Moments in History: Mesa Verde National Park – Visitor Center & Park Point

Leaving Durango, Colorado, the scenery began to change dramatically from mountains to more desert-like conditions. We had a glimpse of Chimney Rock from the car, although we did not plan to stop there this trip. This Chimney Rock is very different from the monument of the same name in Nebraska. We also had our first […]

Moments in History: Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

As 675 cavalrymen came around a prairie bend, the camps of Chiefs Black Kettle, White Antelope, and Left Hand lay in the valley before them. Chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody, the events of November 29, 1864 changed the course of history. — https://www.nps.gov/sand/index.htm As our family of five tries to visit all 50 states, my […]

Moments in History: William Howard Taft National Historic Site

The only man ever to be both President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was born and raised in Cincinnati. Before leaving Ohio, we stopped at the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. We arrived at 8:30a.m., and were the very first guests of the day. The ranger immediately welcomed us and asked the […]

Moments in History: National Museum of the United States Air Force

Park rangers are a great source of information, often pointing visitors in new directions and having a wealth of knowledge about the area. At Hopewell Culture, the ranger had recommended an additional stop near Huffman Prairie Flying Field if we had additional time. After M made the mistake of mentioning it in C’s presence during […]

Moments in History: Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

Somewhere in my family’s genealogy we are related to Orville and Wilbur Wright. I can’t remember how exactly, but the knowledge that we are somehow related made the kids excited to learn more about the Wright Brothers. Our stop at Kitty Hawk covered one half of their history. To finish our lesson, we needed to […]

Moments in History: Hopewell Culture National Historic Park

Sometimes, a place you’ve never heard of can turn out to be the jewel in your trip. Such was the case with our trip to Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. The park was a very short drive from our hotel in Chillicothe. A terrific ranger was on duty when we arrived 10 minutes before the […]

Moments in History: Colonial Williamsburg

If you had asked me before we left on our Southeast Road Trip which one place I was most excited to visit, I would have answered Colonial Williamsburg. We planned to spend an entire day here and I purchased tickets online before we left. Before I can review Colonial Williamsburg fairly, I have to tell […]

Moments in History: Norfolk Naval Station

Thank you, Mother Nature. Getting stuck in the rain at Wright Brothers National Historical Site, forced us to cancel our plans for a 45-minute bus tour of Norfolk Naval Station, which seriously disappointed C. It worked to our advantage, though. While waiting out the rain, I researched the area and found a boat tour of […]

Moments in History: Battleship Wisconsin

Sometimes spontaneity pays off. When our plans for a 1:30p.m. bus tour of Norfolk Naval Station fell through, I made a last minute change in plans and scheduled something else for 5:30p.m. in Norfolk, Virginia. As we drove north from Kitty Hawk, I hopped online to find something else to do in downtown Norfolk, preferably […]

Moment in History: Wright Brothers National Memorial

Driving up from Kill Devil Hills, the Wright Brothers National Memorial is visible for miles and miles. This towering monument in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, commemorates the first airplane flight. Arriving at the gates, the ranger informed us that the main visitor center was closed for renovation, a fact I had already discovered thanks […]