Tag: photography

The Little White House

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

While on vacation, there are some things that I want to visit.

There are some things that my husband wants to visit.

Then, there are the things that we both want to visit.

While in Key West, Harry S. Truman’s Little White House was one of those things that we were both interested in.

Well, we were very interested until we got there and asked to purchase a ticket…wow quite expensive! In the end, we decided to take the tour, even after being told that we could not take photos inside the home…and everyone who knows me, knows that drives me crazy!

As we sat on the back veranda, our tour guide gave us a quick overview of the history of the property and of how it came to be the Key West home of President Truman.

Built in 1890, as the first officer’s quarters of the submarine base naval station, it was later converted into a single-family dwelling to house the base commandant. Originally a waterfront dwelling, the property’s ocean views were eventually blocked by a new building at the naval station.

Before President Truman’s acquisition, the home had its share of famous visitors. In 1912, President William Howard Taft traveled to Key West for a stay before traveling to Panama for an inspection of the canal which was under construction. While staying in the home during World War I, Thomas Edison perfected underwater weapons and the home acted as a command center for the remainder of the war.

Requiring some relaxation, President Harry S. Truman was ordered to take a warm-weathered vacation by his physician. His first trip, in 1946, was the first of eleven visits over the course of his time in office and it was on those visits that he and Bess put their decorative touches on it and made it their “home away from home”.

As we walked through the house with our guide, we were regaled with tales of the many important events that took place within its walls…and not necessarily the nightly poker games.

United States Cabinet members and foreign officials were regular visitors to the Truman home and it was where the the Joint Chiefs of Staff laid out the creation of the Department of Defense.

Later still, other presidential visitors included General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became president and President John F. Kennedy. In more recent years, President Jimmy Carter held a family reunion on the premises and a week of peace talks was initiated here by Secretary of State Colin Powell with President Robert Kocharyan of Armenia and Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary, have also spent a weekend relaxing in the Little White House.

After the President Truman left office, the house reverted to the role as home to the Naval Station commandant until 1974, when the submarine base was closed and later, that year, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The home was deeded to the State of Florida on January 1, 1987. Almost a million dollars was spent restoring the house to its 1949 appearance and it was opened as a state historic site and museum.

As we were led through each of the home’s rooms, we garnered a better understanding of how the president spent his days and nights on vacation, as we examined items such as the President’s briefcase, books, telephone. Noting these last objects, obviously, at times, he found it necessary to mix business with pleasure.

My favorite items, however, were his poker table (which could tell a tale or two, I am sure), his “vacation” shirt, which still hangs in the closet and his famous “The Buck Stops Here” sign which still sits on his desk.

The home is in impeccable condition and looks much like one would expect a home to look like during the late 40’s and early 50’s.

Now back to the no photographs rule…

Of course, I wanted to capture what I was seeing as it appeared to be so original and Tru (pun intended!), however, as we were accompanied the entire time by our guide, it was by the hardest that I was able to snap a few photos when he was not looking.

With that being said, was the visit to the Little White House worth the $22.52?

We learned a lot about the United States’ 33rd president, were able to enjoy authentic 1950’s decor and walk through a piece of architecture that played an important part of our great country.

The most important thing, however, was that my husband and I were able to enjoy something together!

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Harry S. Truman Little White House

Buoy Oh Buoy!

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

I’ve been to Cuba…

And I’ve been close to Cuba.

Approximately ninety miles from Cuba to be exact.

One of the most popular landmarks on Key West is the Southernmost Point. A giant red, white and black buoy marks the spot (24 degrees, 33 minutes north latitude and 81 degrees, 45 minutes) which is the southernmost point of the continental United States, only ninety miles from Cuba. Erected in 1983 by the City of Key West, the landmark attracts travelers by the thousands with a line, for those seeking a photograph, sometimes snaking down the block.

Luckily for us, it was a slow day and we didn’t have to wait long, but, buoy or buoy, it is one of those things that you just have to see!

And can you see Cuba?

