The Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County, Virginia, is one of the most incredible geological formations in the United States. For hundreds of years, this natural wonder has awed all those who have seen it (to include a few of America’s founding fathers). Today, it remains a very popular tourist destination- and for good reason! History…
The Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens is often considered one of the turning points in the southern theater of the war and one of the most defining battles of the entire American Revolution. On that January day, the peaceful pasturelands known as the “cow pens” witnessed 2,000 men engaged in a violent struggle. When the smoke settled,…
Morristown Winter Encampment (1779-1780)
By the end of 1779, the patriots were far from winning the American Revolution, despite French aid and intercession. To make matters worse, the winter of 1779-1780 proved to be one of the harshest on record (far colder than the more famous encampment at Valley Forge). During that time, the Continental Army settled into its…
Princeton Cemetery (Princeton, NJ)
The town of Princeton, New Jersey is known for a multitude of reasons, to include its ivy league university and the famous battle that took place there during the Revolutionary War; however, it is also home to a cemetery that has been referred to as the “Westminster Abbey of the United States.” From a U.S….
Washington Monument (Boonsboro, MD)
Proudly standing atop South Mountain in western Maryland is a nearly 200-year-old monument dedicated to George Washington. When the citizens of the nearby town of Boonsboro erected it in 1827, it was actually the very first monument completed in honor of Washington! This stout stone monument played an interesting role in the American Civil War…
Christ Church (Philadelphia, PA)
Philadelphia’s Christ Church is one of the most historic churches in the United States- and for good reason. Throughout the colonial era, it served the people of Philadelphia, to include well-known historic figures such as John Penn, Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson, and Robert Morris just to name a few. It even hosted our first two…
Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (Charleston, SC)
Charleston, South Carolina is one of the most historic cities in America and it possesses some of the country’s greatest architectural gems. One is the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, which has stood at the head of Broad Street for over 250 years. In the past two and a half centuries, the building has served…
Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862)
The Battle of Antietam took place along the peaceful Antietam Creek in western Maryland on September 17, 1862. On that calm foggy September morning, chaos erupted amidst now-famous landmarks such as Dunker Church, the Cornfield, Bloody Lane, and Burnside’s Bridge. This battle was the bloodiest single day on American soil- over 22,000 men were killed,…
A Historic Walking Tour of Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has its origins in 1682, when it was founded by William Penn as a town in the English Province of Pennsylvania. Tucked between the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, Philadelphia quickly grew in economic and social importance. By the mid-1700s, Philadelphia was the largest in the North American colonies and would play a central…
Independence Hall (Philadelphia, PA)
Philadelphia’s Independence Hall is perhaps one of the most famous buildings in the United States and stands as an enduring symbol of American liberty and free government; however, before and after it served as the location of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and hosted the Constitutional Convention, the building served as the Pennsylvania…
Presidents Gravesites
Since 1789, the United States has voted in 45 different individuals (and counting) into the office of the President of the United States (while there have been 46 presidencies, Grover Cleveland served as both the 22nd and 24th President). Currently, there are six living Presidents and the other 39 are buried in various places around…
Church of the Presidents (Quincy, MA)
The “Church of the Presidents” in Quincy, MA, is actually the United First Parish Church (circa 1828). It earned that nickname because two United States Presidents are buried in a crypt beneath the church: John Adams (2nd President of the United States) and his son, John Quincy Adams (6th President of the United States). Today,…
Colony House (Newport, RI)
The Colony House in historic Newport, Rhode Island, is the fourth oldest state house still standing in the United States and one of the most prominent buildings in town. It has stood the test of time and has served as a symbol of both British colonial rule and early American Republic government. Today, the Colony…
The Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain was fought on a hot late summer day in Culpeper County, Virginia. Union General Nathaniel P. Banks and the Union Second Corps duked it out with famed Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson in pitched battle in the shadow of Cedar Mountain, which ultimately resulted in a southern victory. Today,…
Old Norwichtown Cemetery (Norwich, CT)
Norwich, Connecticut was founded in 1659 by Reverend James Fitch and Major John Mason, who brought along settlers from nearby Saybrook. The town’s population grew and throughout the colonial period and early Republic, Norwich produced some of America’s brightest minds, strongest leaders, soldiers, druggists, industrialists, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one particularly…