Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, Texas

Another tourist attraction that we heard was a must see, so we decided to head to the Forth Worth Stockyards before Jim's doctor appointment which was just a short distance away from the stockyards. The Longhorns run twice a day and we got there just in time to see the tail end of them coming down the street and into their paddock.

Improved Order of Red Men Museum, Waco, Texas

You are probably wondering what the Improved Order of Red Men are. I certainly wondered, and also wondered how they got their name. The rituals and regalia of the Red Men are modeled after those assumed by white men of the era to be used by Native Americans. Despite the name, the order was formed solely by, and for, white men. The Improved Order of Red Men traces its origin to certain secret patriotic societies founded before the American Revolution. It was established to promote liberty and to defy the tyranny of the English crown. The early groups included the Sons of Liberty, Sons of St. Tammany and the Red Men. 

Red Men Museum & Library

Southwest Dairy Museum, Sulphur Springs, Texas

We went to the Southwest Dairy Museum to learn the history of the dairy industry in Texas. There were a lot of exhibits showing the early methods of milking and the production of the milk.

Military Heritage Collection of North Texas, Nevada, Texas

The Military Heritage Museum we went to today had a lot of historical artifacts that have been donated to the museum by people from all over the world. There were some very unique items in the museum and unfortunately, they did not have tags by the items as the gentlemen who runs the museum gave us a personal tour and explained all the items to us as we walked through the museum. (I did mention the tag issue to our guide.)

The Salt Palace Museum, Grand Saline, Texas

I had no idea that the salt we use from the Morton salt container comes from a small town called Grand Saline in Texas. The city of Grand Saline is home to one of the largest, purest salt domes in the United States with a supply estimated to last 20,000 years. The museum's outside walls are made of pure rock salt.

Current Rock Salt Palace

No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum, Terrell, Texas

During World War II thousands of British pilots learned to fly at six civilian training schools in the United States. The first of these schools was in Terrell, Texas. After the United States entered the war, American Aviation Cadets also trained at the school. Approximately 2,200 Royal Air Force and American Army Air Force cadets trained at Terrell and around 1,470 graduated between 1941 and 1945. 

Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum, Greenville, Texas

Besides being a memorial to Audie Murphy, who grew up near here, the museum also highlighted the early residents of Hunt County, some of whom were pretty famous, as well as the cotton production in the area. 

National Bird Dog Museum, Grand Junction, Tennessee

The National Bird Dog Museum highlights more than 40 breeds of dogs and people dating back to the 1930s. The retrieving dog breed has a rich history originating from a variety of environments and backgrounds providing an exciting dimension to the sport dog history. The museum is dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of bird dog, field trial, and hunting traditions. The museum houses the art, pictures, and memorabilia about field trials, shooting sports. 

Mammoth Cave National Park, Cave City, Kentucky

This is our second trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, so we did not take any of the tours. On our last trip in 2011 we took the Historic Tour, but I have no pictures from that tour. The pictures here are just from the Visitor Center, which has a wonderful display and explanation of the cave system. Mammoth Cave is the most extensive cave system on Earth. It took about 4,000 years of water intrusion for the cave to form, carved out of sandstone and shale. Over 365 miles have been surveyed and Geologists think there could be 600 miles of undiscovered passageways. It is over twice as long as any known cave.

Historic Railpark Train Museum, Bowling Green, Kentucky

We were on our way to the Corvette Museum and driving in were directed to a parking area that was at least 1/2 mile from the museum itself. We learned that it was the 25th anniversary of the museum's opening and about 10,000 corvettes from all over the U.S. were there as well as thousands of people, so we just kept driving and decided to head to the Historic Railpark Train Museum instead. We arrived just in time for a tour which took us through a Pullman train where we learned about mail delivery, eating and sleeping areas, and how the dining cars were named. 

Studebaker National Museum, South Bend, Indiana

Visiting the Studebaker National Museum was fascinating ~ seeing all the cars the company built through the years. I was not sure how much I would like it, but I did like seeing all the old cars, and I know Jim enjoyed it a lot. 