Only if you have better than 20/20 eyesight (more like telescopic vision) even on a clear day!

Don’t forget to check out the amazing statue of the Conch Blower, which honors Albert Kee, Key West’s unofficial goodwill ambassador, who welcomed visitors to the Southernmost Point, blowing on a conch shell, waving, and yelling “Welcome to the island!” and on the opposite side, The Cable Hut. Built on the mainland and transported by Flagler’s railroad, the Cable Hut protected the connection between the telephone lines and the telegraph lines which linked Key West and Havana, Cuba.

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Southernmost Point

A Cat…Or Two…Or Three

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Historic homes in Key West are plentiful.

Cats, too.

One of the most famous and most visited landmarks of Key West is the former home of writer Ernest Hemingway.

Hemingway and his second wife, journalist Pauline Pfeiffer, made Key West their home after leaving Paris and returning to the United States in 1928. Enchanted by the island at the southern end of the Florida Keys, they purchased a home on one of the largest private lots in the city and settled into to the laid back and permissive lifestyle that the remote U.S. city offered.

The home, which stood on one of the most elevated spots on the island, was well constructed to endure the ferocity of the Caribbean hurricane seasons. It was lovingly restored and filled with European antiques that Hemingway purchased on his frequent trips abroad.

As we waited in the oppressive heat for our tour to start and were admiring the home’s stunning Spanish Colonial exterior, a cat or two wove their way around our feet. Figuring they were strays that had made their way onto the property, we followed our tour guide into the home and listened as he regaled us with tales of Hemingway’s colorful life.

Making our way through the living spaces that the writer shared with his wife and noting his cherished keepsakes, we also noted a cat or two…or three. Now, seeing cats outside was one thing, but there was a cat sleeping near the floor-to-ceiling window, one stretched out on the dining room table and another lounging on the bathroom window sill. An avid fan of architecture, I am usually engrossed in the details of historic homes and their furnishings, however, instead of appreciating the beautiful yellow patterned tile in the bathroom and Hemingway’s hunting trophies, I was playing spot the cat!

The guide led us up to the top floor’s rooms including the bedroom and there…on the bed…another cat!

We moved out to the gallery, admiring the nearby Key West Light House, and finally learned the story of the Hemingway cats.

As the story goes, Hemingway was given Snow White, a white six-toed cat, as a gift by a sea captain…a very auspicious gift, as polydactyl cats are thought by sailors to bring good luck. The cats on the property, between fifty and sixty, are descendants of Snow White. The cats bear the names of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart and live a fat and happy life within the home and on the premises.

Making our way down the back stairs and into the back garden, we spied more of Snowball’s descendants sprawled out in the shade taking afternoon siestas. As we headed back upstairs to take a look inside the carriage house where Hemingway’s office was located and where he penned “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, there was another cat, no doubt dreaming about the inspiration that once occurred here.

Finally, we made our way to the rear of the property to lay our eyes on the inviting swimming pool, the first of the Florida Keys, that was installed by Pauline Pfeiffer as a surprise for her husband. Not something that he would have spent his hard-earned money on, he angrily (and a bit melodramatically) threw a penny into the pool, indicating that she had spent his last hard cent, despite the fact that it was paid for with her money. Pauline kept the penny and had it embedded in the concrete near the pool. Though he was not initially impressed with the addition to his home, it grew on him and he eventually had a six foot wall erected around the property so that he could swim nude, privy to only his wife’s and cat’s eyes.

Stopping to inspect the penny, which is still present, we also ducked into the gift shop which displayed books and gifts for sale and yes…a cat…sleeping high on one of the shelves!

As we made our way to the exit gates, we took note of the small houses erected for the cats tucked between the lush growth of the property. We also stopped by the Cat Cemetery and discovered the graves, etched with the deceased cats famous names. We paid our respects to Kim Novak, Willard Scott, Collette Colbert, Liz Taylor and all of the others who came before them.

What I though the most interesting was there was a cat named Pauline Pfeiffer! I wonder if she liked swimming in the beautiful pool?

