I HAVE LIVED IN VIRGINIA…

 

Where is your favorite place that you have lived? For our American friends what State, and for our overseas friends (translation of picture below this post), what county, province, area that you have loved living in? What was there that you enjoyed? My favorite places are the Shenandoah and Williamsburg to name two, love the countryside and my trips to the ocean, but any body of water I enjoy.  If you have followed me for a while, every botanical garden that I come across. I also love all these trees.

When we moved here our son was 10 years old, and after we had settled a little, we asked him how did he like it? His exact words were, and with emphasis, “l don’t like it, it’s too GREEN!” Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather. But, what he was really saying was “I miss my friends and everything that was familiar to me.”

Fortunately, once school began, he met lots of friends. 

Now as an adult he loves Virginia as if he had been born here, though he and our sweet daughter-in-law started out in California (both dads were in the military). 

My dear husband is a Virginia Boy and first arrived in this world 200 miles south. His parents were also navy and hubby followed in his father’s footsteps. After his retirement, that's when we moved back. 

Both our son and I were homesick for California for many years. I also missed my friends and everything that was familiar to me. 

However, after several more years, we went back to San Diego for a vacation. Once that was over I realized I was looking forward to getting back 'home'. When I walked in our front door I realized that yes, it was indeed home, that I had fallen in love with this State and am now just about as content as I can be. I love Virginia! 

I still enjoy California the times we have been back (not for several years now), so does our son who just returned from San Diego with our d-in-l two weeks ago. But Virginia is home now and I hope it always will be. There are always unforeseen circumstances of course, but we certainly don't intend moving again at this stage of our lives.

We lived about 20 miles from the City of San Diego. It had rolling hills, deep canyons and elevated ridges. In some places if there was no rain, the trails and the hills at the back of us could get very dusty, and every once in a while, we would come across a few rattlesnakes. We lived at the bottom of Black Mountain that rises to 1,500 feet. We watched hot-air balloons float low over our heads. They landed a few hundred feet away in a level area. One time they landed too soon at the bottom of the street, and the neighborhood kids got a free ride about 30 feet up while they waited for a truck to come and deflate and pack up the balloon. 

A few years later they started dynamiting the mountain and our whole house shook at every blast. There were times we didn't know if it was an earthquake or blasting. That went on for over a year as a good part of the lower mountain was made level enough to build dozens and dozens of homes. Sad, sad, sad we were to see what a change it made to that beautiful mountain, and no more waves from friendly, smiling balloonists as they floated overhead. But we have great memories of seeing their faces as they waved down at us. Many, many other great memories from those days.

62% of Virginia is covered by forests, totaling roughly 15.72 million acres of land, and celebrates the largest trees. Yes, it is very green and we love them. So does our son. This website will give you more information on how they are protected.

Free therapy: sunbathing, grounding and tree hugging. 

Thanks for visiting and enjoy your day.

For our overseas friends to use the Translation/language button on my side bar. 

Names on the post on the right-hand side.

Shanandoa National Park

Blue Ridge Parkway

Shenandoah Valley

Chesapeake Bay

Williamsburg

Roanoke

Charlottesville

Virginia Beach

Appalachian Trail

The mug next to the white daisies says "Virginia".

The sign being held by the lady says, "I have lived in Virginia off and on for 50 years. Finally moved here permanently in 1990. I love Virginia."

The top blue sign says "Welcome to Viginia. Virginia is for lovers."

Mountains

History

Country Roads

Front Porches

Sweet Tea

Strong Roots

Proud Hearts

Home Sweet Home

FROM THE ARCHIVES - THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY - PART 1

(old photo found at pixabay.com)This is from an old post in May of 2009.  Exhibits may have changed since the last time we visited. Its history hasn't and I hope you will still enjoy the photos. We started our visit looking around the transport section of the museum. Above is the Steam Locomotive Jupiter made in Philadelphia in 1876. Jupiter was the Santa Cruz Railroad's third locomotive. Built for narrow-gauge track (36 inches between rails), Jupiter became obsolete in 1883 when the line switched to standard gauge (56-1/2 inches). Jupiter was sold to Guatemala, where it hauled bananas for more than 60 years. In 1976 it came to the Smithsonian as part of the United States Bicentennial Exhibition (whether it is still there I am not sure but I found this link with some history of Jupiter. It is a fascinating story.)

