Baltimore's American Visionary Museum and more

I know there are people who hate going to museums, especially art

museum but I challenge them to check out the American Visionary Museum.  It is so unique that I think they will be fascinated. At the American Visionary Art Museum original works of art created by intuitive, self-taught artists provoke, amuse, intrigue, and appeal to everyone. According to artist, Grandma Tressa Prisbrey, “Anybody can make something with a million dollars but it takes someone special to make something out of nothing!” They offer a free guided tour on Saturdays.

Baltimore may not seem like a vacation destination to many but it is; there is plenty to see and do. A good way to get acquainted is on the Baltimore Sightseeing Trolley Tours which offers a unique blend of Baltimore history, culture, folklore and trivia.

Baltimore is another waterfront city that has undergoing a

renaissance. Waterfronts, especially ports, used to be the slummiest part of a city but things have changed. Walk along Baltimore’s Waterfront Promenade, a brick-and-board pathway meandering some seven miles past boat slips, al fresco eateries, historic sights, and parkland. If you get tired, you can hop aboard a water taxi and ride back. Ed Kane’s Water Taxi is the best way to get around the Inner Harbor and with your ticket you get a Letter of Marque. What is a Letter of Marque? During the War of 1812, a ship owner’s most prized document was a Letter of Marque, authorizing the ship to legally raid British commerce. Today’s Letter of Marque offers discounts at pubs, restaurants, shops, and attractions in the Inner Harbor area. 

For a bird’s eye view of the area go to the top of Baltimore's World Trade Center, the world’s tallest pentagon building. You can see the entire Baltimore Inner Harbor "at your feet" below, historic Federal Hill Park to the south, and the World Port of Baltimore's "outer harbor" to the southeast. 

“Man the Mizzens” on the USS Constellation, where for a few minutes you are a member of the crew. The Constellation, commissioned in 1855, was the last all-sail ship built by the United States Navy. It offers a firsthand look at what the sailors’ life was like a hundred years ago. See the sea at Baltimore’s National Aquarium. Dive in for an unforgettable journey under the sea. Check out their Australia Wild Extreme exhibit. 

Not to miss is Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic

Shrine. It was from a British ship that Francis Scott Key watched the Battle of Fort McHenry and was so inspired to see the American Flag still flying at the end of the battle he immortalized it in a poem, “Defense of Fort McHenry.” It was set to music and became “The Star Spangled Banner.”   An informational video about the Fort’s history ends with a rousing rendition of the song by the Annapolis Naval Academy Choir. 

For a little quite time head to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Cemetery and curl up with “The Raven” next to Edgar Allan Poe’s grave. You may not be alone.  The site is frequented by Poe admirers, who often hold vigils at Poe’s tomb. Remember the line from the poem, “Leave my loneliness unbroken!”





Baltimore’s signature food is, of course, crab cakes.  You will have no trouble finding a place to dine on them. The best ones usually cost the most because they have less fillers.

The Battle of New Orleans

The end of 2014 brings to a close two years of celebrating the

200th anniversary of the War of 1812. The war is called “The Second War for Independence” because after the American Revolution the British did not respect our independence; but it is also called “The Forgotten War” mainly because it only lasted two years and was fought mainly on the water. Many of the battles were fought on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and even though the bicentennial is over visiting sites along the Great Lakes still makes a great way to learn and remember.  Fort Ontario in Oswego has War of 1812 events yearly and Sackets Harbor has a reenactment every summer. 

Unbeknownst to those in New Orleans the Treaty of Ghent had been signed on Christmas Eve 1814 ending the war so one of the war’s most decisive battles was fought after the war had ended. The Battle of New Orleans is considered the greatest American land victory during the War of 1812. It was fought in the town of Chalmette near New Orleans between December 23, 1814 and January 8, 1815, to protect New Orleans since British troops were intent on capturing the port. It is the battle in which U.S. Major General Andrew Jackson led a team of about 5,000 soldiers – regular

troops, state militiamen, volunteers, and even a band of pirates. Most of them had no official training and had never fought together. Jackson led them to victory against 7,000 British soldiers. In one two-hour period during the battle, more than 2,000 British soldiers were killed, wounded, captured or missing compared to a 71 American casualties (13 dead, 39 wounded, 19 missing).It was later made famous by Johnny Horton in the fun song “The Battle of New Orleans.” It tells of the determination of the Americans in the line “We fired our cannon ‘til the barrel melted down, so we grabbed an alligator an’ we fought another round.” After the war Andrew Jackson became an American hero whose popularity eventually led him to become the seventh president of the United States and landed his image on the $20 bill. Three other men who played roles in the War of 1812 also ended up at the White House – James Monroe John Quincy Adams and William Henry Harrison.

