Making history your story
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!
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!
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!
Living in Central Virginia, Civil War history is all around us. With much of the war taking place in the area, there are many battlefields, historic homes, and museums with their own history from the war. This week marks the 155th anniversary of the end of the war - from the fall of Richmond on April 3rd to the last battle at Sailor’s Creek on April 6th to Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox on April 9th. Check out my new post about that week’s events and some spots to visit, both virtually and in person, to learn more about this important time period in our nation’s history.
Virginia is the birthplace of our nation, and its state library, the Library of Virginia, was created in 1823 as a repository for all of its original documents and manuscripts, dating back to Jamestown’s founding in 1607. Its online resources are vast, and with the current health crisis keeping our kids from attending school, this is the perfect time to explore the documents, artifacts, and manuscripts available. There is even a way for your kids to potentially get their volunteer hours through the Library’s Making History: Transcribe program. Read my new review today about visiting the Library, both in person and virtually!
One of the best places to learn more about African American history in the Richmond area is the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. This museum, located in the beautiful and historic Leigh Street Armory, is a thoughtful and educational place to learn more about the African American experience in Virginia and is an important place to visit while you are in Richmond. I love its mission “to preserve stories that inspire!” Read my new review today and learn why you need to visit before April 18th!
The Historic Triangle in Virginia is one of the most important places in American history. I have already reviewed two of the three sites in the Triangle (Yorktown and Jamestown) and today I am reviewing the last site in the triangle, Colonial Williamsburg. There is enough to see and do in Colonial Williamsburg to justify spending several days there. It is a great place to bring the whole family to learn about life in America during colonial times. From seeing a fife and drum marching band to playing colonial games, your kids will have a fun time in the place “where history never gets old!”
As 2019 draws to a close, we are ending the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the first legislative representative assembly in the New World. This legislative body, Virginia’s General Assembly, began in 1619 in Jamestown and now meets at the Virginia Capitol in Richmond. The Capitol is a wonderful place to take your kids to learn about history, government, and the very beginnings of our country. Read my new review today to help you plan your visit!
