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.
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.
Studying the Civil War, we learned about both the Confederate and Union generals, however, one in particular, was was always referred to as “Stonewall”.
His full name was Thomas Jonathon Jackson.
While driving back from Gettysburg, my mind was filled with the landmarks I had seen and my thoughts on what had happened during that three day battle in 1863. Many soldiers and commanding officers gave their lives but no focus was ever put upon what happened to those who survived or those who lost their lives in the days leading up to this historic battle.
As I passed near Fredericksburg, a sign pointing to the “Stonewall” Jackson Death Site caught my eye. There was still a few hours of daylight remaining.
Thomas Jonathon “Stonewall” Jackson was born in Clarksburg in West Virginia. He was received training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was recognized as a hero in the Mexican War. Continuing his military experience at Virginia Military Institute as an instructor, he was made a brigadier general at the first major battle of the Civil War near Manassas, Virginia. It was during that battle that General Bernard E. Bee proclaimed, “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall”.
Well known for his military feats by both the North and the South, he was mistakenly shot by his own men during the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. Though the bullet only caused his wounding, he was unable to continue his military duties until after recuperating sufficiently. Confederate General Robert E. Lee secured a safe place behind enemy lines in Guinea Station on Thomas C. Chandler’s seven hundred and forty acre plantation, Fairfield.
Though he was welcomed into the family’s home, Jackson’s doctor and staff officers decided to place him in one of the quiet outbuildings which acted as an office of sorts. After sufficient time had passed, Jackson would board a train and travel to Richmond, Virginia for additional medical care.
The general was accompanied during his stay by his doctor’s and staff officers and attempted to overcome his injuries which were amplified by the amputation of his twice wounded left arm. Though his spirits were lifted by the arrival of his wife, Mary Anna, and baby daughter, Julia, he soon succumbed to a bout of pneumonia, crying out in his delirium, “Order A.P. Hill to prepare for action! Pass the infantry to the front rapidly! Tell Major Hanks…”. The last part of this sentence went unfinished but as a smile spread across his face, he said quietly, “Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.” He then passed away.
Driving through the countryside, I soon found the landmark’s location down a long drive, bordered by railroad tracks. The office is the only remaining structure from the Chandler’s plantation as sometime after the Civil War, the main house was burned during a major fire.
The office was established as a historic shrine in the 1920s, it was renovated then and again in the 1960s. The National Park service added some other pieces from the era to the ones used during Jackson’s stay to recreate the scene of his last days.
The site is part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park so I expected it to be well maintained like the battlefields there. I found, however, long grasses surrounding the building and felt as if it is a site not well visited. I was able to make my way down a brick path to get closer to the structure and a sign in the window gave an overview of his final days.
Just beyond the office was a marker showing the former location of the Chandler house and near the parking lot is a gravestone. Though Stonewall Jackson’s arm was buried in the Lacy Cemetery in Chancellorsville, Virginia, where is was amputated, his body was buried in his hometown of Lexington, Virginia. This gravestone merely marks the spot where he died.
Though not a widely known landmark, if you are a Civil War buff, make sure to seek this out during your visits to the local battlefields and historical landmarks. Not a lot to see, but definitely part of the overall timeline of the war and the overall experience.
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Address: 12019 Stonewall Jackson Road, Woodford, VA 22580
Hours: Grounds open from sunrise to sunset. Currently most public buildings in the National Park System are closed due to Covid restrictions.
Admission: free
Getting There: Take Rte. 2 south from Fredericksburg for approximately ten miles, then turn right onto Va. Rte. 606, Stonewall Jackson Road for about 3 miles. The “Stonewall” Jackson Death Site will be on the right. Additionally, you can take Rte. 1 south from Fredericksburg for approximately six miles, then turn left onto Guinea Station Road for about six miles. Take a left onto Stonewall Jackson Road, and the “Stonewall” Jackson Death Site will be on the left.
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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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 ChapelFormer Resting Spot of Mother SetonStations 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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Address: 339 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727-9297
Hours: Visitor’s Center, Museum, Gift Shop, Monday-Saturday, 1000-1700 and Sunday, 1200-1700. Basilica, Monday-Sunday, 1000-1700.
