Days Ten and Eleven: Parkersburg, West Virginias

June 23rd & 24th, 2015

Parkersburg, West Virginia is a true gem!  Mom's GPS took us on a tour of the residential area above HWY 14 before we arrived at the hotel.  Some of the homes and lawns were beautiful!

We decided to be adventurous and just start down a list of sites, visiting the ones we really wanted to see.  Our first stop was the Julia Ann Historic District.  This was several blocks of Victorian homes, many dating back to the first years of the state's founding history.

As we were walking through this amazing neighborhood, we met a very nice woman who was sitting on her huge front porch reading the paper.  She gave us an overview of the founding of the neighborhood, and even encouraged us to move to Parkersburg.  She, like many people we have met, was amazed that mom and I are driving this trip, and seemed to believe Missouri and Kansas were a wilderness beyond the Mississippi.  We so enjoyed our brief visit with her, and took her advice for our next stop.

As we left the Julia Ann neighborhood, we went one block to the district's cemetery.  Most of the founding fathers of the city, and many of the founders of West Virginia are buried there. The trees, huge trees, were facinating.  Mom, who is rather camera shy, was convinced to stand at the base of the tall pines on the west of the cemetery.

Mom is the white dot in front of the car!

Next we ventured down to the Blennerhassett Hotel.  This amazing structure was constructed in the late 1800s, just a short distance from the Ohio Riverfront.  We enjoyed a healthy and tasty lunch in the Spats Lounge, then walked around the downtown area.

Blennerhasett Hotel

Mom, in front of the Blennerhassette

Wood County Courthouse, Parkersburg

Next we just began driving toward the river front to see what we would find.  We found an amazing park right on the Ohio River.  The view was spectacular, and we took many pictures.  A tour paddle boat from the Blennerhassette Island docked during our visit, and mom took pictures, striding up an down the bank; a woman on a mission!

Paddle boat returning to dock

As we were leaving the park, we noticed a marker on the levy wall, marking the birth place of Stonewall Jackson!  It was a great find.

The next morning we were headed out to Lexington, Kentucky, but took a brief side trip to Fort Boreman, on the bluffs, across the river from Parkersburg.  Another great find!  Amazing history, beautiful grounds, and "picture" perfect opportunities.

Parkersburg was one of the best places we have visited on this adventure!  I will share more detailed information about each venue after we return home.  Just a lovely city!

Days seven, eight, and nine: lunch, Harpers Ferry, & Casino

June 20th, 21st, & 22nd, 2015

The internet connections in Frederick and Charles Town were not great, so I am behind on this blog.  Saturday was a day for resting, especially after Gettysburg on Friday.  Mom and I read until our lunch date with one of my college roommates who lives in Virginia.  Caryn Hardage and I hadn't seen each other in ten years, and it was wonderful catching up with a true friend.  The three of us entertained the afternoon crowd at Ruby Tuesday's with lots of laughter.

A terrible thunderstorm blew into Frederick that evening, but we had a wonderful view out our room as the clouds and lightning moved in from the mountains!

The next morning we headed into Harpers Ferry, Virginia, crossing the Potomac River, then the Shenandoah, River.  Too beautiful for words.

The Historical Park was lovely, and there was a lot of information beyond John Brown's pre-war raid on the arsenal.  Can my students tell me which Coonfederate General enjoyed a huge victory at Harpers Ferry?

We opted not to take the scenic tour, but drove through town ourselves.  Mom got amazing photos as I crept through town.  Some local residents might have become frustrated with the two women in the blue SUV from Missouri.

We had a wonderful time, an felt very accomplished. We then moved down the road to Charles Town, West Virginia, arriving at the Hollywood Casino early in the afternoon!  Lovely accomodations, great food, and extremely pleasant people!  A late, but fun evening.  We didn't come away bigger winners, but we had a fabulous time!

This morning we left the Hollywood Inn and discovered that both of our GPS Apps had very different ideas about the correct route to depart for Parkersburg.  Dueling GPS voices in the car was too much!  Mom and I ignored them both and found our own way onto the interstate!

Again the views were beautiful!  Mom took numerous photos as we drove down the interstate, mostly to share with our family when we return home in a week.

Parkerburg has a lot to offer, so we are exploring different venues tomorrow.  Other than our GPS Apps arguing, mom and I have done very well with navigation and exploring the countryside.  This is a true adventure!

Days Five and Six: History, Scenic Drives, and More History

June 18 & 19, 2015

We have seen amazing things these last two days!  Yesterday, we visited Antietam and it was an experience I will never forget.  Words really cannot do justice to beautifully preserved battlefield.  The grounds, visitor's center, and the multitude of monuments create a reverent reminder of the bravery and sacrifice the field outside Sharpsburg, Maryland witnessed in September of 1862.

The driving tour was very well marked and allowed us to take in a lot of information and beautiful scenery across the rolling hills.  Mom patiently waited, as I would abandon the car and go striding down Bloody Lane, or across a field to view the cannons up close.  She was a true sport about the entire tour.

Now, a question for my students, all of whom have been invited to follow and comment on this blog:  Can you tell me the significance of this next photograph?

Today, Mom and I took a scenic route through Catoctin Mountain National Park on our way north to Gettysburg. We stopped at the Grotto of Lourdes and the Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine, enjoying breath-taking views and beautiful gardens.  