I am assuming this is a reproduction as according to the website's article, the original was scrapped in the early 1900s. However, another was reproduced in 1975 by the O'Connor Engineering Laboratories of Costa Mesa, California. (I try to remember to take photos of the historical information at each exhibit and read them when I get back home. I remember more this way. That is how I got my information for my post.) 

I enjoyed the sculptures at various exhibits, people dressed as they would have been during that time.

"There's always light after the dark. You have to go through that dark place to get to it but it's there, waiting for you. It's like riding on a train through a dark tunnel. If you get so scared you jump off in the middle of the ride, then you're there, in the tunnel, stuck in the dark. You have to ride the train all the way to the end of the road."

~Han Nolan~

(I didn't get the information on this locomotive at the time, but since catching up I put "old steam train 1401" in the search engine and happily it sent me right to the website I needed. You can read about it here.)

"To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life."

~Agatha Christie~

"Nowhere can I think so happily as in a train."

~A. A. Milne~

This photo doesn't show you much as I was more taken with the horse sculpture, but he is pulling a Kramer Farm Wagon from 1925.The previous link takes you to what it looks like as the website is from the museum. Farmers wagons served many purposes. They picked up and delivered goods and also served as passenger vehicles when benches of extra wagon seats were added in 1926, despite the growing use of automobiles, more than 200,000 wagons were manufactured, and millions were still in use around the country.

This gentleman is a Pullman Porter. In the 1920's the Pullman Company was the largest single employee of African American men. From the 1870's through the 1960's, tens of thousands worked for Pullman as sleeping-car porters. The feeling of sleeping-car luxury came from the porter. He "made-down' berths at night and "made-up" berths into seating in the morning, helped with luggage and answered passengers calls at any hour. Working 400 hours a month, porters earned wages better than most African Americans, but degrading conditions helped lead to the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925.

The photo below was taken in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1927. In the community, although they were servants on the job, at home they were respected members of their communities. Porters traveled extensively and connected their communities to a wider world. From the 1920's to the 1940's, porters helped southern African Americans migrate by bringing back information on jobs and housing in the North. Porters were also involved in civil rights activity. Pullman Porter E. D. Nixon helped plan the Montgomery-Alabama bus boycott of 1955-56. Union leader A. Philip Randolph pressured Franklyn Roosevelt into issuing Executive Order 8802 in 1941. It barred discrimination in defense industries and created the Fair Employment Practices Committee. Later Randolph was involved in planning the 1963 civil rights march on Washington DC. Peaceful protestors were and are the heart of getting things changed for the better.

The Railroad Conductor's job involved more than collecting tickets. He was the "captain" of the train. He supervised other train crew, looked out for the safety of everyone aboard and made sure every passenger paid the correct fare. The engineer was responsible for signals and speed restrictions enroute, but the conductor determined when a train could safely depart a station and was in charge of emergencies. The conductor's role as chief of the train came from maritime tradition. Many conductors on the first American railroads in the 1830's had been steamboat or coastal packet captains.

The last photo shows Conductor John W. Zimmer greeting a passenger in Burlington, Iowa in 1925.

There are links throughout my post to websites with more information. The one to the museum can be found here. I will have two more to share from the museum sometime at a later date.

THE CHEROKEE ROSE

These photos were taken in April 2025, when my niece visited with her partner and his daughter. I have shared a lot from their visit, as many of my regular blogging friends have seen. Today I am sharing this pretty flower taken in Williamsburg on our way back home, after visiting family in North Carolina.

It is called the Cherokee Rose, botanical name Rosa laevigata. You can find information from the link I have provided if you click on its name above. There I read that it "is a woody, deciduous, sprawling shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), that is native to central and southern China to Vietnam and Taiwan. It was brought to the United States during colonial times and cultivated by the Cherokee." It is described as taking a lot of time and effort to cultivate these. "It is a fast-growing vine that will reach from 15 to 33 feet tall, and scramble over shrubs and trees for support."

"Plant in full sun to partial shade and moist soil. Water deeply and regularly, with a summer application of mulch helps retain moisture. Pruning should take place in the late winter."

It has a sad origin of its name and relates to the Trail of Tears. I won't add any more here but have added links in this paragraph for anyone who is curious about its history. The Legend of the Cherokee Rose can be found here. 

"The canes have numerous hooked prickles, glossy dark green leaves and showy, fragrant 2-4 inch single white flowers with yellow stamens that attract butterflies. Rose hips will follow." 

More information can be read if you click on its name in my second paragraph. Alternatively, you can do your own search. There is lots of information out there.