Mass Schedule: Sunday-Friday, 1330. Confession and Adoration, Monday-Friday, prior to Mass from 1215-1315.
Admission: free
Getting There: The shrine is located along US 15, about 10 miles south of Gettysburg and within a one to two-hour drive of major metropolitan areas, like Frederick and Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and Harrisburg, PA.
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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You don’t see many in your everyday life except in certain areas of the country.
While visiting Gettysburg, I learned of the Sachs Covered Bridge. Located not far from the battlefields and President Eisenhower’s home, it was built in 1852 by David Stoner. Spanning one hundred feet over the nearby Marsh Creek, it is considered Pennsylvania’s most historic bridge and was listed in 1980 on the National Register of Historic Places.
So, what makes the bridge so special…besides its beautiful deep crimson hue and tranquil setting? It was used by both Union and Confederate Troops during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Pedestrian traffic is only allowed across the lattice bridge and it is frequented by ghost hunters on a nightly basis. Many ghostly encounters have been witnessed here, so visit at your own risk!
Heading southwest, I encountered the G. Donald McLaughlin Bridge. Also called the Jacks Mountain Bridge, it is the only covered bridge in Adams County that you can still drive through. Located near Fairfield, it was constructed in 1890 using the traditional Burr truss and spans seventy five feet over Tom’s Creek.
It was quite interesting waiting for the traffic light to turn green to control traffic through the bridge. Though I wanted to drive slowly to absorb the experience, it was quite a busy road and I did not want to inconvenience other drivers who probably tire of onlookers. After crossing the bridge to the southern side, I was able to pull off and capture a few photos.
Continuing my journey southward, I crossed into the state of Maryland. Just off of Route 15, I began my search for the three covered bridges that span various tributaries in Frederick County.
Roddy Road Covered Bridge was built in 1856 and lies just north of Thurmont, Maryland. It is the smallest bridge and located adjacent to a children’s park. The bridge is open to car traffic but you can pull over to the left side of the road to take pictures or walk across between the intermittent traffic.
Not far away, I found Loys Station Covered Bridge in Rocky Ridge. If you are looking to make an experience out of visiting this bridge, this is the perfect place! Built in 1880, you can still spot pieces of its original timber as you carefully walk across the bridge, still open to car traffic. On the south side of Owen’s Creek, Loys Station Park is a great place to park, picnic or fish along the banks of the creek. It is a great area to take children to play on the playground equipment while checking out this magnificent piece of architecture.
Finally, with a little bit of driving through the countryside, I located the Utica Road Covered Bridge. Built in 1834, it originally crossed the Monocacy River until 1889 when it was washed away by a storm. Reconstructed, it was moved to its current location across Fishing Creek. Located near Lewistown, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As the evening came to a close, I scanned my map for of these exceptional landmarks. There were a few more…just much further than daylight would allow!
If you are in the great states of Pennsylvania or Maryland, set out on a unique adventure to see these historic spans that have stood the test of time. Afteral, it is uncertain how much time they have left…
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Sachs Covered Bridge
Address: Waterworks Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Sachs Covered Bridge sits in the southwestern corner of Gettysburg National Military Park. The bridge is located at the end of a short dirt road off of Pumping Station Road.
G. Donald McLaughlin Bridge
Address: 299-231 Jacks Mountain Road, Fairfield, PA 17320
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Jacks Mountain Covered Bridge is located just off of Route 116 on Jacks Mountain Road near Fairfield.
Roddy Road Covered Bridge
Address: 14760 Roddy Road Thurmont, MD 21788
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Loys Station Covered Bridge
Address: 13506 Old Frederick Road, Rocky Ridge, MD 21778
Though Gettysburg is known for its battlefields, there are many historic buildings and beautiful architecture throughout the city that should be investigated.
After a long day spent driving through the battlefields, I decided to check out some of the historic sites in the city. Though most were closed due to Covid 19 restrictions, I was able to photograph the exteriors and imagine the famous people that once walked here and the stories that emanated from the battles in the area.