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The Ernest Hemingway House and Museum

  • https://www.hemingwayhome.com/
  • Address:  907 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040
  • Hours: 0900-1700, daily
  • Admission: Adults, $16.00, Child, (6-12 years), $6.00, Children (5 years and under), free. Rates include 30 minute guided tour.

Mile Marker Must Do

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While there are many photographic opportunities on Key West, from architecture to jewel hued waters, there was one that I had missed on my previous trips.

I have driven on this highway, of which parts are quite spectacular and picturesque, and stretches from upper Maine to Florida. The highway spans 2,369 miles and connects most major cities in the eastern United States, culminating on the corner of Fleming and Whitehead streets in Key West.

The sign, one of the most popular places to have your picture taken, is in front of the US1 mile marker zero sign. Selfies rule here and then you can pop in to one of the souvenir shops and buy something to commemorate the occasion!

My husband and I, enroute to the Hemingway House, took a few moments here on our first day on the island and again on our last as we turned onto the highway in our rental car to head back to the mainland.

While there are many other things to see in Key West, you’ll probably pass near the sign while heading to other points of interest. It is a must-do, so you can say you did!

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Mile Marker Zero

First Flight

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

For the past thirty years, I have worked for an airline. Anything flight-related captures my interest, but I do love reading or learning about travel in the past. Seeing photographs of how passengers treated traveling by plane with great reverence, it of utmost interest. Many years ago, my airline merged with the now defunct Pan American World Airways. Tragically, with the fall of this great company, was also the fall of the way people traveled in style. Instead of suits, dresses and Louis Vuitton luggage, you see travelers in hair rollers, pajamas and trash bags.

When I see anything that refers to Pan Am, I am instantly intrigued. My desire to revisit the golden age of flying transcends above all, so when my husband and I were in Key West and enroute to the Hemingway House and I spotted First Flight, I had to stop and check it out.

Located on Whitehead Street, First Flight, claims to be the birthplace of Pan American World Airways. In this building, the first airline tickets were sold in 1927 for what was to become the principal and largest international airline in the United States.

With its inception as an air mail and passenger service which operated between Key West and Havana, Cuba, it became known as the airline that shaped the international airline industry.

Now a restaurant and brewery which features a beautiful garden dining area under a tree-top canopy and an interior filled with Pan Am memorabilia and an indoor-outdoor bar made from an airplane wing. You can also visit the Mercantile for airline themed gifts and souvenirs.

Sound amazing?

I think so and I wish that I would have been able to see and experience it. But…after reading the placard outside the bar and photographing the building, it was time to move on as it was the middle of the day and much too early to drink or eat!

Hoping to come back later in our trip, we never did but it is on my list for my next visit to Key West.

First class caviar and service? You bet!

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First Flight

  • http://firstflightkw.com/
  • Address: 301 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040
  • Hours: 1200 to 2200, daily. Happy hour, 1600-1800, daily.
  • Admission: free. Menu items vary.

Welcome To the Conch Republic

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Every year for my birthday and our wedding anniversary, my husband and I seek out some sun and fun!

This year, we decided to do something a little different. We were going to seek out some adventure (and sun) in New Mexico. Our five days were all planned with hiking and driving and discovering…that is…until we found out that we would have to quarantine when we arrived.

Finding this information out the night before our departure left us scrambling for a new destination. Somewhere that did not require a quarantine was a bit hard to come by in the height of a pandemic, so we headed south to Florida where restrictions were a bit more loose.

Key West is a quaint island with lots of great restaurants, great nightlife and a ton of great tourist attractions and I have visited on a couple of other occasions. Something stuck out to on this trip as I walked down the stairs of the airplane and across the tarmac to the terminal.

“WELCOME TO THE CONCH REPUBLIC”, read a sign on the terminal.

Hmmm…I didn’t ever remember seeing this sign before and it got me to wondering what this Conch Republic thing was all about. Off to google it…

Apparently, in 1982, the United States Border Patrol was set on the idea that narcotics and illegal immigrants were being brought to the United States through the Florida Keys. A roadblock and inspection point was set up on US 1 and all vehicles were stopped and search.