John and I have visited the battlefield but I would love to be there

between January 6 and 11, 2015 for their big Bicentennial Celebration. However, the story of the Battle of New Orleans is told year round at the Chalmette Battlefield. New Orleans is a popular destination but many miss this important part of American and Louisiana history. 

We learned interesting facts while visiting War of 1812 sites in NYS, Louisiana and elsewhere.  We Americans don’t make much of the fact that one aim of the war was to annex Canada but when visiting sites on the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence this is often mentioned. Two major events that took place during the war were the burning of the White House on August 24, 1814, during James Madison’s presidency, and the Battle of Baltimore a few weeks later, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” One of the most impressive presentations of the American Flag is at the end of the film at Fort McHenry when the curtain opens and there it is in all its glory. 

Alex Haley plus the Underground Railroad

Alex Haley’s book “Roots” had a profound impact on Americans when it was published in 1976. It caused many of us to research our “roots.” When the book became a miniseries in 1977 it was before VCR and DVD players.  Meetings and other commitments were scheduled so that people would be home to watch the program. 

Haley was born in Ithaca and for a short time was a “writer in residence” at Hamilton College. He said that when he stood on the site in Annapolis where his ancestor arrived from Africa it was the most emotional moment of his life. Today, on that site, there is a statue of Alex Haley reading to youngsters gathered at his feet. The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial is the only memorial in the country that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African. The Memorial consists of three distinct areas: the Alex Haley sculpture group, Compass Rose, and Story Wall.

John and I also visited the Banneker-Douglass Museum while in Annapolis, named for Benjamin Banneker, a free African-American scientist born in Baltimore; and Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery by running away to the North and spoke extensively about the evils of slavery. The Museum preserves Maryland’s African-American heritage. Their exhibit, “Deep Roots, Rising Waters” chronicles the slave experiences from 1633 to the present.  I was familiar with Douglass who resided in Rochester and spoke in Syracuse, Mexico and many other locations in the New York, and Harriett Tubman, “The Moses of her People,” who led many slaves to freedom lived in Auburn. New York. But, I had never heard of Suleiman Diallo, a learned African, who was sold into slavery “by mistake.” While on a Maryland plantation he eloquently presented his case impressing colonial officials who freed him and sent him back to Africa via England where he met King George II.

Perhaps the least appreciated aspect of slave flight, and the single-most unique feature of the Southern Underground Railroad in comparison to the Northern Underground Railroad was the assistance that Southern blacks could be to one another. Free blacks often helped their enslaved loved ones to flee. There are so many poignant personal stories including the one of 18-year-old Lear Green. William Adams, a free black barber in Baltimore City, fell in love with a slave girl, Leer Green. Adams convinced his mother to help his sweetheart to escape from Maryland to freedom in the North. Lear Green packed herself, along with provisions, inside a wooden chest.  It was decided that Adams’ mother would travel to Philadelphia aboard a boat as a passenger with Lear hidden in the chest as her cargo.  Risking her own freedom, Mrs. Adams and her “cargo” arrived in Philadelphia after the eighteen-hour trek. Lear and Adams continued on to Elmira.

The Underground Railroad was comprised of people in the North and South, Black and White, who were willing to put themselves in peril to help enslaved people to freedom. Because it was a clandestine operation many of the people and places never received recognition. Central New York was a “hotbed of abolitionists” and recently a new museum, The Starr Clark Tin Shop and Underground Railroad” museum opened in Mexico, NY. The Tin Shop was an important station on the Underground Railroad and where plans were made in the effort to get slaves safely to freedom in Canada.

Exploring Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis is an easy city to love. It has a lot going for it. It is small as cities go, located on the Chesapeake Bay, close to Washington and Baltimore, and steeped in history. There were a lot of things John and I loved including the fact that the historic part is easy to get around. We stayed at the wonderful Loews Hotel right in the historic center which enhanced our visit. Loews is the home station for eCrusier, a totally electric, low speed way to get around the city. We would call them for a free point-to-point transport - tips welcomed. Even though most of the places we wanted to visit were within walking distance of Loews it was extremely hot while we were there so we used the eCrusier many times.

Annapolis owes it existence to its location on the water so it only seemed right that we should start our visit with a tour aboard the Harbor Queen. Maryland is divided by the Chesapeake Bay and boasts more than 7,000 miles of shore line calling itself the ‘Sailing Capitol of the Nation.’ We passed by the U.S. Naval Academy some of which is located on reclaimed land that came from dredging the waterways and we learned that oysters should be eaten only in months that have an “R” in them. We also learned that every Wednesday night, weather permitting, they have sailing races and so we dined on fresh seafood at Carrol’s Creek which is a great place to watch the races while dining.

