Month: April 2017

Jamestown, NY so close to Bemus Pt 

with much family history on both my mother’s and father’s side of my family. Families are such a blessing! Learning more of those past and present is heartwarming to me-the simplest of things, like “See you later, alligator…after a while, crocodile” just warm my heart ❤️. Mom Maj Britt, daughter Sarah, and son Donny are a well-oiled machine applied lovingly and humorously in taking care of the many things-to-do in caring for one another and their household, including Piper the dog and Molly the cat. Son Leon will be arriving soon to add to the wonderful synergistic effect that is their family-sorry to have missed you, Lee! God bless them always! Sarah and I enjoyed laughing and learning at Lucy&Desi museum and related locations- birthplace, theater, and Lucy’s burial place with grandparent Hunt family. My Great Aunt Adeline was married, and later divorced, from Gerald Ball, brother of Lucy’s father. Lucy’s father died when she was only 4 years old. We laughed with many Lucy video clips and then to museum of Lucile Wright, aviator. Thanks Donny for the dinner-yummy! Sarah was one of the participants in LucyFest, in the picture below, she’s pointing to where she was located in LucyFest-Fun!

Oh the raw power of the falls with the sights, sounds, and smells! It was an amazing high of 83 degrees-a perfect time for Falls viewing! A lot of construction at NY State Park but the immensity of its treasure overcame that. New Yorkers aged 62and +, remember you can go to state parks during the week for free by just showing your drivers license.  Rainbow Bridge to Canada 🇨🇦 for more delight, catching some cool pix with rainbow. I was going to stay for the fireworks, but left because of rain which then continued into the night. The time I was at NiagaraFalls was about 20 years ago.

The volunteer leading my individualized tour at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS was spectacular! The intermingling of mixed media throughout was so well done! I even got my picture taken seated at the simulated Presidential Office and vetoed a bill! Very engaging on every level while educating me on the events of PanAmerican exposition, McKinley’s assassination, then VP Roosevelt’s Inaugural where he wore borrowed clothes and the newsmen knocked over the camera so that no picture of the inauguration exists. I stood in the room where 50 people were crammed in to witness the inauguration. The caring for the First Lady when her President-husband died days later from complications after surgery & perhaps that the bullet in his stomach wasn’t removed. The sadness of the nation on the loss of their dear President McKinley, even though the nation was having its share of challenges, as it always has. Interesting side note, Buffalo had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the country. Great experience! Then followed Winslow Street wondering from whom it got its name. 

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Late in posting this… Acadia lovely with its driving tour, especially Cadillac Mtn at sunset. Its unusual pocket beach amazed me, so I spent a bit of time there looking at sand and rocks. Thought I saw Spanish moss on a few trees. Quite an amazing place where, I’m sure, one could spend weeks exploring; but the cooler temperature and campground were just not beneficial to me at this point-perhaps at some future time. The day was full of sunshine and amazing views of Mother Earth. I still did not see any moose in the area, but I was looking. The drive up Cadillac mountain brought much delight with surprise small waterfall and views of lake, too, touching my inner being. Sunset did not disappoint with my continued amazement at the daily paintings of the heavens. The next day found Winslow, ME, named for Capt? John Winslow who headed up Ft Halifax. Stopped at the 1899 monument in Winslow, too, dedicated to those who lost lives in war. I believe this John Winslow is an ancestor and will check it out at some future time. Let us be grateful in the day 

What a huge complex now STCC and Armory. I never really thought about the importance of weaponry through our battles being so important, but it was. Springfield Armory produced! From 1799 to the 1960s, it went from hand forged/built through to interchange parts manufacturing of guns. The display is huge! The best part for me was the equipment used to build weaponry automated to see all the gears/wheels in motion that originally was powered by water. Diving towards Buffalo for Teddy Roosevelt Insugural, stopped at Saratoga Springs for a soak and drinking its highly carbonated spring water! The weather went from rain to sunshine and around 72 degrees at Saratoga when an Aldi market was on the way, to stop for snacks/food. Enjoy each day!