The Key West City Council complained about the inconvenience for the tourists traveling to and from the Keys and that it was hurting the tourism industry. When repeated complaints continued to go unanswered, the local government decided to take matters into their own hands. If they were going to be treated like a foreign nation with a border, then they were going to become one.

The Mayor, Dennis Wardlow and the city council declared Key West’s independence on April 23, 1982 and took the name of the Conch Republic for the locals who are often referred to as Conchs. Though it was all done as tongue in cheek and not an official succession, Key West’s complaints finally resounded and the roadblocks were removed.

Locals still fondly remember this act of defiance and continue to embrace the name as a tourism booster.

Visitors love visiting Key West, but they love telling everyone, who doesn’t understand, that they were on vacation in the Conch Republic! If you really want to feel like you have visited a new nation, visit the website where you can purchase a Conch Republic passport…bet your traveling buddies don’t have one!

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Key West a.k.a The Conch Republic

  • Getting There: Many airlines fly directly to Key West. You can also drive the Overseas Highway from the southern tip of the Florida’s mainland all the way to Key West.
  • To purchase a Conch Republic passport, check out the website https://conchrepublic.com/order-passports

Good Ole’ Glen Allen

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

For some, it’s hard to envision what life might have been like 100 years ago.

Thankfully, there are some architectural landmarks around the country that have been lovingly preserved, so that we might be able to do so.

Some very good ones are nearby, in my hometown, Glen Allen.

Built in the 1920s, the Courtney Road gas station stands proudly on Mountain Road in Glen Allen, Virginia, a small town on the west end of Richmond. A “canopy style” station, which originated in 1916 by Standard Oil of Ohio for the transportation industry, it was owned by the Barlow family during a time of growth in the United States car manufacturing and road improvements. Sinclair gasoline and oil products were sold in the full-service station and customers could rely on prompt service by gas station attendants who, in addition to filling the tanks, cleaned windshields, checked the tires and “looked” under the hood.

Though the Courtney Road Station is not open to visitors except during special occasions or by appointment, you can park in the adjacent lot, walk under the canopy and inspect the old pumps.

Across Mountain Road, you can find Meadow Farm Museum, Crump Park and RF&P Park.

RF&P Park (within Crump Park) is home to the Glen Allen Athletic Association and the site of countless baseball, softball and football games on pristine, well-manicured fields. Many a weekend is spent here watching our children run the bases and score touchdowns. The real all-stars of the park, however, are actually “parked” near the fields.

Four restored Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad train cars sit proudly near the fields. At the baseball fields, the cars consists of a caboose, a steel coach and a postal car. A box car can be spotted at the softball fields.

These cars ran from Richmond to Washington D.C. on 113 miles of track (the shortest in the nation) which linked the North and South. You can climb onto the cars, inspect them closely and peer into the windows, however, the interiors are locked. They are the perfect location for photo ops for train lovers and those interested in Virginia’s historic transportation.

Also within Crump Park lies Meadow Farm Museum. Meadow Farm dates back to 1713, when Richard Baker and William Sheppard were granted 400 acres of property in Henrico county. In 1800, Meadow Farm was the site of an unsuccessful slave uprising which became known as Gabriel’s Rebellion and ten years, later, the present farmhouse was constructed by Mosby Sheppard. His son, Dr. John Mosby Sheppard, expanded the farm and passed it down to his grandson Major General Sheppard Crump, a veteran of World War I and Adjutant General of Virginia from 1955 to 1960. His wife, Elizabeth Adam Crump, was one of the first women in Virginia to receive a driver’s license and vote in public elections. In 1975, Elizabeth Adam Crump donated Meadow Farm to Henrico Country in memory of her late husband which was opened to the public in 1981.

