My next destination on my journey was Cape Cod. The last thing I did on the Cape was pay a visit to Hyannis Port so that I could get my Hillary-Kaine sign for my trailer.
I have no eloquent words to describe the emotions I have been experiencing since the election. Horror, fear, revulsion, sadness – those words describe my emotions, but they aren’t exactly eloquent.
For me, this wasn’t a choice between the lesser of two evils. I was with her in the 2008 campaign, and I was with her from the beginning.
The next day, I headed out to explore Concord. The first stop was Minute Man National Historical Park Headquarters. I watched a video and saw some displays.
I also had my picture taken with one of the Regulars. They were snappy dressers! I wonder how they could fight in such splendid clothes? Since they lost the continent, it kind of makes one wonder if there would have been a different outcome if they had worn more practical uniforms.
My next stop was The Wayside, which was a famous home. It was the childhood home of Louisa May Alcott and her family, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Margaret Sidney.
Louisa May Alcott?
Check!
Nathaniel Hawthorne?
Check!
Margaret Sidney? “Who?” I hear you ask.
Margaret Sidney was a children’s author who wrote the “Five Little Peppers” series of books.
Actually, “Margaret Sidney” was a pen name. Her real name was Harriett Mulford Stone Lothrop. There were twelve books in her series, written from 1881 – 1916. If you would like to read some of them, they are available via Project Gutenberg.
Quite a lovely house, isn’t it? I am partial to houses with porches. Hard to believe this large house started out in 1717 as a saltbox-style house.
Here are the additions and when they were added to the house.
Here’s a view of the back of the house. You can really see all the different additions from this point of view.
Now, I didn’t go inside the house. Although it was part of the Minute Man National Historic Park AND I bought the America the Beautiful pass that gives me access to all of the national parks, this one chooses to charge an extra fee for a tour. I figured that I didn’t really need to take the tour, but I did examine the displays in the museum that was in the space where Louisa May Alcott used to put on plays as a child.
The attendant graciously agreed to take a photo of me with the statue of Louisa.
After taking in the displays, I headed down the street to Orchard House, which is where Louisa May Alcott actually wrote “Little Women” which was published in 1868.
The dry, brown lawn shows the effects of the drought that has afflicted New England this summer. Orchard House isn’t part of Minute Man National Historical Park, so I had no expectation that I might be able to tour it for free. I did tour the gift shop, though. As might be expected, there were a lot of books for sale, as well as things printed with quotes.
I particularly liked this apron.
They also had boxed water for sale. That’s one way to cut down on all those plastic water bottles. I wonder if boxed water has the same élan as boxed wine?
My next stop was to meet up with my friend Konstantin to visit his beloved Walden Pond.
Konstantin and I had already met up once when I was in New Hampshire. When I was planning my trip to Massachusetts, it looked like he was going to be out of town. However, his plans changed and we managed to get together again. This photo is of us when we were in New Hampshire.
We met up in the center of Concord and he drove us over to Walden Pond.
Our first stop was a model of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin.
There was also a statue of Thoreau. You can see a stone in his hand. It is tradition to place different things in his hand. Had I been thinking, maybe I would have found something funnier for a photo op.
We took a walk around the Pond, which is a kettle hole that formed during that last ice age.
The water level is low here, too.
Konstantin told me that in normal years, this post is completely beneath the surface of the pond.
Konstantin documented my visit. Here you can see me with the walking stick he gifted me. Now I have a real walking stick and real hiking shoes!
We walked up a trail away from the pond to the site of Thoreau’s cabin. This pile of stones is a tribute from visitors to where he carried out his experiment in simple living. He built his cabin in 1845 on land owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson. After he left the woods, the cabin was removed from the land. At first it was used to store grain. Eventually, it was dismantled for scrap lumber and the roof was put on a pig sty.
In 1945, which was the centennial of Thoreau’s move to Walden Pond, amateur archeologist Roland Wells Robbins searched for three months before he found the foundations of the cabin.
Here is the plaque that marks the location of the heath.