At the Visitor Center, just a short walk from Loews, we hopped on the Trolley Tour. It gave us an interesting overview of the city and its past. We passed by the Naval Academy, which we had visited, and St. John’s College, that had its beginnings in 1696, and where the curriculum centers around ‘great books.’ There are no text books. Students study from the classics from across the ages. The city has 1,300 buildings over 100 years old. Upon our return we took the Four Centuries Walking Tour with Mistress Carolyn attired in historic garb. Standing outside St. Anne’s church, while gazing at the burial ground we learned the story of Jeffrey Jiggs who was nearly buried alive, more than once, so he insisted on having a string in his casket attached to a bell above ground so he could ring the bell for help should he be buried and come to in his casket which would make him a “dead ringer” who was “saved by the bell.” Most interesting was the capitol building, the oldest U.S. State capitol in continuous use with its beginnings in 1779. Interestingly, it was built on ground higher than the Anglican Church to symbolize that the government was above and it is where George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, resigned his commission on December 23, 1783.
We walked the historic district where the historical house signs are color-coded according to style of architecture and toured the William Paca house and gardens. Paca was one of signers of the Declaration of Independence. One of my favorite stops was at the Hogs Head, a living history interpretation center where we met ‘Lizzy,’ the rat catcher and ‘Mary,’ the tavern maid both of whom shared what their life was like in the early days of Annapolis. In a gun demonstration they explained why it is important not to ‘go off half cocked.’

Visiting the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

John and I have always used the word Annapolis when talking about the U.S. Naval Academy. While the Naval Academy is in Annapolis, Maryland the locals never refer to it as Annapolis reserving that for the name of the city. I will try to remember this fine point.

The tour of the Naval Academy grounds is $9.50 for adults, less for seniors and children. The number of visitors in each tour is limited and those 16 or older must present a valid picture ID plus reservations are suggested. The tour starts in the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center where there are several interesting displays.

Our guide, Ruth Small, began the tour with “Welcome to Duty, Honor, and Loyalty.” She continued by saying that the goal of the Academy is to train the students “mentally, morally, and physically.” While the students get a free education they must give back by serving five years in the Navy or Marines. And, even though they are paid about $900 a month they must pay for their clothing and incidentals, which leaves them with very little money at the end of the month. When the Academy started it was male-only but today half of the 4,400 students are female. The school has an 80% graduation rate.

The grounds are beautiful with many Beaux-Art buildings designed by Ernest Flag along with memorials to graduates and non-graduates and even one of Tecumseh who is adorned with war paint for Parents' Weekend, Homecoming, and before the Army-Navy games. Tecumseh is also the "God of 2.0," the passing grade point average at the academy and where students toss pennies before a big test.
The tour included the Bancroft Hall, referred to as “Mother B.” It is the largest dormitory in the U.S. with 4.8 miles of halls and a beautiful marble rotunda. The rotunda is open to the public along with a full-size model of a midshipman’s room. As one might expect, considering most of the students will end up on a ship or submarine, there is an efficient use of space with everything they need in “shipshape” but roomy it is not. However, there is plenty of space on the grounds which now covers about 338 acres.

The chapel has beautiful stained glass windows some of which are by Tiffany. Beneath the chapel is the crypt where John Paul Jones, a Revolutionary War hero, is interred. The crypt contains a bust of Jones and names of his ships but it was the massive and impressive sarcophagus made of nearly 20 tons of Grand Pyrenees marble that captured our attention.

The hour-long tour ended at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Preble Hall which was completely remodeled a few years ago and how houses excellent displays and videos including the History of the U.S. Navy and the Academy. One of the things I love about museums is that there is always something that catches me off guard. I expected the displays of flags, medals, and other items related to the navy but on the far end of the second floor is an amazing display of model ships – and not just your run-of-the mill models. The Naval Academy has one of the world’s largest collections of model ships made of bone. The amazingly detailed ships were created in England during the Anglo-French (1756 to 1815) by French prisoners-of-war from the bones of their beef rations.

Learning about the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was fought on land and sea from Montreal to New Orleans and from the Atlantic Coast to the middle of the continent. Remember the War of 1812 with a visit to some of the significant sites many of which have scheduled events commemorating the War of 1812.