Today, Meadow Farm Museum’s grounds are open to the public and consist of the farm house, a blacksmith forge and an orientation center. Costumed tour guides and staff present programs and exhibits on life during the farm’s heyday and on select weekends, demonstrations of the “life on the farm” take place in the farmhouse, barn, doctor’s office, blacksmith forge, kitchen, fields and pastures. Some of these programs include the annual Sheep Shearing event, Sheep to Shawl. It is the perfect place to take children to see many farm animals including chickens, turkeys, hogs, cows, horses and goats.

After visiting Meadow Farm Museum, you can enjoy Crump Park’s walking paths, ponds and playgrounds.

A little further down Mountain Road, there is another historic structure; the remains of Forest Lodge, which was built in the early 1880s by John Cussons. Cussons, an Englishman who served as a scout and lieutenant in the Confederate army and was captured in Gettysburg, returned to Glen Allen after the war and married Susan Sheppard Allen, the sister of Dr. John Sheppard of Meadow Farm and the widow of Benjamin Allen, for whom Glen Allen was named. He built the lodge as a resort along the RF&P Railroad where it intersected with Mountain Road. With 125 rooms and six stories, the luxurious resort was surrounded by a one thousand acre park which included trails, lakes and wild game.

Upon John Cussons death in 1912, the property exchanged hands multiple times until half of it was torn down. Used as office space and apartments, it was demolished in 1992. Today, you can park just off of Mountain Road and visit what is left of the historic lodge. The tower and surrounding columns are original elements from the Forest Lodge that were salvaged during its razing.

I have driven by some of these places often, visited on field trips and even taken my children’s prom and senior pictures at these locations. It is strange how I would probably go out of my way in another locale to seek out these historic structures and remains, yet, I really never took much time to stop and appreciate them.

Today, I finally did…in good ole’ Glen Allen.

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Courtney Road Station

  • Address: 3401 Mountain Road, Henrico, Virginia 23060
  • Hours: 24 hours, daily for outside viewing. By appointment only for interior visits.
  • Admission: free

RF&P Park

  • Address: 3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060
  • Hours: Grounds open daily.
  • Admission: free

Crump Park

  • Address: 3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060
  • Hours: dawn to dusk
  • Admission: free

Meadow Farm Museum

  • Address: 3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060
  • Hours: Grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk. Tours of the farmhouse begin at 1300 and the last tour is held at 1530.
  • Admission: free

Forest Lodge

  • Address: Mountain Road & Old Washington Highway, Glen Allen, VA 23060
  • Hours: Interior not open to the public. Grounds open 24 hours, daily.
  • Admission: free

The Glimmer on the Mountain

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

When I was a child, I remember my mother watching “The Song of Bernadette”.

The “Song of Bernadette” was about a young peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, who had visions of a beautiful woman in the city of Lourdes, France. Determined to be the Virgin Mary by the citizens of the town, she was later canonized as a saint by the Catholic church.

Though I have been to France many times, I always thought that it would be nice to visit Lourdes, one of the most important sites of pilgrimage in the world. Instead of the Grotto of Lourdes in France, however, I was able to visit a shrine which honors Our Lady of Lourdes, a little closer to home.

The National Shrine Grotto, located in Emmitsburg, Maryland, is a treasure that I had no idea existed until I was headed to Gettysburg. Passing Mount Saint Mary’s University on Highway 15, I noticed a glimmer on the mountain behind the school.

While scoping out the map for information on The Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Seton, I noticed the National Shrine Grotto on the map adjacent to the university. Deciding to check it out, I drove up the mountain road to the parking lot next to the St. Anthony’s Shrine Cemetery.

My anticipation was immediately appeased when I spotted what had caught my attention from the highway…the Pangborn Memorial Campanile, a 95 foot tower topped with a gold-leafed bronze statue of the Blessed Mother. Reflecting the dim light of the cloudy afternoon, it was breathtaking and I could only imagine what it would look like on a sunny day.