We continued our walk around the pond. Konstantin kept his eyes peeled for a treat he wanted to share with me. Finally, he found some.
Real concord grapes from Concord! They were quite tasty.
We finally made it all the way around and then it was time to say goodbye to Walden Pond.
Back to the campground for one last night. Next stop: Cape Cod.
I have to admit it, but I had trouble getting around to writing the following posts in a timely fashion. Sometimes I had connectivity issues. For a while I had trouble with the website itself and that took some time to resolve. In any event, I am doing my best to get caught up almost a month an a half later.
My next destination was Lexington. I had hoped to get to Concord the same day, but sometimes the day just slips away.
I made my way to Lexington, fighting the usual never-ending traffic. I took me a while to worm my way into the heart of town. Not only were there busloads tourists…
…there was a craft show in the center of town.
It took me a while to find a place to park. Even Google Maps failed me, as one of the churches in town blocked one off the side streets for an event. I ended up having to back Bart up a steep, narrow street until I could find a place to turn around.
I got back into the center of town and found a FREE place to park. Not having to pay to park almost put me back in the mood to be a tourist. I headed back toward the Battle Green. Before I got there, this sign caught my eye.
“Ye Old Burial Ground” Hmm. Well, it was worth a look. I headed down the road that looked more like a driveway than a public thoroughfare.
Sure enough, it was a graveyard that was filled with slate headstones.
Slate seems to be a superior material for headstones – well, superior to limestone, at least. In spite of the fact that these headstones are more than 150 years old, the carvings are crisp and easy to read.
I like to check out all sides of things, so I walked around to the other side to see what the back looked like.
I was surprised to see that they hadn’t smoothed off the back. I wonder if it was just a labor-saving technique, which would make the headstone cheaper, or if the extra material added structural integrity. I guess I’ll put that question on the list of things I want to find out someday.
I made my way back out to the street and I discovered that Ye Old Burial Ground was behind the First Parish in Lexington.
It was a Unitarian Universalist church and this building was erected in 1847.
They had a plaque under the portico that outlined the history of the building and its additions.
I like their practical approach to things. They modify buildings to suit their needs and take good care of them so that they last. I am a little surprised that the church was only destroyed once by fire in its long history.
By the time I got back to the Battle Green, the bus tourists had moved on, so I got to see what I was looking at. This monument marks the place where the remains of the people who died in the Battle of Lexington re-interred. They had been hastily buried in Ye Old Burial Ground after the battle, for some reason that wasn’t clear to me. From what one guide told me, it sounds like they had been buried in a mass grave. They were re-interred here in 1835, which was the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington.
I headed toward the other side of the Battle Green, where there was tourist information.
I discovered another busload of tourists around the statue of the Minute Man.
I stopped into the Buckman Tavern, and the enthusiastic and sincere women in the giftshop/ticket area convinced me that it was worth it to buy a three-building pass for the most important places in town.
My first stop was the Hancock-Clarke House. This was the home of Reverend Jonas Clark, and John Hancock and Samuel Adams were staying there on April 18, 1775, when Paul Revere and William Dawes made their famous Midnight Ride to warn that the Regulars were coming.
This is an important building in the Nation’s history, but it is pretty miraculous that it survived. It turns out that the house ended up being acquired by the next-door neighbor, who always hated it. The historians managed to convince her not to tear it down, but they had to move it across the street. When she finally died, they were able to move it back and put it on the original site.
Anyway, back to April 18, 1775.
According to the guide, Hancock and Adams actually sat at this table and planned. That is a good thing about thrifty families. They hold on to things and pass on the stories of their possessions.
The guide told us that these tiles around the fireplace that Hancock and Adams used were replacements.
Originally, they were the blue-and-white Delft tiles that were present at some of the other fireplaces in the house. The biblical themes were most appropriate for the Reverend Clarke.
Upstairs were the family’s sleeping quarters. This was the master bedroom. Just across the hall was the room for the children.
They had several sets of these trundle beds in the room,
along with other child-sized pieces of furniture.
