One of the workampers at Cherry Hill started there 18 years ago. When she started her husband was living and worked at the campground also. After he died, she continued to return each year from California to work during the summer vacation season. Her comment was: “That’s just how nice the people here are to work for.” Quite a testimony, we think.
We were able to have dinner on two nights at the home of Martha’s aunt and uncle. Two other nights we attended the military band concerts given on the steps of the Capitol. As a result, we got to hear The President’s Own Marine Band and Pershing’s Own Army Band. One night a nephew was with us and on the second night we had dinner with the nephew before going to the concert. One afternoon we drove with the aunt and uncle to Damascus, MD to have lunch with another aunt and uncle. So, we got to spend time with family -- some planned and some by accident. Any opportunity we have to spend time with relatives we really appreciate.
One day we went into DC by taking the Metro. Once there we purchased tickets for the Old Town Trolley, which is a great way to see the Capital. In the last year or two they've upgraded their vehicles to be multi-level coaches built on Freightliner chassis. The result is that more people get a forward view instead of just looking out the side windows. It's a great way to see DC and the many attractions because you can get on and off at any stop for an all-day price.
For our time we went through the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian on the Mall. Once in the museum it was obvious several middle schools groups were there on school trips (which was what we observed our first night in the Capital at Union Station). Still, the museum offers an excellent overview of flight as we know it in the United States.
Our second stop was near at the Lincoln Memorial which is situated at the west end of the Reflecting Pool. From there we walked beside the pool to the opposite end and the new World War II Memorial. The Memorial is quite impressive. Below are some photos of the Memorial.
The World War II Memorial is at the east end of the Reflecting Pool
and directly west of the Washington Monument. The circular pool
features pillars naming each state in the Union as well as the
possessions of the US.
This inscription, at the east entry to the Memorial, puts things
succinctly and well: "Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln,
one the eighteenth century Farther and the other the nineteenth century Preserver
of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who
took up the struggle during the Second World War and mad the sacrifice
to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us,
a nation conceived in liberty and justice.
A feature of the Memorial, of which there are several, is the wall of stars called the
Freedom Wall. On it are 4,048 gold stars with each star representing
one hundred American service personnel who died or remain missing from the war.
As you walk past them, they catch the light in such a way that the each produce
a shimmering effect.
At the north side of the Memorial stands an arch baring the name "Atlantic."
Under it are inscribed the countries and political territories that were part of the
European theater of battle.
To the south is the arch for Pacific theater of battle. Of course,
the areas caught in the war are also listed under it.
We attempted to make a night visit to the Memorial but were unable to find suitable parking since we were in our car. The one-way streets that meander around the western edge of the monuments and memorials doesn't help either. One time we wound up turning around in Virginia after crossing the Potomac and another time we went past the Watergate complex after getting on the wrong street. (So much for Byron's ability to keep track of where he was.)
We left Washington on Saturday and headed toward Gettysburg via Baltimore and the B & O Railroad Museum. While the museum is filled with memorabilia, rolling stock, and locomotives that were a part of the B & O, the country's first railroad, respect is given to the whole realm of rail history with other lines also be represented.
Getting to the museum is interesting as it's situation in an old part of Baltimore where the streets are rather narrow and where housing has been given over to those of lesser economic ability. By calling ahead, we were met at the entrance to the parking area by a police representative who instructed us where the bus and RV parking was. Getting in was no problem but getting out meant disconnecting the car so the motorhome could be woven between the train cars and parked cars that are distributed across the lot.
The centerpiece of the Museum is the old roundhouse. It has been rebuilt after
suffering a partial collapse under the weight of snow a few years ago. Some of
the rolling stock and engines that were also damaged
have been repaired and are back on display.
The current displays relate to the Civil War and how the train
was involved 150 years ago. Thus, the reason
for the many flags that encircle the dome of the roundhouse.
One of the more unusual locomotives on display is this camelback
style in which the cab sits above the tender of the engine -- certainly
a hot place in which to work.
Our time at Gettysburg was spent taking the self-guided Auto Tour of the battlefields. We have put this in plural because referring to the encounter at Gettysburg taking place on a “battlefield” does it no justice. The fighting took place in several fields involving 70,000 Confederate troops and 93,000 Union troops. Viewing the Diorama (a commercially development) helps one to plainly see this fact. Though the town of Gettysburg, the Lutheran seminary, and a college campus were spared, farmland from the northwest circling around to the southeast was not spared.
The Auto Tour starts at the Visitor Center and goes through Gettysburg to the northwestern point where General Lee and the troops first entered the area. It continues along Seminary Ridge and on southward. One of the stops along the way helps visitors view thing from the South's point of view. As the journey continues in a large oval, travelers are brought to Little Round Top where a significant turn in the Battle took place. Here one sees things from the North's point of view. Finally, the tour ends at the Soldier's National Cemetery and the monument that marks where Lincoln gave his famous address.
In order for the Confederacy to win a decisive victory at Gettysburg
they had to overtake the position held by Federal troops at Little Round Top,
one of two large hills with large rocks and boulders which
protected the Union troops.
This monument, built with funds provided by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
marks the location where Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous address.
On each corner is a sculpture representing war, peace, industry,
and prosperity. At the top of the monument is a carving of
Liberty holding a wreath in one hand and a
sword in scabbard in the other. The monument is
surrounded by the graves of the fallen. On the inside of the
large semi-circle of graves are stones with numbers for the unidentified.
Around the perimeter are the grave markers of those who were identified
with each stone being unique since they were supplied by family members.
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