Last stamp for Crossroads of the American Revolution NHA -Maybe.

Ran up to the Washington's Crossing State Park in New Jersey to snag the last (fourth) of the current series for this NHA.  Found out today though, there may be stamps in several new locations- have to check it out in the future. 

GPS took me to an incorrect intersection, had to hunt around to find the Visitor's Center/Museum. 

The stamp will count towards my totals this year, but be "ignored" for total count, since it is a duplicate wording.   Not to worry, I now have completed yet another historical area, well sort of. 

Finally, after 4 tries, George Peabody House- Essex NHA Peabody Mass August 14, 2013

On the forth try, I finally got the two stamps today at the George Peabody House and Museum portion of the Essex NHA today in Peabody Mass.  It was another drive of about 50 miles down, but I got it.  I now have completed the current 20 locations for this NHA!  Yay me. 

Revisit to Essex NHA HQ for new stamp August 7th 2013 Salem, Mass.

 I headed to downtown Salem Mass, so I could get the new Essex stamp at the Headquarters for the NHA.  I got parked, and then had to hunt a bit for the location, even though it was in fact at 221 Essex Street-  then you walked into this non-descript store front, looked on the directory, took an  elevator 4 flights up, then wandered through an office with almost no one in it to get the stamp.  Got it. 

The old one had a broken date wheel, the new one fixes that. 

Multiple stops for Niagara Falls Nationial Heritage Area- Buffalo, NY

Made several stops today for this National Heritage Area, almost got them all-

Today, I got to the Niagara USA Official Welcome Center, which is right downtown Niagara Falls, and got a stamp there:  Even found a parking space for free right close by!!

 

 



Next, I headed up to Lewiston NY to the Lower Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce Building, on the chance it might have been open, but it wasn't. 

Then, up to Old Fort Niagara, which was all the way up to the Lake, and I was able to get all five stamps there, neat place-  had to pay 8.00 to park though. 

 



I reckon I'll have to send the Lewiston folks a SASE and get that one. 

New National Heritage Area for me, the Wheeling NHA Wheeling, West Virginia

I stopped off late this afternoon for one of the two stops for the Wheeling National Heritage Area, in downtown Wheeling West Virginia. 

Turns out there is only one stamp for this area, split between two locations across the street from each other! 

Only one of the two locations was open today, and I got the stamp at the Wheeling convention and Visitor's Center

The other location, across the street, was closed today-  Not to worry, since the stamp is a duplicate it would have been ignored anyway. 

Last site visit for Atchafalaya NHA - Vidalia La

In keeping with the tradition Louisiana has of putting stamps in welcome centers, I got this location today as I was on my way to visit Natchez Mississippi.  Vidalia is just across the Mississippi River from Natchez, so it was an easy grab. 

I got 6 of the 7 locations for this stamp in the state of Louisiana-  only missing the State Capitol VC in Baton Rouge, which was closed when we passed by.  I'll get that one day. 

Cane River Creole National Heritage Area

Well, I did go here, and visited a couple of sites for the Cane River Creole NHP, and got three stamps that say Cane River NHA, but that's about it.  Anyway, I've been here. 

Revisit to Jean Lafitte NHP and Preserve, but new for me Atchafaylaya NHA stamp.

Took a 112 mile round trip Westwego La to Thibodaux La to revisit the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux so I could get the first for me series of Atchafalaya NHA stamps. 

 The Wetlands Center is actually a part of the Jean Lafitte NHP and Preserve, and they added the NHA designation in the last year, so I decided to make the run.  Nice easy drive, took about 3 hours all told. 

The museum is very well done, small, but efficient.  I got some postcards to mail, and I already had a pin here, and there was not a hiking medallion that I could find. 

Got the Atchafalaya Stamp in good order-  There are 6 locations in the series currently, and I will try for them all this trip. 

Revisit to Mississippi Gulf Coast NHA to get 3 Missing Sites

Last February, I visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast Heritage area and spent two days and about 400 miles tracking down the 23 different locations.  At three of the locations, all City Halls, the stamps were missing, and I was not a happy stamper. 

I revisited all three today, after the Master Data Base indicated that in fact, the three were there, and recently found. 

Score three. 
First stop:  Gautier, Miss City Hall-  right were they said it would be, but I stopped first at the Police Station, where the GPS was taking me, rather than the City Hall, which was across the street: 

Next, a few miles down the road to the Pascagoula City Hall, here, the lady at the desk was brand new, just started her job yesterday, so I was able to help her find, then explain to her the stamp program.  Two for two. 

Then, on over to the brand spanking new Moss Point Miss Town Hall to get their stamp.  I remembered the nice lady there, and to ask after her daughter, who is serving in the Air Force- she is fine, and the stamp was there.  Three for three!

I now have 22 of the 23 locations for this Heritage area, the last one I need will be gotten someday. 

National Heritage Area: Augusta Canal

The National Heritage Areas are not "official" park units and are not counted as part of the 393 National Parks.  There are 49 such areas in the United States, and Augusta Canal is one of them.  there are 2 parts to this Area, and this is the Headlocks part, which is actually located in Martinez, Georgia, about 10 miles outside of town. 

This is the visitor's center, which was actually the gatekeeper's cottage.  It has some displays in it, and is shared by the County that Martinez is in, Columbia, as a visitors center, and staffed by them.  There was a very knowlegeable docent there that showed us the various exhibits, which included a display of paintings from Ellis Island, for some reason. 

This is part of the lock system, and fed the canal with water diverted from the Savannah River- this mechanisim dated from the late 1800's. 

Another view that shows how the canal was fed with water.  This is a very pretty spot on the river.  There were no pins to be had, be we did get a stamp.  We went downtown to visit the other unit of the Canal, but it was closed for the holiday.  Have to report on that on a later visit, perhaps during Christmas.