KINDNESS

~Johann von Goethe~

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Aug 28 1749 to Mar 22 1832) was a German polymath, who is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a profound and wide-ranging influence on Western literary, political and philosophical thought, from the late 18th century to the present day. A poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director and critic. His works include plays, poetry and aesthetic criticism, treatises on botany, anatomy and color.

It is fascinating to read his history, and you can see more at the above link.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

Thanksgiving

The year has turned its circle,

The seasons come and go.

The harvest all is gathered in

And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,

The fields, their yellow grain,

So open wide the doorway,

Thanksgiving comes again!

  ~an old rhyme~

A snippet of history for you. 

Did you know that when the Pilgrims began their 66-day journey aboard the Mayflower in 1620, they weren’t wearing the buckled hats and black suits and dresses they are known for today. Sailing from Plymouth, England, to their settlement near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the Saints, as they called themselves, actually wore clothing more tailored to their arduous voyage. The term “Pilgrim” didn’t originate until the early 1800s.

For those of you who are celebrating, 

I wish you all A Very Happy Thanksgiving. 

WE TOOK A RIDE UP TO SKYLINE DRIVE ON MONDAY - 4-15-24

When we see the sign in the above photo, we always know we are getting close to the Thornton Gap entrance. There are several entrances, but this is the one we usually take getting there. Our route took us through Sperryville. 

We followed the mail truck for a while. 

You can read about the history of Skyline Drive at this link. It also has a map showing its length, which is 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. We drive to Big Meadows and then carry on to the next exit at Swift Run Gap near Elkton, heading towards Stanardsville.

The road going through the mountain is called Mary's Rock.  No one knows with any certainty how it got its name, who was Mary? The story that seems to be more popular than most is that of a young girl by that name, who was lost in the mountains, and was later discovered walking down from this peak with two bear cubs. Whether or not as to its truth, the 360 degree view from the top is one of the most spectacular in the park. The first overlook as you get out of the tunnel is the one we stopped at.

The tunnel is 670 feet long and was bored through solid granite in 1932. Below is an information board with a few details.

I cropped my photo above for an easier read. If you enlarge the photos it will be even easier.

Unfortunately. the character's shovel is right in the middle of the photo below.

The tunnel was partially lined with concrete in 1958, to alleviate the formation of icicles in winter and water seepage in summer - a partially successful effort.

The building of the road was put into motion by President Herbert Hoover (31st US President from 1929 to 1933). He had a fishing camp that is still in the park apparently. President Hoover was already very familiar with the area, and it was he who proposed the building of the road. There were national parks out in the western part of the United States at that time, but none here. The Government was looking to build a park somewhere in the East and Virginia advocated very strongly for it to be built in this State.

3,000,000 young men were hired by the The Civilian Conservation Corps during The Great Depression. They did jobs like plant trees, maintain trails, control mosquitos and infrastructural projects like building Skyline Drive. 

All had to be in their early 20s and unmarried, so that part of the money that they earned would also help support their families back home. They lived in the park and were paid $30 a month, $5 of which they were allowed to keep, and $25 dollars was sent home to their families.  

There is an interesting YouTube here, telling in brief about the people who were displaced. They had lived their whole lives before it was made a National Park, and subsequently removed from their land without a choice. (I did read somewhere that elderly people were allowed to stay.)

Some were happy to go but others were not.

More history of the park can be read at this link.

Here are 15 of the best things you can do in the park.

At the time of this post, there is a $30 entrance fee per vehicle, and you can read other information at this website.  We bought a lifetime pass several years ago. Wherever we go in the United States, we can use it to get into every National Park. You can read about them here. Inpart it reads:

“The National Park System encompasses 429 national park sites in the United States. They span across 84 million acres, with parks in each state and extending into the territories, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam.”

There is free entry on special days of the year.

Monday, January 16th - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Saturday, April 22nd - First Day of National Park Week

Friday, August 4th - Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

Saturday, September 23rd - National Public Lands Day

Saturday, November 11th - Veteran's Day

This post is only a very tiny view into how beautiful this area is. We have been coming here off and on, depending on where we have lived at the time, for well over 40 years.

I'm afraid these were the only deer we saw that day, two plastic ones on someone's front yard on the way home. They fooled me for a few seconds, but doggy here saved the day.

A clearer picture of doggy fix, and the telephone lines didn't bother me a bit.

Thanks for visiting everyone, and I wish you all a very happy Thursday.