One of the stateliest sites in the city is the Gettysburg train station. It was here that President Abraham Lincoln arrived when invited to say a few appropriate remarks at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. These remarks resulted in one of the most historic speeches in our nation’s history, the Gettysburg Address. The station was restored in 2006 and offers a self-guided tour featuring exhibits and artifacts relating to Lincoln and the railroad’s role in the history of Gettysburg.
Nearby is the Majestic Theater. Opened on November 14, 1925, the theater welcomed audiences to vaudeville and silent movies. Seating 1,200 patrons, it was built by Henry Scharf as an annex to the historic Gettysburg Hotel. Visited often by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, the theater also achieved acclaim for its premier of major movies including Federico Fellini’s Satyricon in 1970 and Ted Turner’s Gettysburg in 1993. Since its restoration in 2005, the theater has once again welcomed audiences to be seated in its original grandeur.
Around the corner and connected to the Majestic Theater is the Gettysburg Hotel. Though this would have been my choice of accommodations for my stay, I discovered that this historic hotel was closed until next summer as they are assisting with the housing of students from the University of Gettysburg. Centrally located in Lincoln Square, it is in close proximity to many wonderful eating establishments, shopping and historic buildings and is only a three-minute drive to Gettysburg National Military Park. Dating back to 1797, when it opened as a tavern, it has a rich history and is reported to be haunted by a few spirits including a Civil War nurse named Rachel, a wounded soldier and a dancing woman in the hotel’s ballroom.
Across the street is the David Wills House. Abraham Lincoln was a guest of David Wills here on November 18 and 19, 1863. David Wills was an attorney and superintendent of Adam’s County Schools, President of the Gettysburg Borough Council in 1872 and an Adams County Judge, as well as serving on the board of directors of the Bank of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Railroad Company among others. Though his host was a very prominent citizen, I was uncertain why the President would not have stayed in one of the finer rooms at the Gettysburg Hotel, however, it was here that he met with Governor Curtin and completed his Gettysburg Address. The museum was closed during this time, however, I made sure to take a picture with the statue of our great President (with a statue of a tourist) outside on the sidewalk.
A short walk from the David Wills House on Baltimore Street is the Adams County Courthouse, built in 1859 to replace the original courthouse originally located in the town square. Used as a hospital following the Battle of Gettysburg, it is now included on the National Register of Historic Places. The original courtroom was in use from 1859 to 1979 and contains tromp d’oiel frescoes painted by George Seiling in 1859. Today, that courtroom is only used for ceremonial purposes.
Across the street, you can spot the Adams County Library with its own statue of Abraham Lincoln. Installed in 2014, the bronze statue sits atop a base containing the inscription of the Gettysburg Address and commemorates our President and the historic speech.
As always, I had hoped to check out some of the nearby churches, however, I found them all to be locked. St. Francis Xavier Church was first on my list. Standing on the portico, I found a summation of its history. Built in 1853, the church served as a field hospital during and after the Battle of Gettysburg.
Crossed the street, I found the Memorial Episcopal Church of the Prince of Peace. The first Episcopal Church was established in 1747, with the actual church being consecrated in 1836. It is known for a stained-glass window which depicts Christ with the Children.
Hopping back in my car, I headed north on Baltimore Street towards the beautiful campus of Gettysburg College. Established in 1832, by anti-slavery theologian Samuel Simon Schmucker, as Pennsylvania College, it stood in the way of the immense battle between the north and the south. The college’s Pennsylvania Hall became a hospital for hundreds of soldiers from both the Confederate and Union armies. In honor of its alumni David Wills, who hosted President Lincoln in his home, tradition has it that each fall, first year students recreate the procession through town to hear an honored guest read the Gettysburg Address. The school is also known for its Civil War programs. The campus is quite lovely and contains its own statue of Lincoln, seated in front of Stevens Hall, signing the Emancipation Proclamation.
There are many beautiful homes and businesses throughout the city, and I would have loved to have seen them all. Though getting around Gettysburg is quite easy, there was still so much to see in the nearby areas, and I was determined to make the most of my time. If you make your way to Gettysburg, make the most of your time and check out its architectural gems.
