I’m not entirely sure what I expected.  I was certainly romanced by the concept of the bell ““ its historical significance and message of freedom ““ and it remains one of the most identifying symbols of the American Revolution.  It has been an enduring symbol of independence, freedom, and liberty. 

Originally, a bell was cast in London that was to be used at the Pennsylvania State House.  The bell cracked soon after its arrival in Philadelphia, so local craftsmen cast a new one in 1753, weighing a little over a ton, and made predominantly of copper.

The bell rang many times as the official bell of the Pennsylvania State House, mostly for public announcements.  Some notable bell ringings include the 1774 opening of the First Continental Congress, and after the 1775 Battle to Lexington and Concord.  The most famous ringing of the bell occurred on July 8th, 1776, when it called citizens together for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

A thin crack developed in this bell, and it repairs were required.  On February 22, 1846, the bell rang for a George Washington birthday celebration.  The bell cracked again, this time growing from the top of the previously repaired crack and running to the crown of the bell.  This crack made the bell unusable, and it has not been rung since.

During the late 1800’s, the bell traveled the country, making appearances and fairs, expositions, and local events, in its efforts to heal the country post-Civil War.  In 1915 the bell at last returned home to Philadelphia, where it now rests silently, reminding us of the power and importance of our freedoms, and of the intangible concept of liberty.

Originally the bell was housed in the bell tower at Independence Hall.  In preparation for the American bicentennial celebration, a small glass pavilion was built to showcase the bell.  This facility proved unsatisfactory, and eventually a larger pavilion was created and named the Liberty Bell Center.  When the pavilion was dedicated in 2003, Queen Elizabeth presented a gift of a replica “Bicentennial Bell” that had been cast from the same British foundry as the original one.  That 1976 bell now hangs in Independence Hall.

I went to see the bell on a sunny, but cold, Saturday afternoon.  The line wrapped around the entrance, and down the block.  (It seemed to consist mostly of students on a group trip.)  The line stalled at the security checkpoint, where visitors are required to pass through a metal detector.  This process requires that all coats and jackets be removed, and EVERYTHING removed from pockets, resulting in people having to make numerous attempts to pass through the security screen.

Once through security, you proceed to a lobby area that features a video presentation, exhibits about the creation and history of the bell, along with additional bell artifacts.  After passing through these exhibits, you come to the glass chamber that houses the Liberty Bell, displayed at ground level, and you can look through the windows to see Independence Hall in the background.

The Liberty Bell Center is located on Market, between 5th & 6th.  It is open daily 9 am ““ 5 pm, with extended summer hours.  There is no admission fee.  Not counting the time spent waiting in line, the Liberty Bell Center can be seen in about an hour.  It’s a great family outing, and a chance for the kids to see history, not just read about it.

I did lots of things while in Philadelphia, but from a personal standpoint, seeing the Liberty Bell, a slice of American history, was probably the most important.

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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February 19th is Presidents Day, a federal holiday here in the United States.

Originally, the holiday was designated as Washington’s Birthday, and was celebrated on George Washington’s actual date of birth, February 22nd.  In 1971, however, as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, the holiday was moved to the third Monday in February.  The holiday has also been expanded to honor Abraham Lincoln (birthday February 12th).  Various states choose to observe the holiday on different days, under different titles, and even different presidents, but as far as federal holidays go, today is Presidents Day.

I have already written about the Washington Monument and Washington’s estate home in Mount Vernon, but I haven’t written about Lincoln.

The Lincoln Memorial is at one end of Washington DC’s National Mall.  The building looks like a Greek Doric Temple, with huge columns, and a bigger-than-life marble statue of Lincoln.  The statue is 19 feet tall and 19 feet wide.  Above the statue of Lincoln are inscribed the words:

In this temple
As in the hearts of the people
For whom he saved the Union
The memory of Abraham Lincoln
Is enshrined forever

On the south interior wall is inscribed the Gettysburg Address, on the north wall is inscribed Lincoln’s second inauguaral address. 

The memorial steps was the site for Martin Luther King’s 1963″I Have a Dream” speech, part of the March on Washington.  A tile on the step marks the spot from where Dr. King delivered his speech. 