When they were moving the house back to its original site, the found one of these caches of shoes and possessions in the wall. This was an old superstition designed to bring good luck to the house. I find it just a little odd that this tradition would have been followed in the house that the Reverend Clarke built.
Withe the first tour completed, I headed off to the second tour of the trifecta: Buckman’s Tavern.
Buckman’s Tavern was the main gathering place in town, and the headquarters of the Minute Men.
It also changed over the lifespan of the building. I guess that the building in illustration D would have been the way the tavern looked in 1775.
They had numerous rooms in the tavern. Some were dedicated to displays and others were set up as they would have been at the time of the Revolution.
This was the women’s room. Naturally, the menfolk wouldn’t want to spend time with the women. I suspect that the women preferred this arrangement, too.
The men had a room in the front of the building.
I walked past the front door of the tavern. I remember thinking, “This looks old, but it sure seems to be in good condition.” Well, not exactly.
This was the door to the tavern in 1775. It is mounted beneath plexiglass to the right of the current door. Do you see that little yellow arrow? That is pointing out a hole caused by a musket ball during the battle.
Upstairs were some displays. It seems that Lexington and Concord battled each other fiercely for the right to say that the first battle of the Revolution took place in their towns. Concord put down Lexington because they said that the Minute Men in Lexington pretty much didn’t put up any opposition to the Regulars – that they mainly retreated.
The people of Lexington say that they deserve the title because the first fatalities of the war happened there. Eight men died and ten were wounded.
At the end of the arguments, they asked us to vote. I chose Lexington.
There were also a few artifacts. This 40 foot long linen banner was made by the citizens of Lexington to honor Lafayette’s visit in 1824.
I wish I had started a running tally of all the Lafayette sites and memorabilia I have seen in my travels.
This is the original slate from the Obelisk monument that is in the Battle Green. It was erected in 1799, but replaced with a marble plaque in 1835 as part of the rededication and reburial of the eight men who lost their lives in during the 1775 battle.
This plaque was “lost to the ages” until it was discovered years later in Ye Old Burial Ground. It had been repurposed as the door to the Munroe Family tomb, with the inscription facing inside.
Speaking of the Munroe family, the last stop on the tour was the Munore Tavern.
It is located on the road between Lexington and Concord. It has two special significances to the revolution. The first is that it was used as a hospital and headquarters by the Regulars on their retreat from Concord.
This is another family that held on to things tenaciously. This is the tavern sign that hung outside at the time.
I was on the last tour of the day, and the costumed guide took care to point this out to me. I think it was on the ceiling, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it is. However, I liked the photo, so I offer it to you for your perusal.
The other claim to fame was that George Washington ate here in 1789. According to the family lore, this is the actual furniture that was used. In consideration for Washington’s privacy, the family cleared out an upstairs bedroom and set up a dining room where he wouldn’t be disturbed by people staring in the window trying to catch a glimpse of him.
This is the chair that Washington sat in. According to family lore, the mother made each child sit in the chair immediately after Washington left and then told them that they were unable to lie and had to live up to Washington’s greatness. That became a family tradition, and you can see the result of generations of kids’ bottoms on the seat of the chair.
They also preserved all sorts of mementos related to Washington. This is the tea bowl and spoon he used at the dinner.
Any guesses about why this artifact was preserved?
Well, according to the label next to it, oral tradition holds that George Washington hitched his horse to this staple, which was attached to a tree outside the tavern.
By then, the guide and the ticket taker were getting ready to close up shop, and I was ready to head back to the trailer. The road took me back through Lexington
Finally, the busloads of tourists headed back to Boston and I could get a clear shot of the Minute Man.
On the positive side, October was the least expensive month since April. However, it could have been better. Once again, I had unplanned expenses in the RV category.
I found a REAL Airstream dealer that could get me in to check the caulking/seals on my roof. I didn’t know that was something that required maintenance. There was only one small area that needed attention, but while it was in the shop, I had them check the leak that I had recently discovered in the fresh water tank, and check out the leaky valve on the black water tank. The black water tank only required a good clean out and now it’s working great. The fresh water tank needed to be replaced. They had one in stock so I decided to have them do it. It was only dripping a little, but when I can, I prefer to avoid more serious problems down the road.