This is the history of how the Studebakers eventually began their automobile business: the Studebaker family were actually blacksmiths, first in Germany and then in the United States. In 1736, five Studebaker family members arrived in Philadelphia, where they continued their craft. They ran their business in Gettysburg but left in 1836 and headed for Ashland, Ohio. Then brothers Henry and Clement moved to South Bend and opened a blacksmith shop in 1852. Their business actually began with the Civil War when they accepted a contract for 100 army wagons, and then they received other military contracts. 

Old Jail Museum, Albion, Indiana

Built in 1875 the Old Jail Museum was a place where a debt to society was served. Both accused and convicted individuals would make their home here until the jail was turned into a museum in 1968. The sheriff's quarters were housed in the front of the building, while the inmates were located in the back section. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is owned and operated by volunteers of the Noble County Historical Society. The museum features displays of military history, school and local sports memorabilia, children's toys, period furniture, farm implements, medical items and clothing. The kitchen is equipped with appliances and utensils used while the jail was being used.

RV/MH Hall of Fame, Elkhart, Indiana

Jim and I became lifetime members of the RV/MH Hall of Fame in 2010 when we went to our first Escapees Escapade in Goshen, Indiana. The Hall of Fame has RVs from the early 1900s until the present. It's hard to say when people first began RVing, but the earliest truck camper at the Museum is dated 1913. The earliest recorded RV travel club is the Tin Can Tourists which started in 1919 (and just celebrated its 100th anniversary at Sertoma Youth Ranch in Brooksville, Florida this past February).

Mid-America Windmill Museum, Kendallville, Indiana

Well, I found another interesting museum with tools that played an important part in the development of our country ~~ the windmill. The Mid-America Windmill Museum has been around for over 25 years and are always getting new windmills for their exhibit. There are a total of fifty-two windmills that have been restored and are on exhibit in the museum barn or outside on the museum grounds. A highlight of the museum is a replica of the Robertson Post windmill, a single stone grist mill with a 52 foot diameter wind wheel. The original Robertson was shipped from England and erected on the James River near Jamestown, VA. in the 1620's. 

Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, Ohio

The origins of the Bicycle Museum of America come from the Schwinn Bicycle collection. In 1997, Jim Dicke II of Crown Equipment Corporation, a manufacturer of electric lift trucks, purchased the collection of bicycles and memorabilia in Chicago and moved the collection to New Bremen, Ohio. The Bicycle Museum is fascinating; it has unique and one of a kind bicycles, with a history of some of them. It also hosts some famous bikes, such as those of Robin Williams and Pee Wee Herman ~ really!

We had a great time there; the short film showed a group of actors riding the crazy looking bicycles that have one huge wheel in the front, and a small one in back. Even had a foot powered car that we were able to try (which we got videos of ~ they can be seen at the end of this blog).

Airstream Factory Tour, Jackson Center, Ohio

Since we were so close to the Airstream Factory when we were in Ohio, of course we had to take a tour. We have said that if we ever bought another RV, it would be an Airstream because we believe that they are built with quality. Unfortunately, they would not allow any photographs inside the factory of any Airstreams under construction, but we were able to see the materials they used in the construction of the Airstreams. If you go onto the Airstream website, you can browse the travel trailers, download the quality guide, and browse touring coaches.

Armstrong Air & Space Museum, Wapakoneta, Ohio

The main premise behind the Armstrong Air & Space Museum is the fact that Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon, was born and raised in the city of Wapakoneta, Ohio. The museum features Mr. Armstrong and his contribution to space exploration but also highlights other aspects of the space race. Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, on his grandparents' farm near Wapakoneta. He was the oldest of three children and graduated high school in 1947. He died on August 25, 2012.

The Temple of Tolerance, Wapakoneta, Ohio

As I peruse Roadside America to figure out what there is to see when we arrive in a town, I found The Temple of Tolerance. It sounded interesting, and was something I wanted to see. People noted, "it's behind the house of Jim Bowsher. It's open daily; just walk up his driveway and into his back yard." That was kind of weird and I just was not sure about just walking into someone's back yard without being invited. However, Jim Bowsher made his temple with the idea that everyone is welcome to come and enjoy it. A friend from our days at Kent State University in the early 1970s, Tim Lea, lives right here in Wapakoneta, and he came to visit today. We sat and talked for awhile and he indicated that he knew Jim Bowsher, so I suggested we go see the Temple. We must have spent a couple of hours walking through his collection. Jim was not around, but we did talk to a number of people wandering through his collection.