Making my way down the hill to the Dubois-Seton Garden, for a better view of the campanile, I made the circle from the Archbishop John Hughes cabin to the different statues and landmarks lining the walkway; the Celtic Cross, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and the Child Jesus, Our Lady of Medjugorje, St. Vincent de Paul, Our Lady of La Vang and Monsignor Hugh Phillips.

Opposite the campanile, I reached the Chapel of St. Mary’s on the Hill or “The Glass Chapel” where mass is held daily at noon. Opening up my umbrella to shield me from the newly falling mist, I passed the St. Teresa of Calcutta Memorial Garden on the Seton Walkway enroute to Corpus Christi Lane. Assuming I was headed in the right direction to the grotto, I was not surprised to first find the Stations of the Cross set within the heavily forested pathway.

Stations of the Cross

Finding myself at a small fountain with a statue of Our Lady of the Esplanade in its center, I noticed the Chapel of Corpus Christi, built in 1905 on the site of the original grotto created by Father DuBois, just beyond. It is here that the Grotto mountain water springs forth and you are able to fill your own container. If you are lucky, you may find a grotto chaplain nearby to bless the water.

Passing the chapel, I finally came upon what I was in search of, the Grotto Cave. A replica of the Grotto of Lourdes in France, it was built by seminarians in 1875. There were enscribed pews lined in front of the grotto for prayer and reflection but because of the light rain, we found ourselves huddling under the nearby overhang while waiting for our turn to venture into the cave. Across from the cave is a statue of St. Bernadette Soubirous.

Taking a right, at the end of the lane I discovered the Calvary, Crucifixion Scene. The present crucifix replaced the old wooden cross erected by Father DuBois in 1815.

Making my way back down the mountain, I veered to the left at the fountain on to Rosary Lane. Instead of the stations of the cross, I discovered shrines to the fifteen mysteries of the rosary, Padre Pio, Our Lady of LaVang, St. John Paul II, St. Faustina, the Holy Family and others.

While it would have been nice to sit on one of the many benches and spend some time in silent contemplation, the rain was coming down harder and there was no cover along the pathway. Hoping to make it into the Richard and Mary Lee Miller Family Visitor’s Center, I discovered that, like many other things during this Covid crisis, it was closed.

The best discovery of the day, however, was that I didn’t have to travel all the way to France to pay homage to the Grotto of Lourdes. It had been nearby all along!

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National Shrine Grotto

  • https://www.nsgrotto.org/
  • Address: 16330 Grotto Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727
  • Hours: Grotto Grounds, 0830-1700, daily. St. Bernadette’s Shoppe, 0900-1630.
  • Mass schedule: Mass Chapel, 1200, daily. Saturday and Sunday, 1200 at the Grotto. Spanish mass, 1400, Sunday.
  • Admission: free

The First American Saint

©2020 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

As a Catholic school girl, it was de rigueur to learn about the many saints of my religion.

There are over 10,000 named saints and blessed people. Christians began honoring other Christians around 100 A.D. with many of the first saints being martyrs who had given up their lives during the persecution for their faith, a custom that was appropriated from the Jewish faith in which prophets and holy people were revered and honored with shrines.

While a schoolgirl, the most beloved saints, and the ones I remembered most, hailed from other countries; Saint Francis of Assisi (Italy), Saint Patrick (Ireland), Saint Anthony of Padua (Italy), Saint Christopher (Canaan), Saint Patrick (Ireland), Saint Theresa of Avila (Spain), Saint Bernadette (France). In 1975, just after I began third grade, I remember my teacher, Sister Mary Cecilia, giving us some important information. The first American-born saint had been canonized…Saint Elizabeth Seton.

I don’t remember learning much more about her at the time…learning to duplicate Sister Cecilia’s neat cursive handwriting seemed much more crucial.

Years later, during a visit to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a familiar name popped up on the map in the nearby town of Emmitsburg, Maryland…that of Elizabeth Seton.

The fact that a shrine to this American saint was located in a very small town in Maryland was quite puzzling as I knew that she was a New York native. Gettysburg had been my main destination on this trip, but once I learned of this shrine, it was a place that I simply had to visit and the mystery as to how St. Elizabeth Seton ended up here would be solved.