And, if that wasn’t enough out-go in the RV maintenance for one month, I also really dodged a bullet.
I am working as part of Amazon’s CamperForce in Campbellsville, Kentucky for their peak season. They pay for the campsite as part of the package. The only site I could find was kind of far out of town and didn’t have any amenities on site. No laundry, no bath house, no on-site management. In fact, I would have to get my mail through general delivery, and general delivery doesn’t accept FedEx or UPS. So, not really great.
A camper I met at training told me that there was a site available at The Resort, which is where I stayed two years ago. So, when I got ready to move to my new site, this is what I found:
A burnt out power cord?! What in the world?
And, if the power cord is burnt out, what does the power receptacle look like?
Oh, man! Like I said, it looks like I dodged a bullet. I could have really had some problems.
But, I got moved and then I started playing phone tag with a recommended mobile RV repairman. While waiting to hear back from him. I went to an RV dealer and got a new receptacle and cord to have on hand when he could get to me.
But, I started reading the directions, and I realized that it changing out the power receptacle should be pretty easy and I had the tools I needed, so I went ahead and did it myself!
The receptacle and the cord cost me almost $200, but at least I didn’t have to pay for someone to do it for me.
So, with no further ado, I give you my October expenses.
RV maintenance $1558.13
Groceries 362.46
Campsites 315.00
Gas 310.92
Other 196.67
Truck expenses 100.77
Restaurants/eating out 82.66
Tolls 12.75
Laundry 12.68
Clothing 4.68
Tourism/Entertainment 10.00
Food/Drinks on the go 1.69
TOTAL $2,978.65
In October, I drove 1,573 miles and visited six states, including visiting the elusive state of West Virginia. That makes 40 states down with eight left to go!
I imagine that November expenses should be pretty low. For one thing, the campsite is paid for. I have no time to spend money, as Amazon is a pretty demanding job. Expenses will be lower and I will have additional income!
When I finally got my air conditioner installed and could leave, I headed to Harold Parker State Forest, just outside of Andover, MA.
The site I had reserved was technically adequate. I would have fit in nicely, if the parking area wasn’t at am acute angle to the roadway or is there hadn’t been quite so many trees. But, I guess forests are famous for trees – at least in this part of the country. After almost an hour of trying to figure out how to get in, I decided that it wasn’t going to happen.
I headed back to the office and told them my predicament. The helpful ranger gave me a map with all the sites that were available and that might work for me. I pulled into this one with no problem. It was level. It had its own water faucet AND it was a pull through!
Ah, but no electricity. That was no problem. The site got enough sun to top off the batteries and I did just fine.
I examined my options, and I decided to take a trip to Salem.
I was amazed at just how slowly the traffic moved. Although the trip was less than 20 miles, it took the better part of an hour to get there. Along the way, I stopped in Danvers to see the memorial to the victims of the Salem Witch Trials that took place in 1692 and 1693.
This park was dedicated in 1992 to commemorate the victims of the trials. The trials, which were held in several towns, resulted in the executions of twenty people. Fourteen of these people were women and all but one of the victims died by hanging. Five others, including two infants, died in prison.
They inscribed the last words of the victims on either side of the memorial.
Just across the street from the memorial was the site of the Salem Village Meeting House. Apparently, the building was dismantled in 1702 and the lumber was stored on the site of the memorial until it eventually decayed and mixed with the soil.
This is the house that occupies the site of the Salem Village Meeting House today.
On I went, to see what I could discover in Salem itself. I was amazed that I found a place to park. The beautiful weather had many people strolling about.
A brochure I had said that this is the oldest structure in Salem with direct ties to the witch trials.
This was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, who was called upon to investigate the claims of witchcraft that were made in the area. He served on the court that ultimately sent nineteen people to the gallows.