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1. JFK was actually born in the master bedroom of the house I visited! His mother took on the project of choosing and gathering contents for the NPS site AND she recorded messages to accompany the audio tour. What a remarkable life she lived in her 103 years! And what a faith she had! Nine children, 4 of whom she outlived! there’s a wonderful tree in front of the house-if it could talk, what tales it could tell! JFK didn’t always do his best in school and was a prankster, too, as a child. Kennedy’s only lived in the house until 1920, then moved to larger house not far away in Brookline. Oh yes, I shed tears recalling JFK’s assassination and viewing videos, especially snippets of his speeches. His mother wanted JFZ’s older brother to become President; but when he died, JFK was then chosen. She stopped at church with children during the week, advising them that church is not just for Sunday, but for every day . Then a 10-minute drive to Frederick Law Osted site. He was a landscape architect before it was an occupation! He designed Central Park in NYC, among many other projects. The site was both his home and later the architectural firm’s offices. The old drafting tools were still there, being displayed on tables.  The firm created a draughtsmen design book, so there was uniformity in every plan the firm presented. The process was first to take pictures of the site. Then a site visit, to further explore natural resources at the site that could be used in the new design. Then to brainstorm ideas and create a negotiable plan on blueprint. Proposing the plan and making changes, as needed. Then a final plan to be given to those who would actually do the work. There was an old blueprint machine that was used when the sun wasn’t shining. But when the sun was shining, a plan was drawn on special paper. The original was placed on special paper, put in the sun for around 20 seconds until the original’ design came out in the blueprint paper-voila! Before that., someone would trace by hand from the original to a copy on a clear glass table where the light came from beneath. He designed Central Park and hundreds of others, which are archived on Flickr. His son of the same name continued the firm after his father’s passing. amazing, and I had never heard of him in my life! 

Okay, Boston isn’t so easy to navigate. But, I thought using SpotHero to reserve a parking space seemed like a reasonable solution to the lack of parking in Boston, after all it worked okay in NYC, right? I made the reservation on iPhone before I left the RedRoofInnPlus. The QR code, little box with dots, didn’t come up, but I could access it from my email, I thought. So I drove to Boston, pulled into the garage at 75 State Street, showed the attendant the screen where the QR code was  supposed to be. In difficult-to-understand English, I’m told to pull off to the right and get the cashier to help me. The cashier, speaking in the same dialect, finally makes it clear to me that there is no WiFi there, that I’ll have to walk up to the street level, get data access, and have the QR code on the screen of my phone before I can enter or leave the garage. Twenty minutes later, after downloading the SpotHero app since the email didn’t have the QR code in it, and pressing the magic button many times, the QR code appeared, and I was able to drive the car into the garage, go down 5 levels, and park-whew, now 40 minutes gone before taking the elevator to exit the building and locate my objective, Boston NHP. I only booked parking for 2 hours for $20, being told that if I am not exited within my reserved time I will have additional charges and to exit I must have the same QR code on my IPhone. Boston is amazing and I enjoyed the 3 other visits I had made there over the years, walking the Freedom Trail, so I really was primarily interested in getting my Passport stamps at Faneuil Hall and information while observing new additions. It’s inconceivable to me that there are not maps at NPS sites of all the MA sites or even Boston sites. There was, however, a map with numbered sites in a display of which I took a picture and now use for planning. But, at this time of year, not all sites are open; so, I call to get days and hours. I enjoyed the street sax player and the Statue of a former Boston Mayor, along with the usual Boston sites. I made sure I got back to the car and out of the garage before my time expired. Excited to head to Salem Maritime because I’ve never been to Salem before. What a treat on my way to be in all things “Lynn” around Lynn, MA-Lynn Shore Drive, Lynn Beach, Lynnway, etc. Lynn got its name derived from the minister assigned to the colony, King’s Lynn.  Salem is quite the place, steeped in history, also, with a statue of Nathaniel Hawthorne, House of Seven Gables, all things psychic/ witches, the earliest known millionaire, and Salem Maritime NHS. By 2:30 I was on the tour of the Narbonne House which included walk by of Customs House and other merchant’s mansions overlooking the Salem docks. Sooo busy it was, back in the day until bigger ships needed deeper water like Boston and New York. The Narbonne House was lived in until the 1960s, even though it had only one sink, no tub, no shower…hmmm. The house had been remodeled several times so the Ranger had wooden blocks that she could switch around to represent the many additions that came and went over the years. By 3 p.m. I was at Salem Visitor Ctr to watch a movie explaining and enacting, to some degree, the events in the Salem witch trials. At the end it was posited that the accusers who were children my have suffered from a form of PTSD-interesting, right? Essex heritage area is located in the area and I drove part of the route suggested after walking around Salem quite a bit. Have a Nice day!

