DAY 7 (April 3) - Spring Break has begun for hundreds of thousands of students. I saw them today between MD and D.C. Assateague Island NS has two herds of famous horses. I did not see either. Plenty of wind and blowing sand, and vegetation trying to hang of to life. Please note the northern VC is not inside the park boundaries, in case you want to say you have been in the park.

Harriett Tubman UGRR NHP covers a wide expanse of the marsh and swamp area south of Church Creek, MD. The store in which she witnessed an attack on an enslaved man by his owner stands today. It is said the trauma of the event (she was hit in the head with a 2-pound weight during the attack) is what led Tubman into her life’s mission to help slaves.

The George Washington Parkway runs from Langley to Mount Vernon, a long way. It has many sights for one to view. But much of it is just peaceful forest and landscape.

Arlington House was the residence of Robert E. Lee and his family before the Civil War. He married his wife in the home. The parlors on the first floor look as if they were new, untouched in 160+ years. The basement area included the “Winter Kitche” (photo). A Summer Kitchen was located in the rear of the property.

LBJ Memorial Grove on the Potomac is where LBJ and his wife would come to “get away” from the headaches of the White House. A granite monolith is the centerpiece of the park, surrounded by trails, forests, and gardens.

Theodore Roosevelt Island is another “get away from it all” kind of place, just north of Arlington Cemetery, on the GW Parkway. A large statue of Teddy is in the center of the island. Four large granite markers state some of his sayings about life’s qualities, such as Youth, and Manhood.

DAY 6 (April 2) - Valley Forge sure looks good today, not like the winter of 1777-1778. There are a number of log huts around the park, viewed from a crisscross of roads. The Inner Line encampment paths go by the Artillery Park. This is where Washington kept all his cannons, in one central location so they could be quickly moved from one location to another if the British had attacked. Though there are only a few monuments and markers in the park, the National Memorial Arch makes up for the count, rising above the landscape. Masons constructed the monument to honor Washington (a Mason himself) and his men.

Hopewell Furnace was at the center of iron making in Pennsylvania in the 1700s and 1800s, before large industrial companies took control of the market. Started in 1771, it helped supply iron to the Continental Army cause, including casting over 100 cannons on the grounds. The cannon shown in the photo was discovered buried in the area. Stories say locals buried cannons so the British would not be able to find them. Mortar shells from Hopewell were used at Yorktown.

The Cast House (white steeple section) is where all the action took place in the making of molten iron. The structure seen today was recreated by Amish workers in the 1960s using 18th century methods, since the original building had closed in 1883 and fallen into disrepair. The Ironmaster’s House is where business was conducted, as well as providing comfort for the head of operations.

Slaves provided some of the labor over the decades. They would live in housing such as the two-story structure. In the latter half of Hopewell’s operations, the company became known as the premier maker of stoves. About ten examples of Hopewell Furnace stoves are on display in the VC.

Edgar Allen Poe could write. Remember his Black Cat? Well, it is in the basement of the home Edgar lived in with his wife and mother-in-law/aunt (yes, he married his cousin, Virginia) in Philly. This is the lone surviving Philly home, of six, in which he lived. The section of the house without windows was added on by owners after Poe had left in 1844. The one photo shows the actual brick and wood of that original front-door wall from the early 1800s. The opening to the left was the front-door for Poe and his family.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko’s home is at the corner of 3rd Street and Pine. It is the smallest NPS park by the metric of ground area (0.02 acres). The upstairs includes his bedroom. Signs throughout the home are in both English and Polish, to honor his service to America.

Independence Hall is the cornerstone of the NPS presence in Philly. This is where our country was founded, with the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. This building is our history. Thirteen tables are aligned in the one room, one for each colony. The chair at the head of the room was sat in by George Washington.

Also on-site, but in a different building, is the Liberty Bell. An exhibit shows x-ray results from 1975 and 2001, the two times the bell was moved from the Hall. The crack will continue to increase in size over time.

The last photo is of Congress Hall. Our country’s first capital was NYC. Philadelphia became the second location, in 1790, before Washington, D.C. came on-line in 1800. For ten years, the House of Representatives met in this room. All the furniture pieces are new reproductions, so it was fine for everyone to take a seat while the ranger gave her presentation.