It is thought that the house was built sometime between 1620 and 1642. Corwin was 35 when he bought the house in 1675 and he lived there for more than forty years.. The house remained in the Corwin family until the mid-19th century.
There was the usual assemblage of period items in the museum, but one thing in particular caught my eye. They had created a little window into the structure of the building. I wonder if all the exterior walls were filled with rock and mortar?
The building was kind of crowded, as they were having a free day. So, after a quick glance around and seeing nothing else remarkable, I decided to see what else there might be in the neighborhood.
I came upon plaques set into the sidewalk for the McIntire District Walkway. It is a stroll through some of the oldest houses in the area. Just follow the arrows!
The building I noticed was Hamilton Hall. We were invited to go inside, according to the sign. The doors were locked, and I decided not to knock.
According to my research, the hall was commissioned by a group of Salem’s Federalist merchant families and cost $22,000 to build in 1805. Originally there were retail spaces on the ground floor. The second level ballroom features a curved balcony and a sprung floor for dancing. Lafayette was a guest of honor at a banquet here in 1824, according to a plaque next to the door.
In researching Hamilton Hall, I discovered that it is still in operation pretty much as its founders had intended. They have a lecture series that is sold out for this season and they a a popular venue for weddings.
I also discovered that I should have called ahead to schedule a visit.
On the opposite corner was the Butman-Waters House. It was built in 1806 by Samuel McIntire.
A little farther down the street was a house built in 1767 by Jonathan Neal, who was proud to call himself a carpenter.
Now, you have to know that a house that was built in 1767 would undergo some changes to reflect the needs of its occupants.
You can see the various additions that have taken place. You can also see that central air wasn’t one of the changes that was made.
This house was built in 1810 for Benjamin Cox, merchant.
This house was built in 1774 by Josiah Woodbury. Oddly enough, he was a mason. I assumed this means he was a stone mason, but perhaps he was a Mason.
I sure he wasn’t a Jackie Mason…
or even a Marsha Mason.
I continued on my way. There were more old buildings to see!
This is the Old Town Hall, which is the earliest surviving municipal structure in Salem. It was built in 1816. The second floor of the building contained a Great Hall, that was used for public meetings, as well as the town offices. The first floor was originally used as a pubic market. Now it is a museum that covers the 400 years of Salem history.
“Did I go in the museum?” I hear you ask. No, I didn’t. The ticket taker told me that it was only $4, which works out to $1 a century. I only had about 20 minutes until closing time, which worked out to about 20¢ minute. From what I could see from the entrance, there was only about $1 worth of exhibits in there, so I continued on my way.
Just outside and to the right of the entrance was this sculpture entitled Tradewind. It honors and celebrates the role that water and wind played in building Salem. According to the plaque next to it, the houses on the rods are designed to spin in the wind and they combine to form the shape of the Old Town Hall. Unfortunately, the wind wasn’t blowing when I was there.
Next to the Old Town Hall was the grand home built for Colonel Benjamin Pickman, Jr. As a merchant, a location right next to the pubic market was a very desirable location.
It was built by Joshua Upham, who as also a mason. Or is that a Mason? I wonder if he knew Josiah Woodbury?
This building has also been repurposed.
It looks as if it has been made into three dwellings.
Back to the main drag, and I came across the old entrance to the Peabody Museum. This part of is was in an old bank building.
Time was ticking away, and I didn’t have time to visit it. I guess I really ought to plan my visits more carefully.
I think I really would have enjoyed this exhibit. Bear in mind that these posts are landing much after the fact. This exhibit wasn’t open yet, so at least I don’t have to feel bad about missing it.
Just down at the corner, there was some art to enjoy!
This installation is by Patrick Dougherty and employs what he calls “Stickwork.” This piece is called What the Birds Know.
This is the Peabody Essex Museum’s first commissioned outdoor artwork.
It was constructed over the course of three weeks in May 2015.
Dougherty and a team of 50 volunteers worked thousands of saplings into forms that suggest dynamic movement.