An arresting film in the museum presented St. Elizabeth Seton’s life in a brief twelve minutes.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City on August 28, 1774 in the Episcopal faith. Married at the age of nineteen to William Magee Seton, she had five children. During a trip to Italy with her husband, she was moved by the deep faith of those who practiced Catholicism. Before their return home, however, William passed away from tuberculosis, leaving her a widow. Seeking consolation and the desire to experience the deep faith that she had witnessed in Italy, Elizabeth decided to convert to Catholicism two years later, despite criticism from friends and family,

Portraits of the Seton Family, Mother Seton, top right

Working as a teacher for a short time, in order to support herself and her children, she was approached by a visiting priest, the Abbe Louis William Valentine Dubourg, a member of the French émigré community of Sulpician Fathers and then president of St. Mary’s College of Baltimore Maryland. Abbe Dubourg extended an invitation for Elizabeth to move to Emmitsburg and establish the Saint Joseph’s Academy and Free School, dedicated to the education of Catholic girls on land bestowed by Samuel Sutherland Cooper, a wealthy convert and seminarian at the newly established Mount Saint Mary’s University.

On July 31, 1809, Elizabeth Seton established the first congregation of religious sisters to be founded in the United States, which was dedicated to the care of the children of the poor. With the initiation of Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s, Elizabeth adopted the title of “Mother Seton”. Mother Seton, along with the sisters, worked tirelessly until her death on January 4, 1821, at the age of 46.

Touring the museum, I learned a great deal about Elizabeth Seton’s remarkable life from illustrations, anecdotes, 19th century artifacts and letters written by the saint. The 40 Years A Saint exhibit detailed how she became a saint and highlighted the event on September 14, 1975, when Pope Paul VI proclaimed her a saint.

“Elizabeth Ann Seton is a saint. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American. All of us say this with special joy, and with the intention of honoring the land and the nation from which she sprang forth as the first flower in the calendar of the saints. Elizabeth Ann Seton was wholly American! Rejoice for your glorious daughter. Be proud of her. And know how to preserve her fruitful heritage.” –Pope Paul VI

This exhibit’s focal point is the actual banner which hung in St. Peter’s Square on the day of her canonization.

Moving on to the basilica located upstairs from the museum, I was extremely moved by the the artistic beauty of the building. Originally designed as a chapel for the sisters of the Daughters of Charity, upon her beatification it was decided that it would serve as her National Shrine. Completed in 1965, the main feature is the altar for Saint Elizabeth. Here, in the Altar of Relics, is where Saint Elizabeth Seton’s remains are entombed in a copper casket enclosed in marble and topped with a statue of the saint, sculpted in Italy and depicting Mother Seton dressed in the habit that she and the Sisters of Charity wore beginning in 1809.

Altar of Relics

Stepping out of the basilica into the beautiful sunny afternoon, a day fit for visiting a saint, I ventured through the well manicured lawn to the Stone House, one of the first homes that Elizabeth Seton lived in when she first arrived in Emmitsburg. The home, which had been expanded over the years to accommodate the growing number of sisters, is usually available for self-guided tours. Due to the Covid restrictions, however, this and none of the other buildings throughout the premises were open. There was an audio recording that I was able to play and listen to while I peered into the windows at the period furnishings that still decorate the structure.

Moving through the gardens, I made my way over to the White House, the first house of the Sisters of Charity. Originally called “St. Joseph’s House” for Elizabeth Seton’s high regard of the saint, it is fully furnished with items that include those in existence for nearly 200 years and includes a schoolroom, much like the one Saint Elizabeth taught in, and a small chapel. Again, the interior was not open to visitors, but a recording was available at the back door.

The cemetery was a short walk away. As Mother Seton, her sister-in-law, Harriet, and other sisters walked through the woods searching for a cemetery site, the story has been passed on that Harriet threw an apple core against an old oak and declared it to be her final resting spot. Sadly, it was where they laid Harriet to rest only four months later.