The Temple of Tolerance

Balach~Bala~Balla Cousin Reunion, Cleveland, Ohio

Walter Balachowski (1889-1963) was born in Buffalo, New York, and his wife Frences Schwanek Balachowski (1889-1964) was born in Prussia, Poland. They had seven children ~ five boys and two girls. The two girls were Leona, who was born and died in 1919, and Adeline Francis who was born and died in 1923. The five boys were: Ben (1917-1998); Elmer (1920-2014); Edward (1924-2014); Frank (1927-2007), and Richard (1928-2014). The house Walter and Frences lived in was in Ward 13 in Cleveland, which is called the Old Brooklyn and Stockyard neighborhoods.

A Christmas Story House, West Cleveland, Ohio

We finished our tour with Gary crossing the Hope Memorial Bridge to the west side of Cleveland where he took us to the Tremont area of West Cleveland and the house featured in "A Christmas Story." The Hope Memorial Bridge is named after Bob Hope's father, who carved the images on the columns on each side of the bridge. The name was chosen in honor of William Henry "Harry" Hope, a local stonemason who helped build the "Guardians of Traffic" sculptures, and the father of comedian and former Cleveland resident Bob Hope. 

Hope Memorial Bridge

Touring Cleveland, Ohio

Jim's classmate from high school came to visit us on Saturday and took us on a tour of the Cleveland area. Jim has kept in touch with Gary Jun over the years (49 years) and since Gary has lived in the Cleveland area his whole life, he offered to drive us around the city and show us some sights. We had a great time and are very glad that we were able to spend the day with him.

Our first stop was Lakeview Cemetery, where some famous people are buried, such as James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States. He did not serve very long ~ he served from March 4, 1881 until his death by assassination 6-1/2 months later. He was the first sitting member of Congress to be elected to the presidency, and remains the only sitting House member to gain the White House.

Garfield Monument

Goodtime III Cruise, Cleveland, Ohio

We took a two hour cruise aboard the Goodtime III Friday afternoon around the jetty of Lake Erie and up the Cuyahoga River a little past the Flats before turning around. Years ago the Flats in Cleveland was a steel mill but today is filled with restaurants, apartments, and parks. The improvement is fabulous and I took a few pictures of the area as we cruised up the river. The Captain also narrated a story of the area as we cruised. I wish I could remember everything that he said, but I am going to have to get information from the internet instead.

The Bridges of Ashtabula County, Ohio

There are 19 covered bridges in Ashtabula County, so we took a day and drove around and visited 12 of them. There are 13 in the North and Eastern Tour; and six in the South and Western Tour. We just drove the North and Eastern Tour, beginning at Bridge No. 1 (Netcher). At our half way point in Conneaut, we stopped for lunch before finishing the tour. Ashtabula County is in Ohio's northeast corner and is considered the covered bridge capital of the state. 

The bridge I feature here is the Smolen-Gulf (No. 11) bridge. It is the longest covered bridge in the United States at 613 feet long and stands 93 feet above the Ashtabula River. Built in 2008, it has a life expectancy of 100 years.

Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge

Ashtabula Maritime Museum, Ashtabula, Ohio

The building which now houses the museum was built in 1871 as a lighthouse-keeper's home, and now houses exhibits on the local area. They did not allow many photographs to be taken because some of them are proprietary and at one time someone came in with a tripod wanting to take pictures and then resell them. Well, that is a no-no, so now they don't allow pictures. But I got a few pictures inside and some outside.

National Bottle Museum, Ballston Spa, New York

Another fun and interesting museum ~ you wouldn't think a bottle museum could be interesting, but Gary, the manager of the museum, has been here 20 years! He has a degree in history but obviously finds bottles very interesting. When we walked into the small museum, there were four young men and women in there working, mostly to give tours of the museum, which we got from of the them. They offer a glassworks teaching facility and an extensive library on bottle making.