The Memorial is open 24 hours, every day exept Christmas.  I’ve seen the memorial as different hours of the day, and is particularly spectacular at night.  There is no fee to visit the Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial is at one end of the Reflecting Pool, with the World War II Memorial at the other, and beyone that the Washington Monument.  Metro access to the Lincoln Memorial requires a bit of a walk, but is reachable from the Smithsonian or Foggy Bottom stop, both on the Orange and Blue Line.

If you can’t make it to Washington DC to see the Lincoln Memorial, all you have to do is grab some US money. You can see Abraham Lincoln on the front side of the penny (commonly called the Lincoln Penny), and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side.  Lincoln is also depicted on the front side of the five dollar bill, with the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side.

Photo credit:  Memorial at night; statue

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I noticed that Sound About Philly has added a new walking and podcast tour, this one called Philly Noir.  It’s a walking tour that covers African American culture, history, and experiences (past and present), and includes food, the arts, history and sports.  There are 11 tour segments, and you can download, and then mix and match them based on your interests and time. 

Here’s a sampling of some of the segments:

• Delilah’s/Geechee Girl Rice Café at 12th Street & Filbert.  Oprah named it the very best spot for macaroni and cheese (in photo).  I LOVE mac ‘n cheese!
• Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame at Spruce Street & Broad.  Hip Hop to Jazz and everything in between, a treasure trove of musicians that put Philadelphia on the music map.
• African American Museum at 701 Arch Street.  Making sure that the African American heritage is not lost ““ to this generation, or to the ones to follow.

Lots of GREAT suggestions that are worthwhile in putting together my own personal tour of Philadelphia.

There are other podcast walking tour options available from Sound About Philly, including some user created tours.  There seems to be something that will appeal to a wide variety of interests.

 If you have any suggestions about what to see and do in Philadelphia, please leave them in the comments.  (For those of you who read my post on Travel Resources for Planning Your Next Trip, this is part of the email phase of the research.)

Photo credit:  flickr

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Ford, like all Presidents, amassed volumes of “stuff” during his term of office ““ even though he spent less time in the White House than many others.  What happens to all that stuff?  I mean, I knew it was collected, catalogued and filed away ““ but I didn’t know exactly what that meant.  I had heard other Presidential Libraries ““ but, so what? 

After President Ford died, I started researching some of these Presidential Libraries.  I discovered that volumes upon volumes of paper, from the most important documents like schedules and plans, to the most minor, like casual notes jotted on a napkin or scrap of paper, are collected, eventually winding up in the respective President’s library. 

Added to this, of course, are the additional documents and details of a life of public service from before and after the time in the White House.  This is a pretty impressive amount of information, and an incredible peek into the life of a public official.  While some of the information is not available to the public, or has parts of which have been redacted, it collected together, and found in a Presidential Library. 

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Presidential Library is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the campus of Ford’s alma mater, the University of Michigan.  His is the only library/museum to be located in two geographically separate building. 

The Ford Museum, which opened in September 1981, has permanent exhibits that allow visitors to review political history, as well as providing a look into the life of a President, and the personal things that he held dear:  his wife, family, and love of sports.  It’s a personal and emotional look at the responsibilities and privileges of democratic citizenship.

Special events at the museum include naturalization ceremonies for new citizens, community festivities (including fireworks) on Independence Day, and a variety of other celebrations.

Location:  303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Hours:  Daily, 9 am ““ 5 pm., closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Admission:  $7 adults, $6 seniors and military, $5 college students, $3 youth ages 6-18, and free for children under five years of age.  Parking is free.

The Ford Presidential Library houses documents and audio-visual materials that follow Ford’s life, career, and presidency.  The Library, administered by the National Archives, was dedicated in April 1981.  At the Library you’ll find archival materials on both domestic issues and foreign relations during the Cold War era.  To give you an idea about the in-depth nature of what’s collected, the Library’s current holdings include over 22 million pages of memos, letters, meeting notes, reports, and other historical documents, and over 325,000 still photographs.  Then there’s the AV material!

Location:  1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan, University of Michigan North Campus.