Surrounded by a high wall set with bronze stations of the cross, the cemetery is the final resting place of many graves of Sisters and Daughters of Charity. As I walked toward the center, I discovered the Mortuary Chapel. Built by Elizabeth’s son, William to honor his mother, her remains laid in rest here for only a short while. In 1846, they were transferred to the chapel’s vault and later exhumed for her beatification. As I saw earlier, they rest in the basilica.

Mortuary Chapel
Former Resting Spot of Mother Seton
Stations of the Cross

My visit to the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Seton had come to an end. So much information was imparted on me that I felt like once again, I was at St. Joseph’s School in Sister Cecelia’s religion class. Thinking that I was going to only learn about Gettysburg and the ghosts of Civil War past, I discovered so much more about the first American saint.

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The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Seton

Small Town, Rich History

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Just south of the Mason Dixon line lies the town of Emmitsburg, Maryland.

You’ve probably never heard of it?

I never had.

While on a trip to Gettysburg, I drove by this small town and learned that there were some important places of interest located here. I decided that when I departed Gettysburg, I would make a detour through Emmitsburg and see for myself what it was all about.

Once known as Poplar Fields or Silver Fancy in the 1780s, it was renamed for a local landowner, William Emmit. Widely known for two pilgrimage sites, the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Basilica and National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, which I planned to visit, I also learned that there are a few other historical buildings within the town.

Just eleven miles south of Gettysburg, I drove through a quaint town with neatly kept colonial buildings and a rich history. Emmitsburg’s town square was the site of the town water pump and distinguished with a beautiful Victorian fountain which operated for more than forty years. During the summer of 1863, a great fire swept through the town and destroyed approximately forty homes. Almost one quarter of the town was destroyed and fifty-five families were left homeless. The town’s progress was greatly diminished by the fire and many had to seek employment elsewhere. Only a month later, both Union and Confederate soldiers traveled through the town on their way to what would be the Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart and the 34th Virginia Calvary engaged here in a small battle with Federal troops which resulted in the capture of 70 Union soldiers and their captain.

I decided to park my car and take a walk through the downtown area. There were many churches, but it was the Catholic Church of St. Joseph that drew me in. Established in 1852, the steeple was added to the church in 1863 and multiple renovations completed during the next forty years. The church was relatively uncomplicated with a single aisle and a main altar. A beautiful painting of its patron saint, St. Joseph, was hanging behind the altar, a round portrait of the Holy Family located on the ceiling and there were some stunning arched stained glass windows lining its walls. After my visit was complete, I took a walk around the cemetery, inspecting the headstones, most dating back to the early and mid 1800s.

Getting back to my car, I next headed to the National Emergency Training Center campus which is located on the former grounds of Saint Joseph College. Located here is the Emergency Management Institute, the National Fire Academy and the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. The latter was what I intended to see, however, the entrances to the campus were all closed.

It was the Shrine to St. Elizabeth Seton and the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes that I wanted to visit next, however, I discovered two other picturesque buildings near the road to the Grotto. St. Anthony’s Shrine, a gorgeous stone church, has roots dating back to the 1700s, however the edifice dates back to its dedication in 1897. The church was not open, however, even in the light rain that was falling, it was a fascinating and striking fabrication with its red contrasts. A short walk led me to another building marked St. Anthony Little School House, established in 1890. Again, the building was not open, however, I gather that it was a public schoolhouse created for use by the local children.

Side trips aside, it was time to make make my way to the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Seton and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. Though Emmitsburg was an interesting detour, these were the sites that I couldn’t wait to see (and they were open for business!)

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St. Joseph Catholic Church

  • https://www.stjosephemmitsburg.org/
  • Address: 47 Depaul Street, Emmitsburg, MD 21727
  • Mass Schedule: Saturday, 1630, Sunday, 0800 and 1030, Monday through Friday, 0830. Open during daylight hours for prayer.
  • Admission: free

National Emergency Training Center

St. Anthony Shrine