Eastern Team Reviews-Page 2

Dec-10-02 Klondike Gold Rush Nat'l Historical Park

Some Congressman in Seattle must have not had his quota of pork in the district because this doesn't belong in the US..  The Klondike Gold Rush was in Canada.  But Seattle was one of the major staging points for those on their way north. The site is near Pioneer Square, somewhat of a seedy area of town but great used book stores and a map store I was afraid to enter for fear of dangering my bank account.

Nov-30-02 Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Van Buren was the 8th President of the US and not very well known since not much was accomplished by his administration.  He was more known as a crafty politician, kind of like the Bill Clinton of his day.  Running water in the house with toilet (first I saw in a 19th century Presidential house) and a bath tub.  Van Buren bathed every day, making him the first non-stinky President. The tour of the house is wonderful.  Most of the house is open and we happened to be in a very small group.  The park guide was quite knowledgeable abour the Little Magician and the house and presented it in a clear, cogent, interesting style.  At the gift shop we purchased John Niven's biography of the Red Fox of Kinderhook.  This was one of the few times we found a book that was of interest to us at the gift shop.  Also purchased was a little statuette of Little Van.

Nov-30-02 Saratoga Nat'l Historical Site

We arrived here at 4:30 PM on the 29th to find a dark empty visitor's center and the sign, "Closed due to hazardous weather."  Oops.  Well, we woldn't have seen much anyway given the lateness of the hour, but I didn't know it was hazardous.  This was quite a disappointment since we had decided to travel this way in part to see the Saratoga site.  Everyone was tired, cranky, four of the five in our party was sick.  To the hotel for the night. The next morning the hazardous weather must have cleared because the visitor's center answered when I called and said they were open. The site is well done but best seen during the spring/summer/fall months when the tour road of the battlefield is open as well as some of the houses in the area.  But in any case a 20 minute video of the battle is informative and entertaining (but out of date) and the vistas from the visitor's center are beautiful. Saratoga, by the way, was the first major victory of the Revolutionary troops over the British.  The battle took place during the months of September and October in 1777.

Nov-27-02 General Grant National Memorial

Who's buried in Grant's tomb? Very pretty building, overlooks the Hudson. If you read everything on display it will take 20 minutes.  Columbia U. is nearby.

Nov-15-02 Federal Hall National Memorial

Another lunch-time journey.  Can you believe it. I had trouble finding this place.  I don't know how many times I passed it while walking around downtown, but my brain was malfunctioning today and it took me 30 minutes to find the place. They call this Federal Hall and claim it is where Geo. Washington took the oath of office.  Sort of.  This is the site of those events.  That building was torn down in 1812 and replaced by the current Greek Revival structure used as a customs house and then sub-treasury.  A new one. Security at the door. Metal detectors.

Oct-15-02 Castle Clinton National Monument

I think this is a pretty cool site.  It was originally built as a fort to defend Manhattan against a potential British invasion during the years leading up to the War of 1812.  It was in the Hudson River, connected to Manhattan by a drawbridge.  Its cannon were never used and the fort became a social center, a concert hall, an immigrant center, an aquarium and finally a national monument.  It's a pretty good, and short, self-guided tour on one's lunch hour (assuming of course you are taking lunch in New York).  Most of the people there are waiting in line to buy tickets to two other NPS sites: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Oct-7-02 Santa Monica Mountains NRA

The Park center is in the middle of 1000 Oaks, CA and is reminiscent of a strip mall.  But the facility is large and clean.  Got the stamp and a map and then drove down to the Pacific Coast Highway through the NRA.  The park covers a wide territory and is non-contiguous.  The land in the wider area is owned by private individulals, the state of California and of course, the Park Service.  More camping and hiking goes on the anything else.  Pretty, but not my cup of tea.  Too arid, too desert.

Eastern Team Reviews-Page 1

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