Hours:  Monday ““ Friday, 8:45 am ““ 4:45 pm.  Closed on Federal Holidays.

History and politics have always held a special fascination for me.  I can’t believe that I have some how missed, or neglected, to visit any of the Presidential Libraries.  I’m putting that on my ever-expanding list of things to do.

Photo credit:  White House Photograph courtesy of Gerald R. Ford Library, Photographer Karl Schumacher

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Kansas, a state that I’ve not yet visited, is smack dab in the middle of the country, and is, in fact, home to the geographical center of the contiguous United States.  Its capital city is Topeka, and its largest is Wichita.

Kansas was originally home to large numbers of Native Americans who hunted buffalo on the prairies.  After the Civil War, scores of immigrants moved to Kansas, turning the prairies into farmland.  Large in geographical area (15th), but small in population (33rd), Kansas today leads the nation in wheat production, and is one of the most productive agriculture states.

Because of diminishing populations in Kansas, referred to as Rural Flight, the state and federal government are offering programs of free land and tax breaks as a means to attract newcomers.  Still, there are over 6,000 ghost towns in the state.

Most of the treks from the east coast to the west went through Kansas, and you’ll find remnants of numerous historic trails.   The California National Historic Trail, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Oregon National Historic Trail, and the Pony Express National Historic Trail are just a few.Kansas is also home to the world’s largest ball of twine (in Cawker City), the Eisenhower Library (Abilene), the ending point of the Chisholm Trail (Abilene), a museum that honors suffragette Carrie Nation (Medicine Lodge), Boot Hill Museum (Dodge City), the Wizard of Oz Museum (Wamego), and the Kansas Cosmophere and Space Center (Hutchinson), with is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute.

For me, Kansas has always been one of those states in the middle of the country, that I really haven’t had a lot of interest in getting to.  I tend to think of it only when I watch the “Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy says “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”  Learning a little more about the history of the state, and the pivotal role that it played in our country’s emerging history, makes me dismiss it a little less.

While it’s not moving to the top of my list, there’s definitely something for me to see and do in Kansas.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Details:  Today is the anniversary of the dedication of The Pentagon.

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, and although it’s mailing address is Washington DC, the complex is actually located in Arlington, Virginia.  It is one of the largest buildings in the world, and has five side, five floors above ground, and two basement levels. 

Photo credit:  Department of Defense, photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force

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In 1941, moored off the shores of Ford Island (located in the middle of Pearl Harbor) were some of the largest ships in the US Pacific Fleet.  The first attack by the Japanese began at 7:55 am, with the second attack ending two hours later.  The loss was immense:  2,403 people (military and civilians), 18 ships, 188 aircraft destroyed and another 159 damaged.  World War II had now begun for the U.S. on a “date that will live in infamy.”

The museum takes you back to 1941, starting with a visit to Hangar 37.  There, you’ll watch a film of the attack, interspersed with original film and photos from 1941.  Visitors will get a sense of the dawning of a tranquil and peaceful day on this beautiful island, and watch as events unfold, bringing the drama to life on a very human level.  Following the film, you enter an exhibit area with a variety of vintage aircraft on display.  Feast your eyes on a Mitsubishi Zero, a Navy Wildcat fighter, and an Aeronca 65 TC.  Aviations buffs will be enthralled.

After the tour of Hangar 37, visitors get further immersion into the day’s experience by visiting a recreation of the aftermath of the Japanese attack.  Red Cross vehicles are staged on a debris-covered field, smoking planes are visible, and the senses go on alert as you can only imagine the horror of having lived through the real experience.

Leaving the battlefield and coming back to reality, the tour moves you to Hangar 79.  Here you will see marks from the bombing that still exist:  bullet holes in doors of the hangar and shrapnel marks in the concrete walls of the hangar, as you listen to first hand accounts of the attack told by actual survivors.

Getting tickets to visit the museum requires a few steps, but it is well worth the effort.  You can get tickets through an approved travel desk at area hotels, or through the USS Bowfin ticket office.  The Bowfin is located next to the USS Arizona Memorial, and is open daily 8 am-4 pm.  To get to the museum, you board the Ford Island Trolley in front of the Bowfin.  Allow at least two hours for the tour and viewing.

