Park Revisit- Appomattox Courthouse NHP

Date of visit:  Monday June 4, 2012

Had previously been here with Brandon I believe on a Maine trip, back in 2008. 
Today, Cooper and I stopped in- Had 2 missing stamps to get, and an additional possible location for stamps, the bookstore.

We got all three of the stamps for this park, and it was a beautiful day to visit-



Park 194- Booker T Washington National Monument

Date of visit: June 3, 2012

Cooper and I ran over here, which is the site of the original farm that Washington was born, as a slave.  We watched a movie that told the story of his effort to educate himself, and rise above his standing.  He later of course started the Tuskeegee Institute, to educate his fellow Blacks. 

Got a postcard, a pin, a hiking medallion, and two other pins from the site.
I got the site stamp, but the 25th was not available, even though it had been confirmed a week before. 


The VC



Red Hill- Patrick Henry National Monument

Brookneal, Virginia   June 1, 2012

We stopped in here from our stay in the Lynchburg, Virginia Area. 

Red Hill was the home of the Patriot Patrick Henry, from the early days of the American Revolutionary area. 

Mr Henry bought Red Hill in 1794, and lived in it until 1799, when he passed away. 

Here is the Wiki page for this location:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hill_Patrick_Henry_National_Memorial

This is an affiliate to the National Park System, so it doesn't "count" towards the "official" totals. 

This is the main house of the estate, which was rebuilt in the late 1990's.  It was a very simple house, and commanded a very pretty view of the valley below.

This was Mr Henry's law office, located near the main house.

Got a pin, and the site stamp for this location. 

Park Revisit- King's Moutain National Battlefield

This was the sister park to Cowpens, and was the site of another major American Victory in the Revolutionary War. 

Cooper and I visited here back on June 6th of 2009, when we were on our Maine Summer trip:

The park is literally on the side of a mountain, and details the struggle back then.

The turn of the tide of success

Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success." The battle of Kings Mountain, fought October 7th, 1780, was an important American victory during the Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, SC in May 1780. The park preserves the site of this important battle.


Here is the NPS website:   http://www.nps.gov/kimo/index.htm

I did get the site stamp on this visit, and the Overmountain Victory Trail stamp as well, but the 25th Anniversary Stamp was not to be found. 

 

Park Revisit, Cowpens National Battlefield Chesnee, SC

This was one of the first parks we visited with our Grandsons.  I originally visited this park back in 1990 as a part of a summer school course as a history major in College when I went back to school- 

My original visit to this park was October 22, 2009.  The park is located outside of the town of Chesnee, about 10 miles off I-85.

Cowpens was the site of a major battle during the Revolutionary War, and part of the "Southern Campaign" of the British strategy to win the war. 

That strategy faile at Yorktown, which we will visit.  We'll also see Kings Mountain on this trip. 

As it turns out, the Americans won decisively here at Cowpens:

The Only Double Envelopment in the American Revolution

“…our success was complete…”
  -- Daniel Morgan to Nathanael Greene, January 19, 1781

A pasturing area at the time of the battle, this Revolutionary War site commemorates the place where Daniel Morgan and his army turned the flanks of Banastre Tarleton's British army. This classic military tactic, known as a double envelopment, was one of only a few in history.

Here is the website for the NPS for Cowpens:
http://www.nps.gov/cowp/index.htm

And here is a Wiki Page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cowpens

Daniel Morgan was one of the big heros of the War- 

Tarleton, the looser, on the other hand, was out of place here, according to the movie.

Here are some other related photos of the park: 

Must have been a heck of a fight!

This is the Visitors Center from the air

This was an example of rank and file fighting, a silly way to fight a war. 

The Congressional delegation from SC does a good job, there have been two ships named the USS Cowpens, the latest is a guided missle frigate:

I was able to get a nice new pin from the park, a hiking medallion as well, and the three stamps for this site, including the 25th and the Overmountain Victory Trail stamp as well. 

Stamp and Run Revisit, Chattahoochie NRA- Atlanta

This was a quick revisit to Chattahoochie River, so I could get a missing 25th stamp, which I was able to get.  They also had a new issue pin, so I got that, and a hiking medallion as well.  Score!!

Park Revisit- Kenesaw Mountain NBP

This was a stop/revisit for the Metro Atlanta sites so I could pick up the missing 25th anniversary stamp, which I was able to get-  This is a heavily visited park, we had to go through the parking lot twice to snag a space!  I now have all the stamps and pin for this park, and got a hiking medallion as well. 

Park Revisit: Martin Luther King NHS- Atlanta Ga.

As part of a planned visit to Metro Atlanta Sites, my brother Bill and I got to the Martin Luther King NHS in downtown. 

 I had been here in 2010, with Brandon, but as before, I had missed parts of the park, and also, 4 stamps.  So, that was accomplished.  I got to the BirthHome, which I had missed  before, and the Fire Station, which I had missed before also. 

You needed a ticket to get into the birthhome, so we passed on that, but I did get the stamp for this location at the bookstore next to the home, also got the 25th stamp I was missing.  Score!

Then to the Fire House, which was built in 1894, and had a big American LaFrance restored 1927 pumper in it- 

In the main VC, got my stamp there, and also saw the actual cart that they used during the funeral, very moving, and there were lots of other displays. 

Across the street from the Main VC is the Memorial Center, and there you will find the tombs of both Dr and Ms King:

I  got a new for me pin for this site, which replaces one I got last time- It follows the new entrance sign theme for the park....

The Ebenezer Baptist Church is a part of the site also- This is where "Daddy" King and Martin both preached. 

On the way out, there is a very large Mural that tells the King story-  very well done:

This has always been a moving site for me-  I'm glad I got to spend a proper amount of time here today and see the rest of the park I had previously missed- I have now completed all the stamps listed for this park, there was a site stamp in 3 different locations, and a 25th anniversary stamp also.