Oldest bottle in the Museum, circa 1710-1725

Telephone Museum, Warner, New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Telephone Museum houses the history of telephones beginning with the invention of the first telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.  We were given a short tour by one of the staff; she was very knowledgeable about the history of the telephones and delightful to talk to. It's amazing how many different types of telephones have been invented since Bell's first invention. Have you wondered how area codes came about; where 911 came from; where the 555 exchange came from; or why we say "hello" when we answer the phone? Well, the answers are here in my Blog ~ read on.

Telephone Museum

Women's Long Road ~ 100 Years to the Vote

One of the special exhibits I visited at the Maine State Museum was of Maine's contribution to the Women's Suffrage Movement. Starting in 1854, and at least 28 more times over the next six decades, suffrage proponents asked the Maine legislature to allow women the right to vote. Over the years, Maine women gained some economic and social rights and protections, but were denied the right to vote. The U.S. Constitution left voting regulation to the states, and most barred women. Pro-suffrage groups sought to amend the federal, as well as the state constitutions. This display highlighted only a few of the special women involved in the suffrage movement. What would you have done had you been living during this time period? Would you have joined the movement? 

Maine State Museum, Augusta, Maine

During our recent trip to Maine we visited the Maine State Museum in Augusta to learn about Maine's contribution to shipbuilding and the fishing industry. Known for its Maine lobsters, its fishing industry is an important aspect of Maine life.

St. Mary Model

Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield Amory is special because of its contribution of firearms starting in the 1700s and running through the 1900s. In 1794 the new federal government decided to manufacture its own muskets so that the country would not be dependent on foreign arms. President George Washington selected Springfield, Massachusetts as the site of one of two federal armories. The second armory was built at Harper's Ferry in Virginia until the beginning of the Civil War when it was destroyed by the North. 

Springfield Armory

No. 9 Mine & Museum, Lansford, Pennsylvania

The No. 9 coal mine was one of The Lehigh Coal & Company's anthracite mines built during the 1800s. No. 9 was built in the Panther Valley of Pennsylvania. The Panther Valley is an area of greatest unrelieved pressure, and the geo-chemical forces and relative lack of faulting here has yielded the highest quality coal on earth. Today, the Panther Valley is anthracite's oldest community. Lehigh Anthracite, LLC's premium anthracite coal is still mined in the valley and shipped throughout the world. 

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Ronks, Pennsylvania

We visited The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania after our lunch train ride on Father's Day aboard the Strasburg Railroad. The railroad museum was created to provide a historical account of railroading in Pennsylvania by preserving rolling stock, artifacts, and archives of railroad companies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The museum has branched out over the years, acquiring some pieces that are not directly related to Pennsylvania, but are important to the history of railroading. In addition to full-size rolling stock pieces, the museum offers a number of other commodities, which include several model railroad layouts, a hands on educational center, a library and archives, and a smaller exhibit gallery on the second floor. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to view the exhibit on the second floor.

The museum's collection has more than 100 historic locomotives and railroad cars that chronicle American railroad history. You can climb aboard some of the locomotives and cars, inspect a 62-ton locomotive from underneath, view restoration activities via closed-circuit television, enjoy interactive educational programs, and more.

D-16 Class, An American Star

National Toy Train Museum, Ronks, Pennsylvania

Filled with toy trains of all makes, sizes and ages, the National Toy Train Museum has many displays as well as train cities set up for guests to play with - just by pushing buttons you can light up the displays and make the trains run. We had fun playing with the displays. There was even a huge complete Lego city set up with Lego trains. Starting off in the museum were Lionel trains, specifically featuring the woman who paints their trains ~~ Angela Trotta Thomas. Can you imagine being one of the artists to be licensed by Lionel Trains? What an honor! This painting was featured on one of her Christmas boxcars.

Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The Civil War started in April 1861 when Confederate forces bombarded the Union controlled Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The war ended in April 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the Court House in Appomattox, Virginia (see my Blog on our visit there). 