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I had no idea who this was and why she would have a house named after her in Gettysburg, so I pulled into the parking lot, went inside and discovered an incredible story.
Embarking on the self-guided tour, I was first given an introduction by one of the staff appropriately dressed in period attire. At the entrance door, I was shown the bullet holes that both made Jennie Wade a notable name and ended her life.
As the Confederate troops were descending upon Gettysburg from the north and the Union troops from the south, the dwelling of Georgia McClellan, Jennie’s sister, was caught between the two armies in what was called “No Man’s Land”.
Unable to leave the city, as her sister was due to deliver a child and her mother ill, she was determined to make the best of the dangerous situation. During that summer, Jennie did what she could to keep up with the demand for bread and water and medical care for the troops. While standing in the kitchen, baking biscuits, the armies began firing upon each other, striking the house multiple times. One of the bullets pierced two doors, striking Jennie and killing her instantly where she stood in the kitchen. Although almost 50,000 soldiers were killed during the three day battle, Jennie became Gettysburg’s only civilian fatality.
As the guide left me, I made my way into the house, entering the kitchen. In front of the small table, I stood in the same spot where Jennie took her last breath. Sadly, there are still traces of Jennie’s blood on the floorboards and the kitchen was left mostly as it was on the day of her death.
The house is authentically furnished and it was easy to transport myself back to that time and imagine how it must have felt to go about one’s daily life while a war was waging outside the door.
Before I followed the the directions in the pamphlet given to me by the guide, I noticed a sign on the ill-fated door. Apparently, legend has it that if an unmarried girl puts her ring finger through the bullet hole in the door, she will receive a proposal of marriage within a year. There was even a letter from a happy couple, one of many received by the staff.
Entering the front room, I discovered that although it was probably originally slated to serve as a parlor, it served as Jennie’s sister’s room, fitted with a colorfully outfitted bed, small writing desk, cradle and fireplace. After careful inspection, I discovered a bullet hole from ammunition that pieced one of the bedposts.
Making my way up the rear staircase, I discovered two large bedrooms which made up the length of the house. Interestingly, there was a hole in the center wall which allowed access to the adjacent home. Just before that ill-fated day, an artillery shell had entered the home through the roof, knocking out the wall and this was the way Jennie’s body was removed from the home.
McClellan Upstairs
Walking through the ravaged partition, I made my way into the home next door, which belonged to the McClain family. Decorated with much finer furnishings, it was laid out in much the same way as the McClellan house except for the parlor remaining as it was originally designated. The large display cabinet contains many artifacts which include, envelopes addressed to Jennie from her suitor, Jack, a photo of Jennie, the 10 pound parrot shell which struck the house on July 2, 1863, a letter describing the shell and the floorboard where Jennie fell.
McClain BedroomMcClain KitchenMcClain Parlor
Exiting the home, the directions led me to the cellar. It wasn’t until later while looking back at my photos that I realized that it displayed a re-creation of the viewing of Jennie’s body under the quilt at the end of the room. Thankfully, I did not realize it at the time…this was very creepy in a town known for ghosts! Finally, ending my tour in the gift shop, I found many souvenirs and collectibles that keep the memory of Jennie alive. The staff in the giftshop were extremely helpful with additional information and provided me with a map of Evergreen Cemetery, where Jennie Wade’s grave can be found.
Off I went, in search of Jennie.
The Evergreen Cemetery, built in 1854, is adjacent to the National Cemetery and is part of Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District. Experiencing three days as a battlefield, it was destroyed and desecrated. Graves were run down and monuments destroyed.
Evergreen Cemetery Entrance
Headstones destroyed during the Battle of Gettysburg
Today, it is immaculately kept and many notable citizens are interred here. Two Confederate soldiers are buried in the cemetery and some tombstones still display battle damage. The most famous person, however, is Jennie Wade. Located near the front of the graveyard, hers is a tall monument, topped with a statue. Her tombstone states, “Killed July 3, 1863 while making bread for the Union soldiers”.
