Roadie: Women's Rights National Historic Park

The Wesleyan Chapel, site of the First Women's Rights Convention in 1848. (10/8/18)

Though less than a sixty minute drive from our home in Rochester, New York, Anne and I had never been to the Women's Rights National Historic Park. During last October's Columbus Day long weekend, we took our day off from work to drive out to nearby Seneca Falls where the "park" is located. As (relative) locals, and residents of the hometown of suffragist Susan B. Anthony, it is easy to overlook local historic sites in one's own backyard, even those with such significance to Unites States History. More a series of interconnected museum displays than a traditional "park" (no hiking shoes required!), there is quite a bit to take in over relatively short square footage that comprises the Visitor's Center and nearby sites. The town of Seneca Falls, the basis for Bedford Falls from It's A Wonderful Life, includes a quaint Main Street with other tourist sites to investigate.

Inside the restored Wesleyan Chapel. (10/8/18)

Declaration Park lies between the Wesleyan Chapel and Visitor's Center. (10/8/18)

The Waterwall on which the entire text of the Declaration of Sentiments 
and it's signers are inscribed. (10/8/18)

Green space at Declaration Park. (10/8/18)

Entrance to the park Visitor's Center at 136 Fall Street
 next to the Wesleyan Church. (10/8/18)

Juliette Gordon Law (right), founder of the Girls Scouts of America. (10/8/18)

Display depicting the history of Girl Scouting. (10/8/18)

Replica of The Declaration of Sentiments. (10/8/18)

(10/8/18)

The First Wave statue exhibit inside the entrance of the visitor's center. (10/8/18)

Me with statues of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass. (10/8/18)

Displays leading to the second floor of the Visitor's Center.(10/8/18)

A myriad of images, artifacts and media representations 
documenting Women's Rights Movement. (10/8/18)

(10/8/18)

One of many engaging pieces for clarifying
necessity for equity. (10/8/18)

Incredible photography capture reality that these
historic events are not really ancient history. (10/8/18)

These pictures taken during our trip do little justice to the scope and power of the displays and sites at the Women's Rights National Historic Park. Each display includes quite a bit of great reading offering a wide range of perspectives on the Women's Rights Movement from both participants and those impacted. Having recently read and analyzed the Declaration of Sentiments with my students, it really is incredible that it took another 70+ years for women to fully gain the right to vote nationally. The images, statues and site at the Women's Rights park serve as powerful reminders of how far our nation has come relative to delivering equity, and in light of recent political environment, how far there is yet to go.

Roadie: Glacier Bay National Park

In the background, the Mendenhall Glacier. (7/1/2019)

Don't ever become so jaded that you begin to think that you can see too much incredible natural scenery. After 3+ hours whale watching, we took a quick bus trip to Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve, an American national park located in Southeast Alaska west of Juneau. The park is also part of the Tongass National Forest, a fact which offers a sense as to the size and scope of Tongass--our earlier stop in Ketchikan took us to a different corner of the same rainforest! Still feeling the natural high from the wind, waves and humpback whales, vibing with the glacier and waterfall from a distance was still easy to do.

Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls both of which empty into
Mendenhall Lake. (7/1/2019)

Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve is yet another wonderful
national park. (7/1/2019)

The Mendenhall Glacier... catch it now before its gone. (7/1/2019)

There is a trail that takes one to the base of Nugget Falls, and closer to the Mendenhall Glacier. Given the short amount of time we had in the park--and that those we were traveling with being too tired to take the 2 mile trek, Anne and I opted to view from afar with our family. Like all the national parks and sites we have visited there were many smaller things, in this case lichen and birds, that were as interesting to observe as the park's headliner, the Mendenhall Glacier.

Nugget Falls to the immediate right of the Mendenhall Glacier. (7/1/2019)

My brother-in-law and my brother. (7/1/2019)

(7/1/2019)

The "Tern Stop" was a pick-up/drop-off point for visitors as well
as an indicator of things to come. (7/1/2019)

Arctic tern sitting on its nest with a friend. (7/1/2019)

Arctic tern offering a friendly reminder. (7/1/2019)

(7/1/2019)

Roadie: Downtown Ketchikan, Alaska

Set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska's famed Inside Passage,
Ketchikan is thought of as the beginning of to "The Last Frontier."(6/30/2019)

My wife and I have not previously thought of ourselves as cruise-type travelers, but after spending five of a seven day cruise "in" Alaska (including three on port excursions to Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway), I am unsure there is any other way to comfortably scratch the complex surface of this non-contiguous state any other way.