DAY 5 (April 1) - Teedie Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, at #28, E. 20th St in NYC. Yes, his family called him “Teedie”. Though he began life as a sickly child due to asthma, he persevered to become the 26th President of the USA. Taking up boxing as a youngster helped Theodore understand that physical strength as well as mental strength, would be important for his life. The VC has a wonderful display of documents describing Roosevelt’s life. The parlor, on the first floor of the Brownstone house, was usually used once a week, or for special visitors. It was the most elegant room. Theresa, a fellow NPTC member, made her first visit to this NPS unit.

Every scientist and engineer should visit Thomas Edison NHP. The laboratory complex on Main Street in West Orange is basically untouched since Edison’s death; his sons locked the doors. It was a treat to see the first talking doll (photo), the first recording telegraph, the first phonographs (including the wax-cylinder type… see photo), the first long-lasting incandescent light bulb, etc., etc., etc. Black Maria, the first movie studio is on-site (photo). The Chemistry Lab is open for the public to view basic science ideas, such as trying to make natural rubber out of the Guayule plant (Edison never completed that project). Building 5’s (photo) first floor is a machinist’s candy land, all equipment powered by belts and pulleys. A sign hangs on the door of the building’s lone elevator, reading “For the use of Mr. Edson, only.”

The second floor was for the “precision” work of creating prototypes. One display was of the three machines which mass produced disc phonograph records (photo). Edison’s library is at the front end, including his working desk… untouched in 90+ years. His 1,093 U.S. Patents are stored on one wall of the library. Glenmont, Edison’s home for his last 45 years, is not open for tours every day, but one can walk around the premises.

Morristown NHP preserves the land associated with the 1779-1780 winter encampment of the Continental Army. George Washington resided in the Ford Mansion (photo) near Morristown, while his men camped at Jockey Hollow in wood huts (photo is of an officer’s hut). There are four original pieces in the Mansion, from the Ford family, one being a secretary (on the back wall of the photo).

The Wick House was a witness to the Jocky Hollow suffering that winter. It was built in 1750. 600 acres of trees around the home was cut down to build those log huts for the soldiers.

DAY 4 (March 31) - Governors Island did not have much to view today, with both forts being closed due to maintenance.

One can easily see why Colonels’ Row was considered “luxury” back in the day, to attract good officer candidates. Our Lady Star of the Sea military chapel, built in 1942, now welcomes visitors for gatherings and contemplation. Shantell Martin’s art covers the exterior and interior of the building. Castle Williams was built in 1811, to protect the NYC harbor.

Southwest Battery was also built around 1810 to defend the city. Today it is known as Castle Clinton. The museum in the fort shows how it was originally situated in the middle of the river. A sculpture of “The Immigrants” is located outside its walls. Plenty of flowers are planted in a park next to the fort.

Our Lady of Liberty is quite a sight. Her beautiful exterior is matched by the engineering achievements on the inside. Ok, so I am an engineer. The spiral staircase to the Crown can be a claustrophobic experience.

And during the descent to the ground, four massive bolts can be viewed. These four bolts secure 16 vertical tension bars, stretched 60 feet from the pedestal to this location. Without these bolts, the statue would fall. Can you try to image the wrench which was used to tighten the bolts?

The Registry Room on Ellis Island could process up to 5,000 people per day. My estimate is that that many people visit the site every day in the 21st century. The one view is the entire island as seen from the Statue of Liberty (main building is on the right, with the hospital buildings in the center and to the left).

The Stonewall Inn continues to fly the LGBTQ flag. Christopher Park and the inn are ground zero for the LGBTQ community.

DAY 3 (March 30) - NYC decided to be windy and cold today. Gateway NRA took a big hit in 2012, from Hurricane Sandy. The one photo shows restoration efforts, having sand repurposed from JFK Airport distributed along the shore. Seedlings and plants should help the effort. Fort Tilden’s T-4 building was a theater for the men and women in uniform. Today, new shows, such as Cabaret, can be seen here. The main terminal of the Floyd Bennett Airfield is now a VC for the NPS.

Federal Hall NMem was visited by a family today with one of their objectives being to deputize Zuzu (left) and Lulu (right) as Junior Rangers. They are reciting their oaths to the NPS Ranger. Again, it is great to see our youngest generation getting out and experiencing America’s National Parks. And hats off to all the Park Rangers for helping them with these endeavors. The Hall is having maintenance work done on its Wall St side, but the Pine St entrance was open. A model of the building as it looked in 1790 is in the VC. A treasured artifact is the stone slab which George Washington stood on when he took the first oath of office for U.S. President, on April 30, 1789 (yes, originally the new President was sworn in later in the year, not in January as we do today).

