Making history your story
As I stated in my review of Yellowstone last year, national parks are wonderful places to combine history education with outdoor activities. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many families are not able to travel to the best known national parks this year. However, right now is the best time to begin planning for summer 2021. Many of the hotels, restaurants, and activities sell out 9-12 months in advance so you will want to start planning your dream trip today!
July 1st marks the halfway point of 2020, and while this year hasn’t gone according to plan for anyone, I am making good progress on my goal to read 100 books and to keep my reading around 85% historical fiction and nonfiction. Read my new post about the June update to my Year of Historical Reading and see what changes I am making to my reading for the rest of the year.
The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have prevented me from traveling to any new Presidential sites this month. However, several of my previously reviewed Presidential sites in Virginia have reopened their extensive hiking trails and gardens. With many parents looking for a place to let their children play in the outdoors, these sites make a perfect place to visit during the pandemic! Read my new review today to plan a safe and fun visit.
Henricus Historical Park near Richmond is the site of one of the oldest settlements in America. The site was founded in 1611 by English colonists as the second settlement in Virginia (the first was Jamestown). Today the site is a living history museum with recreated English and Native American structures. It has reopened after being closed for the coronavirus pandemic, and since it is mostly outside, it is a great place to visit with your family. Read my new review today!
One way to learn more about the history of the Civil Rights struggle in America is to visit the moving National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. The museum is built beside the preserved Lorraine Motel, which was where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his last night. The museum is an important and must-see site for families, especially with the current challenges facing our country. Read my new review today!
I am starting a new video series on social media, highlighting books for kids, teens, and adults that help them travel through history. I hope to virtually take you to the very places that are featured in the book and when possible, interview the authors to learn more about their book and its place in history. Read my new post today!
The little town of Bedford, VA lost the most soldiers proportionally of any town in America during the storming of the beaches at Normandy during World War II. That is why you will find the National D-Day Memorial in this small town that isn’t near an interstate. Thousands of people flock here every year to pay their respects to all of the soldiers who didn’t make it back home from the attacks. The memorial usually has a moving ceremony on June 6th, the anniversary of the attacks, but this year, the celebration will be virtual, which means that you and your children can watch from anywhere! Learn more about it in my new post today!
Read my new post about the May update to my Year of Historical Reading! I read several great historical fiction books this month, including one book publishing tomorrow, and several outside of the historical genre. I am in two different book clubs so it is nice to read outside of my favorite genre occasionally. Check out the post today!
My quest to visit Presidential and First Lady sites has been hampered by the travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, since I live in Central Virginia, an easy drive from many of these sites, I decided to check out a Presidential site in my own backyard, Tuckahoe Plantation. It's a lovely site to visit, even during this pandemic. Read my new review today!
Fort Monroe in Hampton Roads, VA is a place with a storied history that dates back to the beginning of America. It was on these grounds that the first enslaved African-Americans came to the English colonies in 1619. This site was also known as “Freedom’s Fortress” during the Civil War, as thousands of contraband slaves who made it to its walls were given their freedom by Union Gen. Benjamin Butler. 155 years ago this month, it served as the prison for the former Confederate President, Jefferson Davis. The fort continued to be used by the military for another 140 years before being decommissioned in 2011. Today, the fort’s lovely grounds and buildings are open to visitors, including the Casemate Museum where Davis’ jail cell was located. It makes for a fun day trip, even in the midst of the pandemic closures. Read my new review today!