1. Detroit: On August 16, 1812 shortly after the US declared war on Canada and Britain, the British under Mayor General Brock with Native American allies under the Shawnee leader, Tecumseh were able to trick American Brigadier General William Hull into surrendering the fort and town of Detroit, Michigan.
2. Fort Niagara: On December 19, 1813, British forces invaded the United States and captured Fort Niagara without firing a shot. The British troops and their native allies then burned nearby Lewiston, NY in retaliation for the American burning of the Canadian village of Newark, Ontario, now known as Niagara on the Lake, ten days earlier.
3. Erie, Pa: In Erie the public dock is named for Daniel Dobbins, a merchant marine, who made the long trek to Washington, DC, where he informed the government that there was a desperate need of more naval power on Lake Erie which led to the creating of a base in Erie. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry took command of the ship building effort at Erie aiding the American’s control of the Great Lakes.
4. Oswego, NY: In the Great Lake port city, an estimated 200 men and boys volunteered to transport an anchor rope needed in Sackets Harbor to make the “USS Superior,” a newly built frigate, battle ready. The rope was six inches in diameter, 600 feet long, and weighed about five tons. The H. Lee White Marine Museum recalls the event.
5. Sackets Harbor: Sackets Harbor was the center of American naval and military activity in the eastern part of Lake Ontario. Visit the Seaway Trail Visitor center to learn about the war along Lake Ontario. Storyboards are located along the Lake Ontario shore where major events happened.
6. Burning of Washington, DC: On August 24, 1814, the British force led by General Robert Ross occupied Washington and set fire to many public buildings including the White House and Capitol building. It was the last time a foreign power captured a US capital.
7. The Star Spangled Banner: On September 13, 1814, the British attacked Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor. During the bombardment, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which was later set to music and became the national anthem of the United States.
8. USS Constitution: Sitting in Boston Harbor, the Constitution earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” when she successfully defeated the HMS Guerriere. It was just one of her sea battle victories. The USS Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat.
9. Canada: There are many sites along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River where the battles for control of Canada occurred including York, now called Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and one of the bitterest battles at Lundy’s Lane, near Niagara Falls.
10. Battle of New Orleans: Treaty of Ghent signed in present-day Belgium formally ended the war on December 24, 1814 but one of the most famous battles occurred on January 8, 1815 under the command of Mayor General Andrew Jackson. The victory was later popularized in song by Johnny Horton.

Places to Visit on the Way to Florida

Slow down! There are so many wonderful places in the United States and, of course, the whole world to see. Often we move too fast without seeing what is on the way. Now that we have the time John and I try to travel slow and stay in one place longer than we use to. People travel between New York State and Florida with the aim of getting to their destination as quickly as possible. Other people try to impress by saying, “I drove non-stop to Florida” or “I made the trip in x-number of hours.” Actually it makes me feel sad about all the great things they missed along the way. There are so many great places to stop when traveling to and from Florida. Consider Baltimore, Fripps Island, and Savannah.

Baltimore is one of those wonderful locations that has reinvented its harbor area. What was once an eyesore is now a dynamic inner harbor with museums, hotels, and restaurants. It is the location of one of my all-time favorite museums, The American Visionary Art Museum where there are works of art not seen anywhere else. They are all original artworks created by intuitive, self-taught artists that provoke, amuse, intrigue, and appeal to everyone. They say, “In short, visionary art begins by listening to the inner voices of the soul, and often may not even be thought of as 'art' by its creator.” If art is not your thing, Baltimore is home to the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, Edgar Allan Poe’s grave, USS Constellation, a world-class aquarium, and Fort McHenry of “The Star Spangled Banner” fame.

No less exclusive but not as costly, Fripp Island is often overshadowed by nearby Hilton Head. We were on Fripp Island in October when we were the only people there and we loved it. The best pastime was doing nothing but walking along the beach, enjoying a good book, watching the ever-changing ocean, and spotting a Snowy White Egret catch his dinner. For campers the adjacent Hunting Island State Park is one of the most popular state parks and beach areas in South Carolina. Hunting Island is not just another beach it is a nature and wildlife paradise. The pristine sandy beach, natural setting, and warm Atlantic Ocean makes it perfect for camping or renting a cabin right on the beach. With an historic 1859-lighthouse, lagoon, fishing pier, wide sweeping beach, and nature trails it is a “kick-back” place for the whole family. Just a few miles away is the pretty, historic town of Beaufort.

There are many other places along the Atlantic Coast for an interesting stop when heading south. Savannah, Georgia is a place I would love to revisit. There is something about Savannah’s live oaks dripping with lacy Spanish Moss that makes it seem different from other US cities. I read “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” and watched “Forest Gump” which made visiting the city more interesting. Colonial Park Cemetery is the historic burial ground where, Button Gwinnett, a signer of the Declaration of Independence is reposed. During the Civil War bored soldiers changed the dates on the stones so it appears that some people lived 100s of years and others died before they were born. Visitors can take a walking, carriage, trolley or river tour to learn about the city’s history. Slow down and enjoy the trip.