We got there early and found it peaceful and beautiful. The colors were changing and the sun was hiding behind clouds, giving it a surreal feel.
Small cabins dotted the countryside, giving an idea how far spread the colonial army was during this hard time.
Deer were also everywhere to be seen. Tame as can be, they posed for pictures.
Aunt Louise at the soldiers' memorial.
George Washington's headquarters during the Valley Forge time period.
Our guide told us that technically this was the Pentagon of the 1700's. Martha lived here for about four of the six months, Alexander Hamilton was also here.
We drove on to Philadelphia! Where the first object was to find a parking spot, surprisingly it didn't take long and we were down to Liberty Square in no time!
Aunt Louise posed with a man that looked like Ben Franklin, but he said he was someone else, honestly I couldn't remember the name of the man two seconds after he said it, I really don't remember it now. I do know that he was the owner of some theater and really enjoyed his job.
We got tickets for Independence Hall, which was very cool, I told Rachel on the phone that I would see if I could depart from the group and find an unlocked door to the bell tour to make it to the roof and find 200 year-old sunglasses that Ben Franklin made. I also told her security was high, and she said that they are making sure no one is carrying the Declaration of Independence. I think I will watch National Treasure again when I get home.
In the end they didn't let us go upstairs anyway, we just went into the courtroom and the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress It was in the Assembly Room of this building that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In the same room the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. (From info) Pretty important place!
Couldn't go to Philly without getting a Philly cheese steak sandwich! We were super daring and got it from a street vendor, if I get sick in the next couple of days I will know where it came from, but so far so good. And just so you know that I am really there I made sure Aunt Louise got Independence Hall in the background.
We got tickets for Independence Hall, which was very cool, I told Rachel on the phone that I would see if I could depart from the group and find an unlocked door to the bell tour to make it to the roof and find 200 year-old sunglasses that Ben Franklin made. I also told her security was high, and she said that they are making sure no one is carrying the Declaration of Independence. I think I will watch National Treasure again when I get home.
In the end they didn't let us go upstairs anyway, we just went into the courtroom and the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress It was in the Assembly Room of this building that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In the same room the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. (From info) Pretty important place!
Couldn't go to Philly without getting a Philly cheese steak sandwich! We were super daring and got it from a street vendor, if I get sick in the next couple of days I will know where it came from, but so far so good. And just so you know that I am really there I made sure Aunt Louise got Independence Hall in the background.
After lunch we walked by Benjamin Franklin's grave, because it was my day, we didn't actually go in the cemetery - that and they wanted $2 to go in when you could see it almost as close from the fence.
Now on to New Jersey!
With the rest of my day I decided to go to a couple states I had never been to before, I started with New Jersey, all we had to do to get there was drive across a bridge. We drove south until we ran out of land. There we went Fort Mott, started in 1897 as a 'just in case' fort, but a battle was never fought there. It was interesting, right on the Delaware river. We walked around a bit enjoying the water and trees, the fort and the towers.
There was also a rear lighthouse in the same area, the front light had been taken down, originally anyone on the waterway would line the two lights up to know they were on the right track.
Finns Rear Lighthouse
With the rest of my day I decided to go to a couple states I had never been to before, I started with New Jersey, all we had to do to get there was drive across a bridge. We drove south until we ran out of land. There we went Fort Mott, started in 1897 as a 'just in case' fort, but a battle was never fought there. It was interesting, right on the Delaware river. We walked around a bit enjoying the water and trees, the fort and the towers.
There was also a rear lighthouse in the same area, the front light had been taken down, originally anyone on the waterway would line the two lights up to know they were on the right track.
Finns Rear Lighthouse
On to Delaware
To get to Delaware we just had to cross another bridge. We didn't do much in Delaware, just drove through the northern part back into Pennsylvania.
We drove back to york by going through Lancaster county, which is Amish country. It was late but I got a few pictures, though they maybe a bit dark.
We drove back to york by going through Lancaster county, which is Amish country. It was late but I got a few pictures, though they maybe a bit dark.
No comments:
Post a Comment