Location:  Pearl Harbor, Hangar 37, Ford Island, 319 Lexington Blvd. (Honolulu)

Hours:  9 am-5 pm daily.  Closed Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Day.

Admission:  $14 adults, $7 children, $7 aviator’s guided tour

NOTE:  The museum is on an active military base and security procedures are in effect.  No bags are allowed on the trolley.

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Situated among all the frivolity, however, is the Holocaust Memorial, a dramatic tribute to the six million Jewish Victims of World War II.  The site was designed by architect and sculptor Kenneth Treister, who was charged with interpreting the events of the Holocaust into a memorial that would honor the dead, comfort the survivors, and inform the world of this dark period of history.

The Memorial opened to the public in February 1990, with a dedication by Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel.

It is hard to explain how something that is so very painful, can also be so very beautiful, but that is an apt description.  Constructed with contrasting elements of Jerusalem stone and black granite, and then set in the still waters of a reflecting pool, the site is one of those places that may just be everything to everyone. 

On one of the granite wall panels is the history of the Holocaust, from 1933-1945, along with pictorial depictions of events and experiences from that time.  Other panels have become a Memorial Wall, with the names of victims inscribed in it, much like the Vietnam Memorial.  How very sad to see the names of entire families that were lost. 

By far the most dramatic presentation of the Memorial is a 42-foot high bronze arm and hand, looking like it is coming out of the earth and grasping toward the sky.  Close to 100 figures, in different family groupings, are struggling to climb up the arm, symbolizing the pain and despair of a man-made hell.  The hand at the top of the arm bears an identification number.

Although the immense tragedy and pain of the Holocaust can never be summed up in such a simple statement, I’d like to think that out of all evil shall come good, and that the Memorial provides visitors with a way out of their pain.

Location:  1933-1945 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach (Meridian Avenue & Dade Blvd)

Hours:  9 am-9 pm Daily.

Admission:  There is no admission charge; donations gratefully accepted.

Photo credit:  flickr

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There’s the story of Mabel Douglass who went out for a canoe ride one day ““ and never returned.  Until, that is, 30 years later when divers discovered her perfectly preserved body.  Her petrified remains are interred in Green-Wood Cemetery.

And the story of Edward and Frances Hall.  She was accused, and later acquitted, of murdering him; they were buried next to one another.

And the story of Bill “The Butcher” Poole.  In Martin Scorsese’s movie Gangs of New York , the Daniel Day Lewis character was based on Poole.  The movie brought about renewed interest in his gravesite.

Historian Richman changes the stories and stops on a daily basis.  He has plenty to choose from, as over 60,000 people rest in peace at Green-Wood, and stories of murder, mayhem and tragedy run rampant.

This year’s Halloween tours will be held, rain or shine, on October 29-30th, at 1 pm.  Meet at the main gates of the cemetery.  Plan to arrive early, as these are popular tours.

Cost is $15/person.

Green-Wood Cemetery is located at 500 ““ 25th Street in Brooklyn.  The main entrance is located at 5th Avenue & 25th Street, and is open 8 am-5 pm daily.
 
(NOTE:  Tours are offered year round, so if a Halloween tour is not of interest, you may be interested in some of the historical tours.)

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If Philadelphia is your plans, you may be interested in the SoundAboutPhilly downloadable audio tours and maps, which focus on “lesser-known city experiences and combine interesting tales, fun facts and lively music to tell the area’s story.” 

Even better ““ they’re FREE!

Here’s the info on the tours now available:

• “History Unplugged” covers 300 years of history, focusing on what you didn’t learn in your American History class.
• “Flavorhoods” covers dining in Philadelphia’s ethnic neighborhoods.
• “My Philly” features recommendations from local Philadelphians.

Additional tours will be rolled out one per month.  Future topics include:  the African American experience in Philadelphia, the Historic District, the inside story of classic Philadelphia spots, and the city’s religious history.

You can listen to the tours online, or download them in their entirety, or in customized segments to match your interests. 

Whether you’re at home planning a trip, or already in Philadelphia looking for information, the audio tours are a good way to get a feel for the city. 

Photo credit:  flickr

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