US History

Built in 1774, the Ford Mansion served as George Washington’s headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey from December 1779 to June 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. Washington’s army was stationed at Jockey Hollow, five miles south. Its proximity allowed General Washington to keep apprised of activities in the American capital…

Going to Philadelphia from the suburbs when I was a young girl to shop was a common occurrence. A trip at Christmastime was an annual tradition, Strawbridge & Clothier and Lit Brothers did it up beautifully, adding special attractions for the holiday season. But nothing compared to the John Wanamaker…

From the time that I was a young girl until my thirties, my mom and I would frequently take the train from the suburbs into downtown Philadelphia for shopping. She was born and raised in the city, living there until my father’s company built a new facility “in the country”…

Being as enamored as I am with the events that occurred when we fought for our independence from England, I have seen my fair share of paintings of George Washington, as well as mannequins (shudder – “Unhidden Figures”), busts and massive statues of him on his horse. There are multiple…

We are all familiar with the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the Capital. There is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with its two black granite walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in the…

At Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, Virginia, I listened to the Army – Navy game’s second half being shown on large televisions mounted on every possible wall space throughout. Being played 15 miles away, an equal amount of cheers and groans could be heard from other patrons. I always…

This tree at Arlington Nantional Cemetery has been witness to countless military burials, as our brave men and women in uniform’s caskets, draped in the American flag, are lowered into the earth in this extraordinary location. It has been privy to personal grief, public ceremony, scorching heat and snowfall powdering…

In going through some boxes of items that belonged to my mom after her death, I found many of the things inside were actually my nana’s, who had passed away in 1996. I wish my mom had shown them to me when she brought them home from my nana’s but…

Sister Rain’s Note: This is the twelfth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…

Sister Rain’s Note: This is the eleventh story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…