Speaking of dynamic movement, there were families with young children who were really enjoying running around and through the structures. I kind of wanted to join in the fun.
I settled for having my photo taken with the structures.
Actually, there was a lot of art in the part of the city that I visited. Remember the bicentennial fire hydrants? Well, these electrical boxes provided a much better blank canvas for civic art, in my opinion.
We all know how important bees are.
I like this one because it shows the importance of trade in building relationships. Trade only builds positive relationships when it is mutually beneficial.
This one was just fun to look at.
It was time to head back to the truck. The sun was setting, and I am sure that the traffic was going to be even slower on the return trip.
In a small park near where I left Bart was a Little Free Library. Of course I looked inside. After all, it had my favorite word on it. (Free!) I didn’t see a thing I would read. Still, I like the concept.
And, what homage to witches would be complete without a nod to Samantha Stevens?
Can you believe it? I met up with yet another Facebook friend!
Corrine is a fellow Buffalonian and we met up via a mutual friend, Mary Ellen, who I will be visiting in a few states.
We made arrangements to meet up at a supermarket parking lot near Andover, Massachusetts. Corrine graciously offered to drive me around and show me some of the sights.
First stop was Shawsheen Luncheonette. It is a small place and really popular. We had to wait a bit, but not all that long.
I really liked the frieze of quotes and dinner ware that was part of the decor.
We studied the menu and made our selections. We chatted while we waited for our orders to be brought out.
It was worth the wait. Lunch was delicious!
We drove around and Corrine showed me various sites. Our goal was the Phillips Academy and
It was quite an impressive gallery, especially considering that it is basically part of a high school – an elite high school, to be sure, but a high school none-the-less.
We wanted to see an Ansel Adams exhibit of photos taken at Manzanar War Relocation Camp where American citizens of Japanese origin were interred during the second World War. I was particularly interested in seeing the exhibit because I visited the Manzanar National Historic Site when I was in California in 2015. It was an interesting exhibit.
They also had several other galleries. I wasn’t sure if photography was allowed, so I surreptitiously snapped this shot. Yep, it is a really nice gallery. I like how they welcome the public.
My HistoryHERE app pinged and said that Harriet Beecher Stowe’s grave was just down the street. We went to check it out.
And there is is!
This was an old cemetery. I thought these headstones made an interesting photo.
Corrine took me to see a house that was a stop on the Underground Railroad. She used to housesit there and was friends with people who used to own it. With these old houses its so interesting to see how they must have been added on to over the years.
Corrine lead me on a short walk on a public path behind the house. I saw something I’ve long wanted to see – a beaver dam!
The water level is really low due to the severe drought that they have experienced in New England this summer.
I didn’t see evidence of a beaver lodge, but I did see a branch with pronounced teeth marks.
We drove into Lowell, which had been a textile producing center from about 1820 until 1920. The clock tower let the workers know when it was time to go to work and when it was time to leave.
We stopped at an Italian bakery to pick up some treats and then stopped at McDonalds for a drink.
Then we headed back to Bart so I could return to the campground. We asked a store worker collecting shopping carts to snap this photo.
It was great to meet a friend in real life for the first time!
It is hard to believe, but I had to head back to Maine. It was time to get my air conditioner replaced. The plan was that they would have all the parts in and they would get it done. In one day and out the next.
HAH!
They had some parts, but they didn’t have all the parts. Even more annoying was that the unit that was on my Airstream is no longer made, and they needed a kit to adapt the air conditioner to work on Flo. Three things about this are annoying.
They were in charge of ordering the parts they needed to do the job.
The parts they didn’t order took almost a week to get there.
The parts that were required were not covered by the rather expensive warrantee I purchased.
I learned the difference between a warrantee and a guarantee. I thought I was buying a policy that guaranteed the functionality of the equipment that was covered.
Nope. A warrantee only covers the parts and labor for said parts. And if the covered parts need extra parts to make them work? Nope. Not covered. To do it again, I think I would just bank the money that I spent on the warrantee and pay for things as I needed them.
The kit was mighty expensive, too.
