite Valley Chapel was built in 1879 at a cost of between three and four thousand dollars. The wood chapel was originally located in another part of Yosemite National Park, it was moved to its present location in 1901. Restored in 1965 after a flood the year before, it…
I had been to Yosemite years ago on a day excursion. In planning an upcoming trip to California in present time I was looking forward to returning. Even more so I was excited for my husband to experience this absolutely incredible National Park for the first time. All of Yosemite…