Jennie Wade’s Resting Place
That’s who Jennie Wade was.
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Many soldiers gave their lives in the Battle of Gettysburg.
The battlefield’s landscape is dotted with numerous monuments which commemorate the Union and Confederate troops that fought there. More monuments can be found at the National Cemetery, which together with the battlefield form the Gettysburg National Military Park. Though many of dead soldiers’ souls may still roam the battlefield, it is there, in the cemetery, that you are reminded of who they were from their headstones.
After the Battle of Gettysburg, the toll on both sides consisted of the loss or mortal wounding of 10,000 lives, 30,000 injuries and 10,000 soldiers captured or missing. Because of the mass casualties, most of the deceased soldiers were hastily buried in shallow graves, marked by their names scrawled on wooden crosses. Exposure to the elements began to cause the erosion of the impromptu graves and it was determined that there was an immediate need for proper burials.
The decision was made to build a cemetery, using the site from which the Union center repulsed Pickett’s Charge, and ground was broken four months after the battle on October 27, 1863. Union soldiers were relocated to the cemetery and efforts were eventually made to move the Confederate soldiers’ remains to Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas, although there are a few that remain in Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Having been to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, I have seen the graves of these Confederate soldiers. I was anxious to walk around the historic cemetery in Gettysburg to observe any similarities, but I also knew that the Gettysburg National Cemetery was famous for more than gravesites, markers and monuments. There is something that makes this cemetery stand apart from landmarks in the city and other Civil War cemeteries.
On November 19, 1863, at the cemetery’s dedication, President Abraham Lincoln stood among these departed souls and delivered a two-minute address about the sacrifices of war and the necessity of holding the Union together.
The Gettysburg Address.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. —Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
As I entered the gates on Taneytown Road, I immediately came upon the podium which was erected for visiting presidents who attend memorial ceremonies. To the right, is Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Memorial.
The memorial is a semicircular stone monument which includes a bronze bust of the president, sculpted by Henry K. Bush-Brown, and two tablets on either side, one of which highlights the short speech. Though many think that such a profound address would have been inked on many pages, one of the greatest highlights of American history was only ten sentences long.
Though the memorial commemorates the Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address, the location of the great oration actually took place about three hundred yards from this spot, so I headed in that direction determined to find where it took place.
The cemetery is designed as a wide semi-circle with the Soldier’s National Monument at its center. Radiating from the monument are sections divided by state; smaller states closest to the monument and larger states along the outside. The Soldier’s National Monument, designed by the Batterson-Canfield Company is a mighty granite shaft rising from a four cornered pedestal and bearing sculptures crafted by Randolph Rogers representing war, history, plenty and peace. Glancing to the top of the shaft is the statue, “Genius of Liberty”, crowning its peak. The monument is notable as being near the location of the dais of the dedication ceremony where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Numerous smaller monuments also dot the cemetery’s landscape, including a memorial to the Union soldiers of New York and a monument to Major General John F. Reynolds.
Soldier’s National MonumentMemorial to the Union soldiers of New York and Monument to Major General John F. Reynolds
As I made my way around the grand monument and then the remainder of the cemetery, I encountered impeccable funerary grounds, maintained by the National Park Service, with a landscape dotted with cannons, concrete pathways and marble headstones.
As I reverently made my way through the premises, I discovered that although the majority of the graves accommodate the remains of Union Soldiers, the government later added sections for veterans from the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, bringing the total of veterans that are laid to rest here to more than 6,000.
When I first entered the grounds, the rain which had started during my tour of the battlefield had slowed to a hazy mist. The gloaming of the late afternoon, in addition, added to the sobering realization of just what I was surrounded by.
Not only is it a place where a speech of great magnitude was articulated by one of the greatest men in our country’s history, but it is a place where immeasurable bravery and patriotism was laid to rest. It is a place where we were reminded by President Lincoln why our great country was worth fighting for. A hallowed ground…not only for the lives lost, but the lives that continued and still continue on.
In this election year, it is important to remember the vision of our founding fathers, the lives that were given to bring our country to where it is today and to enjoy the freedoms that we have been given.
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