We arrived at the Gettysburg Visitor Center a little before noon, and were shocked by how many visitors were there!  I parked way back in Lot #3, a five minute, fast-paced hike away.  The facility was very nice and the cyclorama of Pickett's Charge was definitely the high point of the visit.  We enjoyed the bookstore, and some of the exibits, but found the crowded atmosphere daunting.  After two hours, we retrieved the car from "the back 40", otherwise known as Lot #3, and proceeded on the driving tour into the town of Gettysburg.  The streets were more crowded than the Visitors Center, so we stopped at a great restaurant and had a late lunch.

The staff at Gettysburg were friendly, helpful, and very enjoyable.  I cannot say the same for most of the visitors.

We have now arrived at Frederick, Maryland, and hope to enjoy a restful day tomorrow before we take out Sunday for our next adventure: Harper's Ferry!

Day Four: The Inn

June 17, 2015

We drove into Maryland this morning and ambled towards Boonsboro.  I took us down a scenic route that followed the National Road, but we found it difficult to enjoy the scenery through the timber (forest).  Still, I was thrilled to travel along the National Road!

We arrived in Boonsboro early afternoon, and easily located the Inn Boonsboro!  Absolutely lovely!

The entire staff is charming and friendly, working diligently to make our stay a special, memory-making visit.  We ate lunch at Vesta's then visited the Turn the Page Bookstore!  Spent an hour in the bookstore. 

After check-in, we relaxed in the Wesley and Buttercup (Princess Bride) Suite, and then prepared for the evening activities.  Wine and visiting in the Lounge was first.

Later we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Dan's Tap Room across the street. We returned to the Inn for a relaxing evening of visiting and planning tomorrow's trip to Antietam.  Praying for no rain!

Day Three: Horse farms, hay fields, and mountains!

June 16, 2015

We are settled in for the evening in Morgantown, West Virginia.  Another day full of driving and beautiful landscapes.  We left Louisville, Kentucky this morning and proceeded eastward.  Mom really enjoyed seeing the large horse farms with the tidy board fences, walking arenas, and rolling pastures. 

As the day progressed, much discussion was given to the amount of hay that was being baled, and yet we saw very little grazing stock and only a few cattle pastures from the interstate.  The farther we traveled northeast, the more steep the hay fields became, and we both decided that was hazardous terrain for baling hay.

The highlight of the day was driving through the mountains! We enjoyed some lovely views as we traveled up the Cumberland and Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia.  Steam was rising out of the draws between the mountains, giving the appearance of the mountain sides burning.

By late afternoon, a storm rolled in, bringing with it heavy rain and cooling temperatures.  At one point, a cloud settled between two peaks, right on the road.

Driving through the cloud was a little creepy, but part of the adventure.  I had never seen mountains before, and this was a very rewarding drive.  

Tomorrow we are going to do a little wandering through this area and head over to Boonsboro!

Day Two: Four States

June 15, 2015

We left Blue Springs, Missouri this morning and headed east!  I am not an interstate driver, but the best way to get to Louisville, Kentucky was down I-70.  Traffic was light, except for the semi-trucks, and the drive across Missouri into St. Louis was easy.  Then traffic picked up and it started raining!  However, we made it across the Mississippi and onto I-64 with no problems and very little stress.  

As we drove across Illinois and Indiana, we commented on how pretty the countryside was, and how tidy the medians were landscaped and kept in Illinois.  Another thing we noticed was that several states seem to have towns with the same name!  New Albany, Mt. Vernon, Centralia, and the list goes on.

Coming into Kentucky, the views were amazing.  Rolling hills, deep valleys, and tall pines.  Of course mom and I noticed the hay that had been baled, the lack of fences and grazing cattle; at least near the interstate.

The Ohio River was absolutely gorgeous as the sun was setting and we were coming into Louisville.  It was over seven hours of driving, but a great day.  We are one day closer to Inn Boonsboro!

Day One: Union Station Revisited

June 14, 2015

Today, the journey began.  Mom and I headed out of Fredonia, Kansas to meet Sis, my daughter Jacoba, at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri for lunch.  Fifty-six years ago my parents celebrated their wedding with a breakfast reception at Harvey House in Union Station.  Mom hadn't been to Union Station since. 

We arrived easily and met Jacoba in front of Union Station.  First order of business was lunch at Harvey's.  The hostess graciously seated us at a table on the open air second floor of the restaurant overlooking the concourse!  What an amazing view!

We all three enjoyed a wonderful lunch with a lot of visiting and Mom sharing memories.  After our meal, off we went to explore the main floor of the station.  Mom had a fulfilling trip down memory lane, and we truly enjoyed her journey.

We wrapped up our afternoon at Union Station visiting the ground floor museum in the east wing, enjoying the photographs and exhibits of the early days of the station. When we came to the photograph murals, Mom regonized so many of the features within the photos.  She shared with us how the street cars ran, how the park was one of her favorite places as a small child, and how Signboard Hill had looked in the 1940s.

I was really interested in where her family business, Zahner Diaper Service, had been, and could not visualize the layout of the area before Crown Center was constructed.  Mom looked carefully at one of the large panoramic pictures and easily found 2305 Grand Avenue. The diaper service was in the building which sported the  Sunshine Biscuit billboard.

We were all three so excited.  What great memories Mom shared today, and what great memories we will share for years to come.