Anyway, I told them that I was just staying put until the work was completed. I camped in their “scenic” back lot…
FOR TEN DAYS!
I guess things could have been worse. I mean, the work eventually got done, and at least I didn’t have to pay for the privilege of camping in an area I didn’t want to be.
I did meet up with a Facebook friend, which will be in the next post.
I also took a run down to Kennebunkport to see if I could spot 41 or 43.
The American flag was flying, but I don’t know if any of the Bushes were home to visitors. Since the weren’t expecting me, I didn’t knock.
I stopped a couple of times to look at the ocean, when I could pull over. The weather was so vile that there were not a lot of people competing for the parking spots.
“NOT ART” Who is to say?
The birds didn’t seem to mind the drizzly weather.
And the rose hips were bright and beautiful.
I did a little bit of this and that and visited Corrine and eventually the parts came in and they installed the air conditioner…
One thing that was on my “to-do” list while I was in New Hampshire was to make a stop at Camping World. I wanted to use the gift certificates I got for sitting through the sales pitch for the camping club when I was in Branson. There was one near Concord, which also happens to be the state capitol.
Sounds like a field trip to me!
I strolled the aisles and picked up some things I needed and a few things I wanted. I also had to laugh at some of the things I saw for sale. For example, this cookbook:
Since I was wearing some of the new clothes that I bought the other day, I had the cashier snap a photo. I love end of season sales!
It’s not often that I have new clothes to show off. I managed to use up my $100 gift certificate and only go about $0.98 over. Good for me!
I drove the few miles from the store to the statehouse and found a parking spot. I meandered over to the statehouse and spotted one of the perks of winning an election. Parking!
I noticed that the governor gets two spaces.
A black walnut tree was also growing by the back of the state house. According to the plaque next to it, it came from Mount Vernon. It was planted in April 1931 by the Boy Scouts of the Daniel Webster Council.
They are also proud of their roll in the presidential primaries.
Speaking of points of pride, there is Daniel Webster. Born at Salisbury, New Hampshire January 18, 1782. He died at Marshfield, Massachusetts October 24, 1852.
Oh, and the statue was presented by Benjamin Pierce Cheney to the State of New Hampshire January 18, 1886. I guess ol’ B.J. Cheney memorialized himself too.
John P. Hale was a New Hampshire senator from 1847 to 1853 and again from 1855 to 1865, He was one of the first senators to make a stand against slavery. Republican? Democrat? Whig? Nope! He was a leading member of the Free Soil Party and was its presidential nominee in 1852.
They are also proud of native son Franklin Pierce, who was the 14th President of the United States from 1853 – 1857. He was a northern Democrat who saw the abolitionist movement as a threat to the unity of the nation. He signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act and enforced the Fugitive Slave Act, hoping that those measures would help hold the union together. It didn’t help.
Another native son of New Hampshire memorialized at the statehouse is Major General John Stark, born August 28, 1728 and dies May 8, 1822. He served as an officer in the British Army during the French and Indian War and was a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was known as the “Hero of Bennington” for his exemplary performance at the Battle of Bennington in 1977. The state of New Hampshire erected the statue in 1890.
I wonder if they will ever get around to memorializing any of their native daughters?
Speaking of the American Revolution, there is also a copy of the liberty bell on the campus.
This bell was one of fifty-three given to the United States by France in 1950. The dimensions and tone are the same as the original liberty bell. It toured the state in 1950 as part of a Savings Bond Independence Drive.
There is a splendid gate that frames the entrance to the statehouse. Just in front of the gate is a time capsule.
I wonder what they decided to include? I’d like to say I’d come back in 2065 and check, but I don’t think I’ll make it. I’d be 110 by then.
By then, I had seen about all I had time to see. I headed back to Bart to return to the campground, and then I saw these interesting forms:
What interesting bike racks!
I arrived back at the campground in time for a lovely sunset.
What a great send off for New Hampshire. In the morning, on to Massachusetts!