THE TURNING POINT SUFFRAGIST MEMORIAL - LAST ONE

This is where we were heading today, the Occoquan Regional Park. We have been here before as I had another post which you can see at this link if you would like a refresher - or haven't seen it yet. It tells a little bit about Lorton Prison, so I may be repeating myself a little bit here. I also mention Dartmoor Prison which we visited often. Now that sounds a little strange. It was my dad who visited because of his work, we just 'saw' Dartmoor Prison when he dropped us off at a tearoom in the nearby town while waiting for him. At Lorton Prison I mentioned that Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie once performed in one of the fields. It was also where many years earlier, suffragettes were imprisoned and treated horribly.  

One of the birdhouses situated in this area of the garden, with a relatively young magnolia bush in the foreground.

There were several information boards, what the website called information stations. A website sharing more information and excellent photos you can see at this link. Just scroll down that page until you come to them.

I made a collage of various photos taken from these information boards.

The following came from their website here. It says it includes the three statues of prominent leaders I have shared. 

"The memorial includes three statues of prominent suffrage leaders, a Rotunda featuring the six pillars of democracy, and an Arroyo Bridge perfect for Girl Scout bridging ceremonies. Another major feature is the 24' section of the actual hand-forced, White House Fence (circa. late 1800's) in front of which suffragists picketed in 1917 that was provided to the memorial by the National Park Service. A Donor Wall lists the memorial's major donors.” 

There is a beautifully designed Memorial Garden where you can sit for a spell afterwards. Native flowers and trees have been planted, all with the suffrage colors in mind - purple, gold and white. My second photo above shows part of it. I would like to go back in the summer to see its full potential.

This is Alice Paul, who was portrayed in the first statue we saw just outside the entrance of the memorial. Her photo came from this page. 

For a reference I am repeating all the statues that were in previous posts.

This is Mary Church Terrell, and you can click on her name to go to more information. She is the second statue as you enter the memorial.  I borrowed her photo from this page.

This lady's statue is the second statue encountered at the Memorial.

The third lady is Carrie Chapman Catt, and she was an American Suffrage Leader. Her statue is the third one found in the Rotunda. More information can be read on this website.

This is her statue.

There was a railing showing plaques of various names from different states.  Gregg is standing in front of it.

These were those suffragettes who took part in the movement. I am sharing the one on its own because it is of two women from Virginia, Pauline Adams and Maud P. Jamison. You can click on both their names to go to more information. Reading about these ladies gives one a whole different perspective, makes them more real somehow. Both were from Norfolk, Virginia, where my husband was born and grew up.

The following is a collage of other names on this railing. There were ladies from several other states involved, but I didn't get them all. 

Also on the wall...

as was the following. The National Woman's Party awarded silver pins shaped like a jail cell door with a heart-shaped padlock to each of the women who had been jailed. The story of the Freedom Pin can be found here. This pin, called The National Woman's Party "Jailed for Freedom" pin was based on the Holloway Prison in England, that the English suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst gave to the suffragettes who had been imprisoned there.

If you want to learn more about where they were imprisoned, you can go to this page.

The stories of the pins and several other objects that were important symbols of the Women’s Suffrage movement can be found here.

I also found impressive photos taken on this subject by a Scottish photographer Christina Broom (1862-1239). At the website she is described as Britain's first woman press photographer. Those photos can be found here and were taken of the British Suffragette Movement. You can also read her biography at this website. 

The graphic below I didn’t find on any of the suffrage links, and I am not sure where I found them originally. They have been in my fashion folder for a long time. I have always enjoyed collecting pictures of clothing down through the ages. These seemed to be from the same time frame, give or take a few years.

"...the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified on August 18th, 1920.  The amendment removed bans on the American woman's right to suffrage."  You can read more here.

One last photo of the Beehive Kiln which you can see here. 

 The Occoquan Workhouse/Lorton Reformatory was closed several years ago. This link says that the last prisoners were transferred in 2001. We always passed it on our way to take a walk around Occoquan, which wasn't too far away. I knew on one side of the road we drove down, was for the men and the other was for the women. The guard towers are still there, although it has been turned into a very nice art center. It includes The Lucy Burns Museum which I would like to visit sometime. Lucy was one of the suffragettes imprisoned at the facility where she spent more time than any other suffragette.

I never knew any of the history back then. It's been eye-opening and mind boggling, and we owe them our own right to vote, a debt that will never be repaid. I may have taken that for granted. No more!

In all my links today there is a wealth of information. What I have given are mere snippets of a more powerful story.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have found these posts interesting. This is the last one from our visit.

Have a great day!