Each city was geographically isolated from one another by large bodies of water and lush woodlands. Cruising by ship from port-to-port was much more cost effective and efficient than taking prop planes or small water craft. This mode of travel also allowed for multiple opportunities to view the natural wonders of Alaska's temperate rain forest (as well as glaciers and the resulting mountains) from a distance. First stop, after flying out following a single one night in Seattle, Washington, Ketchikan.

Once a Tlingit fishing camp, Ketchikan is now a sleepy town
and tourist attraction. (6/30/2019)

Ketchikan is located near the southern most tip of Alaska's pan-handle on the eastern coast of Revillagideo Island at the heart of the Tongass National Forest.

"Ketchikan" is Tlingit for "Thundering Wings of an Eagle," hence the statue that greets
visitors immediately after entering town. (6/30/2019)

Numerous totem poles, some of which tell stories and others that
memorialize historic figures are plentiful throughout the village. (6/30/2019)

The majority of totems are replicas of those previously destroyed
by settlers and missionaries. (6/30/2019)

Settlers built their homes, stores and brothels on stilts which have since
been reinforced. (6/30/2019)

Original home of famed "lady of the night" Dolly Arthur. (6/30/2019)

(6/30/2019)

Two of Alaska's most significant financial forces: salmon fishing 

and tourism. (6/30/2019)

Ketchikan Creek Waterfall. (6/30/2019)

Guess what secret path husbands would use to go home following a 

night out? Married Man's Trail, of course! (6/30/2019)

It was good too see that totems were in ready 

supply. (6/29/2019)

Only about 90 minutes of our stop in Ketchikan was spent in the town. There we walked the streets took in some of the local art and partook of some famous coffee. A recurring motif that we first became aware of in these tourist towns was the pervasive presence of (too) many jewelry stores on Main Street. These are apparently owned by the companies that run the cruise ships operations). We were much more interested in the history, wildlife, and landscape than tchotchke, though we did pick-up a few odds-and-ends for family back home.

Roadie: Roosevelt Birthplace, NYC

My wife outside the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace located on

East 20th Street, New York City. (2/24/17)

Last September,  my wife and I took a trip to FDR Presidential Library and Museum and this Winter Recess while visiting my stepson at college we found time to stop and take a tour of Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace. Each of the multiple times over the past four years that we have been in New York City, Anne and I have endeavored to locate and visit National Park sites and monuments and this trip was no different. As a high school English teacher, I enjoy researching historical background relevant to various texts I use in class, but have never really felt like much of a student of American history. Visiting historical sites maintained by our U.S. National Parks Service, along with my wife's own passion for American history, has changed that.

Exterior of Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace. (2/24/17)

Close-up of dedication. (2/24/17)

Upstairs for "regular" visitors to the home, downstairs

for the help. We enter through the downstairs

entrance. (2/14/17)

Historical artifacts and documents with contextual information are

located in lower level. (2/24/17)

Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt's father, also named Theodore.
Due to the potential for confusion, the eventual president is
nicknamed "T.D." (2/24/17)

Living room where the Roosevelt's would

greet visitors. (2/24/17)

Living room. (2/24/17)

Close-up of living room chandelier. (2/24/17)

Bookshelf in TD's favorite room, the family library. (2/24/17)

Other than reading, the Roosevelt's also enjoyed looking
at the stereoscope--think old-timey View Master. (2/24/17)

The small velvet chair to the left of the fireplace was

specially made for TD whose skin was very

sensitive. (2/24/17)

The Roosevelt bedroom, where the future president

and his siblings were born. (2/24/17)

Close-up of chair in the bedroom. The circular silver hardware

on the wall opens to an early intercom system: the Roosevelt's would

open the apparatus and yell to the floor below. (2/24/17)

A two bedroom home, the parents shared one room and the

Roosevelt children, including TD, shared a second adjacent

room. It was dark and the "Exit" sign is the only structural modification

made to the reproduction of the original house. (2/24/17)

Close-up of porcelain doll in Roosevelt children's bedroom. (2/24/17)

The U.S. Park Ranger who conducted our tour did a fantastic job explaining each period room, sharing numerous anecdotes and offering valuable historical context. So much of what I learned from our tour is impossible to photograph, and I look forward to sharing these with my classes when the circumstances, and source documents, provide the opportunity. Like nearly every U.S. National Park Services site we've visited, I strongly recommend stopping by for an informative visit should you find yourself in the neighborhood.