I rolled into Great Bay Campground with an hour or so to go before sunset. It was a little tricky to find because it was down a small road next to a gas station. I passed it by on the first try, but kept on going until I found a parking lot I could turn around in.
I made it back and found the driveway. I bounced my way in, wondering what I had gotten myself into. But, my fears were allayed when I got to the end of the road and found the campground. It was actually quite nice and I got a pull-through full hook up site with a view of the waterAnd then, looking back at Flo and Bart in the campsite.
I had a visitor while I was at Great Bay Campground. And old friend from The Dictionary Forum, Konstantin, drove over from Massachusetts to see me.
He was most eager to see Flo and he ooh’ed and ahh’ed over her. He took the best photo of me with Flo and Bart.
He also managed to grab a shot of me with Cora in my arms.
Photo shoot completed, we went out to lunch. After our meal, we had the server take a shot of us.
And here we are together.
The last few days has been an embarrassment of riches in term of meeting up with people! I made arrangements to meet up with another Facebook friend in Portsmouth.
I got there a little early, and set out to see what I could see. I wandered past the Moffatt-Ladd House, that was built in 1763.
Originally, it was right at the edge of the port. The ships would pull up to the wharf and unload right into the storage areas in the basement.
You can kind of see that there is a block or two more of land between the house and the water now.
I wandered by this wall with advertising painted on it. I like the bits and pieces of leftovers from long ago. I was captivated by this sign:
Hmm…Private way – pass at own risk…that sounded like of like a challenge to me! I continued down to the edge of the bay.
I spent a while watching the water surge into the bay. There is a strong tide here.
This store, called Wanderlust, caught my interest. It was filled with all sorts of things related to travel.
I particularly enjoyed this sign. It called to mind the sign that Lynne showed me in China Lake the other day.
After my stroll about, it was time to meet up with Lauren. I wandered up to the place we were to meet and texted her that I had arrived. Oddly enough, she was seated right next to me!
We wandered back to the river’s edge, and had a passer-by take the requisite photo that proved me met.
Then Lauren took a photo of me in front of the tugboats. We shared a delicious order of nachos at a restaurant right on the water’s edge. We chatted and got to know each other in real life. After a time, our time came to a close. On our way back to our cars, Lauren showed me her kayak that was on her car. She had made it herself! I was really impressed. One of these days, I am going to try out a kayak.
I set out from Bass Harbor Campground with a final destination of Great Bay Campground in Newfields, New Hampshire. Along the way, I stopped off for lunch with some Facebook friends.
We made arrangements for Lynne to meet me at the parking lot of a local supermarket. What a surprise when she was waiting for me at the corner to document my arrival!
She let the manager of the supermarket know what was up with the big silver trailer and the big reg truck in his parking lot and then we set out for her house.
We stopped by this famous road sign that points the way to all the exotic place names in Maine. Lynne took my picture and I had to point out the place where my mother’s family came from – Norway.
As wee pulled into the dooryard – which seems to be a kind of combination front yard and driveway – I came face-to-face with a famous RV. This is Zephyr, which belongs to the Technomads – Chris and Cherie. They are self-described Gen-Xers, and they make their living on the road. They were busy working inside when we arrived, but they were going to join us for lunch.
Lynnne’s husband, Bob, was also busy working, so she gave me the nickel tour, which included this million dollar view of China Lake.
It was a cool day, otherwise I would have taken her up on the offer to take a dip.
I helped Lynne make lunch. I am sure she will laugh when she reads this, but she should understand that my idea of “helping” is to stay out of the way. She even made coleslaw from scratch. I was amazed to see how simple it was. Her “secret ingredient” is maple syrup. Soon, all was prepared and Bob, Chris and Cherie joined us around the table.
Lynne was such a lovely hostess! She gave us flowers and maple syrup!
After a lunch of pizza and the most delicious coleslaw I’ve ever had, we went out to catch Pokemon.
It was a fun walk, but I had miles to go before I made camp, so I had to leave this happy gathering and hit the road. Lynne continued on the walk and Bob took me back to Flo and Bart.