Firing on Fort Sumpter

Haines Shoe House, York, Pennsylvania

Another quirky find from Roadside America, the Haines Shoe House was built by Mahlon Haines in 1948 as a form of advertisement. Mr. Haines was traveling by bicycle to Washington, D.C. where his mother lived, but broke down in York, Pennsylvania. He did not have any money so he started buying shoes and boots and then reselling them. His business was so lucrative that he decided to stay. To advertise his business, he built the Shoe House. He never lived in the house, but there were five stories with bedrooms, kitchen, sitting room, bathrooms which were for guests that stayed at the house. I'm trying to recall what the guide told us about the house and Mr. Haines, and I cannot recall everything she said about him.

National Watch & Clock Museum, Columbia, Pennsylvania

The National Watch & Clock Museum was a fantastic place to visit. I don't know how I find these places, but we were glad to visit it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did through my blog. This is just a sampling of the clocks they have in the museum. 

The ancient timepieces in the museum are the early evidence of our enduring fascination with time. Though they date from a really long time ago, they point the way to the watches, clocks, and calendars of today ~~ and the revelations about time that still lie ahead. 

Tellerhur, circa 1680

Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington, Pennsylvania

It was the middle of winter in 1753-1754, the beginning of the French & Indian War. Lt. Col. George Washington was 21 years old and given the task of heading an expedition into the wilderness to warn the French to withdraw from that part of Ohio country that had been claimed by Virginia. The French considered Ohio a vital link between New France (Canada) and Louisiana, and advanced southward and westward from Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario, driving out English traders and claiming the Ohio River Valley for France. Washington was to tell the French to withdraw, and their refusal to withdraw set the stage for the events that took place at Fort Necessity.

Fort Necessity

Flight 93 National Memorial, Stoystown, Pennsylvania

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001? I remember sitting at my desk at work when word came over the radio. Everyone was totally shocked and in disbelief. Then we started learning the story ... America was under attack. 

In a huge field just east of the town of Stoystown and north of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the passengers on Flight 93 make a momentous decision to take back the plane and not let the hijackers fulfill their objective. The hijacker's target: the Nation's Capitol, and thank goodness these heroic people thwarted that goal, giving their lives in that effort.

Thomas Jefferson Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States, American Founding Father, and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. After writing the Declaration he spent the next 33 years in public service: delegate to the Virginia General Assembly and to Congress, Governor of Virginia, Minister to France, Secretary of State, Vice President, and President from 1801 to 1809. His achievements include the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark Expedition.  

When visiting Monticello, you save money by buying your tickets on line and at the same time, reserve your time for the house tour. When we went it was very busy with tours occurring every 10 minutes. The instructions say to arrive 30 minutes ahead of your tour time, which gives you time to park, get to the ticket office to pick up your tickets, and then take a shuttle bus to the House. No photos are allowed in the house, but photos are allowed everywhere outside.

The Civil War and Lee's Surrender, Appomattox, Virginia

We went to the Civil War Museum and then the Court House in Appomattox, Virginia, which is where General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all United States forces on April 9, 1865. Lee's surrender signaled the end of the Southern States' attempt to create a separate nation. The seven southern slave states began its secession in December 1860 in order to form the Confederate States of America. The government and northern states refused to recognize the secession, and because of uncompromising differences between the free and slave states over the power of the government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states, eventually led to the civil war. 

Appomattox Court House

Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures, Spencer, North Carolina

As I look for things to see in the towns we visit, this one caught my eye. The Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures is housed in an old ABC Liquor Store, so it's not very big, but crammed full with more boxes coming. People from all over the country find they cannot throw away their old heirlooms and look for places to send them. Many of these dolls and toys are donated, and some of the Barbie Dolls belonged to Amy Dawn Morris, daughter of the owner, who died at the young age of 21 from Wiarnig-Hoffman bone disease. She was an avid doll collector and left hundreds of Barbies and other dolls to her sister and their mother, which are now at this museum.

The CCC in the Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina

During the summer of 2013 we were workamping in Tremont, Tennessee. While there we visited the western area of the Smoky Mountains, including Cades Cove and Clingman's Dome. However, this time we were near the southeast area and just went to the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, and then took a side trip to see Mingo Falls, which is not in the park, so I made a separate post for that.

The Visitor's Center highlights the work the Civilian Conservation Corp ("CCC") did as well as the people who lived in the area before it became a park.