The African Burial Ground NMon is a place that makes one think hard about our country’s history when it comes to the subject of slavery. One display is of a burial, of a father/husband and an infant. The VC movie shows the sequence of events of this family during the death process. When the 419 bodies were reinterred in 2003, they were placed in boxes made of wood from Ghana, lined with Kente cloth. The coffins were placed in seven crypts. The mounds are just behind the Ancestral Chamber (photo).

DAY 2 (March 29) - The tomb in which President Grant and his wife Julia are buried, is the largest mausoleum in America. The sarcophaguses lay at the bottom of the rotunda. A project by the NPS to beautify the park has led to artists using tiles and paint to decorate around the granite and concrete complex. What does the item in the photo look like to you?

Hamilton Grange looks as pretty today as it did in 1802 when it was completed for Alexander Hamilton and his family. The flower species which the NPS has planted reflects the gardens Hamilton maintained.

St. Paul’s Church has weathered its 240+ years well (completed in the 1780s). The cemetery can go back into the 1600s, since the congregation began in 1665. Finallly, in 1980, the church property was deeded to the NPS. A surprise was seeing Michael and David dressed in period outfits. Michael is in the photo. Can you tell which one is he? Remember, the folks who fought the Battle of Pell’s Point were Colonists, (we were not yet a new country), Hessians, and British. It is wonderful to see rangers, staff, and volunteers perform reenactments for visitors.

The interior was full of box pews. This is listed as #1, for a Charles Greion (if I read the cursive properly). It is at the back of the church, so the family may not have had to pay much to own the box. One of the oldest organs in the country sits above the congregation and various flags.

Sagamore Hill sits on top of a large hill overlooking Oyster Bay. During Roosevelt’s day, he would have had a good view. Today there are plenty of trees between the home and the shoreline. If one sees the US Flag flying at a NPS park, that means the rangers are on-duty. President Roosevelt and his wife Edith are buried at the Youngs Family Cemetery (founded in 1658), a mile from Sagamore Hill.

The Fire Island Lighthouse and lighthouse keeper’s house are a must-see. This lighthouse can have its lights seen over 20 miles away. The original lighthouse was a mere 14 miles, so a new one was built in the mid-19th century. The wood at the bottom of the photo is a part of the SS Savannah, sunk in 1821, with Poseidon only now offering her back to mortal men.

There are miles and miles of beach for all to enjoy. The museum has displays of nautical and life-rescue artifacts. The small cannon (middle of photo) was used for actual rescues over the decades.

The original first-order Fresnel lens from 1858 is on display. Today, an electric light shines out to the sea.

DAY 1 (March 28) - The Appalachian Trail cuts through Delaware Water Gap NRA. A unique feature is the AT uses the same road surface as Interstate 80, the only such place along is 2,000+ mile route. Halfway between the states, a painting is on the path, showing how far to each end of the trail. Something always fun to discover in our national parks.

The 0.3-mile hike to Dingman’s Falls (the wide one) is worth the effort. And Silver Thread Falls (the thin one) is on the same path, a raised boardwalk, which makes this site accessible for everyone. Silver is 80-feet tall, while Dingman is 130-feet tall, the 2nd highest in PA.

Please note that you can see Hemlocks, or their branches, in both photos. The state of PA, as well as the USA, is under attack by the hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive non-native bug. A remedy has not been found. Let us hope our experts can find a means to keep hemlocks around for future generations to enjoy.

Millbrook Village is on the other side of the river, in NJ. The buildings reflect the lifestyle of a small community many decades ago. Outhouses are still present.

Dingman’s Bridge is the last privately owned toll bridge in America. $2 to cross in your vehicle, 24/7. Yes, there is a weight limit, since the structure is from 1900, well before the advent of semi-trailers and concrete trucks.

The one photo is the new look for the entrance to Hinchliffe Stadium, a treasure in the annals of Baseball. It is situated just behind the Great Falls of the Passaic River. The viewing bridge (you can see it span the river) is closed indefinitely, or else could have had a better photo.