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Rainy days and Mondays no longer get me down (yes, the Carpenters, 1971) Rainy day bringing May flowers 🌺 ! A bird singing in the rain sounded like a cardinal, or perhaps a specialty Gene Kelley bird, since it was “Singing in the Rain”? First to the Lexington Visitors Ctr where the video was integrated with a narrator who was also on a video, but appearing on a separate screen at the set of the tavern. Quite a story of the events on April 19, 1775 in our country’s history when the British Army marches to Concord, MA to capture weapons that had been stockpiled there by Colonists. Colonists knew of the plan which would take less time for the British to arrive if they came over the Charles River, which they did. Two lanterns are hung in North Church…one if by land, two if by sea. On horseback, Paul Revere spreads the alarm heading West while Dawes goes out on route South. In Lexington, Revere and Dawes encounter Samuel Prescott, who joins them in spreading the alarm. A British patrol surprises them and captures Revere. By 5 a.m. Colonial militiamen awaited the British Army on Lexington Green.  The first blood was shed around 5 a.m. and 8 colonists die. By 7 a.m. several hundred colonial militiamen watch from nearby hills as British search for weaponry that had been well hidden by Colonists. British burned some supplies the fire of which was observed by the militiamen who thought the British were burning their town. At North Bridge around 9:30 a.m., the Colonial militia confronts the British soldiers who kill 2 colonials. Order to return fire is given by militia officer and “the shot heard round the world” is made, considered an act of treason by British. The Revolutionary war begins and continues with this battle costing lives of 73 British and 49 Colonials and many wounded. In the 1800s, April 19 was marked as Patriots Day and was celebrated with a running race which developed into what we now know as the Boston Marathon. In less than hour’s drive, I arrived at Lowell Natl Historical park to learn of the textile industry born in Lowell as an early experiment in creating a model for cotton manufacturing that was replicated throughout the country, with women initially working machinery and being paid! The rise and fall of that industry and its effects on Lowell are most interesting. The initial experiment also included the social aspects of workers, providing housing and support for women which continues to this day in Lowell in different forms. I heard a portion of the volume level of the factory equipment in the museum and just that was deafening-how did these workers not lose their hearing after hearing the din for 10-12 hours a day, six days a week, for years! Women also organized a strike! Quite amazing! Then off to NTB in Woburn to have oil change and tires rotated, but the frustration of getting to NTB was a challenge since the location was not on GPS, which I didn’t realize until I arrived at a housing development! After calling the repair shop to say I’d be late for my appointment, I got directions and also that they were located across from Lowe’s. I followed the directions which didn’t work and finally used GPS app to get me to Lowe’s. From Lowe’s I looked and saw the NTB sign, through a maze of other signs, which I then could figure out how to get there-whew! ​​

Under my Brolly most of the day

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What a great day! I was early so stopped at Purgatory Chasm for some simple rock climbing. Then to Blackstone Natl River Rec Area which only had a small Visitor Center, but many outlying locations of beauty. The Roger Williams National Memorial Site has the best Rangers at its Visitor Center! We had a great chat and they provided my own copy of the plot plan for the 1636 Providence, on which my 18th great grandfather, Stukely Westcott, resided when he left Salem MA. Providence, RI was land which Williams purchased from Indians. Rangers even figured out the land of Stukely Westcott would now be on Waterman St, where I went. Oh, the freedom we are entitled to because of Roger Williams! Thank you! Then on to Cape Cod while the sun shines, but it sprinkled on my way there. Where the ocean and salt marsh meet is quite amazing at the Coast Guard Beach. Native Americans lived on Cape Cod for 10,000 years. Enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of the ocean and lighthouse, Visitor Center video & museum. A great day! So thankful!

Trying again to post pix

Hard to leave friends Vicki&Fritz; we had such a good time together and it was the time for their 20-year old cat to be heaven-bound -my ❤️ goes to them. Ft Stanwix is quite an amazing reproduction and the ride through beautiful NY was stunning. The missionary quarters had a poem, “A to Z”, which I posted below.   A tough time for Indians fighting Indians, and Loyalists vs Americans. The NPS created 4 characters representing groups and presented info in the museum through their eyes which helped me to understand more fully the difficulties. At the fort, Two men were dressed in attire of the period. There are 2 sites in Western NY, only one of which is open this time of year; so, I’m heading to RI and Boston. Thanks Don Traynor for Westcott history back to 1398-I was busy re-reading last night in preparation for seeing Roger Williams site on Tuesday! Pix not uploading-sorry!