Mingo Falls, Cherokee, North Carolina

Mingo Falls is approximately 120 feet tall and one of the tallest waterfalls in southern Appalachia. The waterfall cascades down nearly 200 feet of rock face and boulders. You’ll be taking the Pigeon Creek Trail to reach the waterfall, and the first leg is an invigorating climb up some 160 stairs. Once you’ve ascended those, though, the grade slackens and it’s a quick walk to the wooden bridge at the base of Mingo Falls.

Wheels Through Time Museum, Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Wheels Through Time Museum was founded in 1992 by Dale Walksler and is home to the world's premier collection of rare American motorcycles and historically significant automobiles, from 1903 to the present. There are over 320 of America's rarest and most significant machines, each with its own story. Many are unique, one-of-a-kind vehicles, so rare that no documentation exists. Most of the machines on display are in running condition, and while we were there heard some of them started up. Even though I am not a motorcyclist, it was fascinating to see all the various motorcycles made by Harley Davidson, Indian and other companies. We met one of the tour guides who recounted interesting stories of some of the motorcycles and automobiles. If you are in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, this is a must see museum. 

The Pierce Motorcycle

Anna Ruby Falls, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Georgia

Where does the water forming Anna Ruby Falls come from? Above the falls is a 2,600-acre basin on the southern side of Tray Mountain. This forested watershed stores, filters and funnels rain water into streams that lead to the twin waterfalls. Abundant, clean water is one of the prime values of a healthy forest. The mountains in this forest are a part of the Blue Ridge, which runs from Virginia, through North and South Carolina into Georgia. The geology here is ancient and complex. About 300 million years ago continental plates collided, buckling the earth's surface, and creating mountains. Erosion has reduced the once massive mountains to their present form.

Botanical Gardens & Geology Museum, Clemson, South Carolina

Open to the public at no charge, Clemson University has a beautiful botanical garden where they study plants and butterflies. There are trails, pathways, ponds, streams, woodlands, xeroscape, and trial gardens. Dogs are allowed on the trails, and the girls enjoyed the walk around the gardens. When we were there workers were building a gazebo out in the middle of a pond. It should be very nice when completed.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo, North Carolina

Roanoke Island has been the scene of historical dramas spanning over three centuries. Algonquians, European settlers, Civil War soldiers, and African Americans have played their parts. Between 1584 and 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh sent three ships across the Atlantic Ocean from England to the New World. These voyages became known as the Roanoke Voyages. During the Civil War, Union troops occupied Roanoke Island, which hosted a colony where the formerly enslaved prepared for life after the war. Radio pioneer Reginald Fessenden transmitted the human voice using wireless technology on Roanoke Island in 1902. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves sites and commemorates the stories connected with these events.

Map, circa 1492

Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

The Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center highlights their lives and family with exhibits and programs that tell the story of the Wright Brothers' progress from beginning to first flight. It sits on the actual site where their first four flights took place on December 17, 1903.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937. It's located on Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on the Pamlico Sound side of the Island. The Sound is relatively shallow throughout, averaging 5 to 6 feet from the island to the mainland (about 15 to 20 miles) and is about 80 miles long. We did not see many birds or wildlife when we took the trail to the lookout point, except for a couple of Canada Geese. So most of the pictures are taken from the brochure and inside the Visitor Center.

Monument to a Century of Flight, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Took a long drive up Highway 12 from the campground to the northern end of the island to go to Walmart with stops at the Monument to a Century of Flight and the Wright Brothers Memorial. The Monument is at the Visitor Center and is dedicated to the many years we have found ways to get into the air.

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras, North Carolina

The water off the coast of Hatteras is treacherous and bears the name Graveyard of the Atlantic. Over 600 ships wrecked there as victims of shallow shoals, storms, and war. Diamond Shoals, a bank of shifting sand ridges hidden beneath a turbulent sea off Cape Hatteras, has never promised ships a safe passage, but seafarers risked the shoals to take advantage of the north- or south-flowing currents passing nearby. Many never reached their destination. Fierce winter nor'easters and hurricanes have driven many ships aground, like the schooners Carroll A. Deering in 1921, G.A. Kohler in 1933, and the infamous Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge.

Ghost Fleet of the Outer Banks