Visiting The Landmarks In The Great State Of Maine
Deciding on a vacation destination is an important step for anyone put in charge of making that decision. Much of the best memories kids and adults have are those they accumulated during various vacations they have taken. One of the areas of the country that often gets overlooked when it comes to vacation location considerations is the state of Maine. This area of the country though is home to some of the most beautiful scenery and natural areas in the entire United States. Along with the natural beauty of the state of Maine, there are also a large number of interesting and historically significant things to do throughout the state. Maine has a long and rich history and is a great place for anyone calling themselves a history enthusiast to visit during anytime of the year. Here is a look at some of the must-see landmarks in the state of Maine.
The American Eagle
The fishing industry is one of the strongest industrial ties that the communities of Maine have. Constructed as the ‘Andrew and Rosalie’ in 1930, the American Eagle was declared a National Historic Landmark in the early 1990s. The American Eagle is the last two masted schooner ever built in the shipbuilding haven of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The schooner is now on display in the Rockland Harbor in Rockland, Maine.
Cushnoc Archeological Site
Most likely built in the early 1600s and used through the later parts of that century, the Cushnoc Archeological Site is a very interesting stop for anyone interested in early American history. The archeological site was the location of a Plymouth Colony trading post that was established in what many think to be the year 1628. The site was named a National Historic Landmark in the early 1990s and has provided an interesting look at the early days of North American settlement since then.
Fort Halifax
At one time, Fort Halifax was home to more than 600 soldiers, but now nearly all that remains is the blockhouse. The blockhouse is currently the oldest example of a blockhouse in the entire United States. The fort was built in the early 1750s during the early days of the French and Indian War. It remains as one of the best examples of fort construction from the American colonial period and is located in the community of Winslow, Maine.
Victoria Mansion
For one of the best looks at what the lifestyle of the wealthy and elite was like during the mid-1800s, a trip to the Victoria Mansion in Portland, Maine is a must. Built in 1860, the Victoria Mansion features a brownstone exterior with many details that most homeowners of the time could simply not afford. From the overall design to the specific features, it is easy to see that this was not the home of commoners at the time. The interior of the mansion shows off the fine craftsmanship of the time and even features a number of things that were considered on the forefront of technology during its day. In architectural circles, the mansion is now seen as one of the best examples of a Italianate Villa style brownstone house in the entire country. One of the things that makes it truly unique is the fact that over the years it has endured very few alterations. The mansion is now a local museum and definitely well worth the time it takes to visit and explore its treasures.
Old York Gaol
Located in York, Maine, the Old York Gaol has had a fascinating history since its original construction in the early 1700s. From 1719 to 1879 it was used as a prison, including operating as a debtor’s prison for much of that time. During the history of the building it also saw time as a warehouse, boarding house and school. Currently it is a very interesting museum where visitors can still view many aspects of the original jail house andjailer’s quarters as they appeared in the late 1700s.
The Bowdoin
Constructed in 1921, the schooner Bowdoin is current used for educational purposes and is on display in Castine, Maine. The ship was built in East Boothbay, Maine and was designed to explore in the waters above the Arctic Circle. The Bowdoin was declared a National Historic Landmark in the late 1980s and is a true beauty to see, whether at sea or at port. Over the course of its life, the ship has made more than twenty-five excursions above the Arctic Circle.
Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Located in Brunswick, Maine, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House is where the author lived while writing her landmark anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Harriet Beecher Stowe lived in the house from 1850 to 1852 while her husband was employed as a professor at Bowdoin College which was located nearby. While the house is not open to the public, it is still a wonderful example of mid-1800s architecture and a great historical site.
The Winslow Homer Studio
Scarborough, Maine is home to the Winslow Homer Studio. The studio is one of many that Homer used to create some of his incredible works of art that have become favorites with art lovers every where. The building is owned by the Portland Museum of Art and is undergoing extensive restoration. The building was build in 1884 and was placed on the National Historic Landmark list in the mid 1960s.
Fort Knox
Anyone interested in American history would love to pay a visit to Fort Know, currently part of Fort Knox State Park, which is located in Prospect, Maine. A fine example of a fort built from granite, in fact this was the first granite built fort in the state of Maine. The construction process of Fort Knox was long and though it began in 1844, it was not completed until 1869. The fort is located on the banks of the Penobscot River and is named after the first United States Secretary of War, Henry Knox. The purpose of the fort was for protection and armament during a tense period when the United States and the United Kingdom were at odds over where the border between America and Canada would be. While the fort never saw action in a battle, it is a fascinating and well kept look at American military history.
Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Now operating as a museum in Portland, Maine, the Wadsworth-Longfellow home is the childhood home of the famous and popular American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The site was named a National Historic Landmark in the early 1960s and is a great stop for anyone interested specifically in Longfellow and also for anyone interested in architecture and general American history from the late 1700s and early 1800s. The home is also the oldest structure still stding on the Portland peninsula.
Lady Pepperrell House
The Lady Pepperrell House was built in 1760 and designated a National Historic Landmark approximately two hundred years later in 1960. The house is privately owned, but several times a year it is opened for public viewing. It has bee kept in amazing condition and much of the building remains the same as it did during its last period of regular use. The historic building is located in Kittery Point, Maine and even when viewed from the exterior is a very pleasant place to stop.
The Portland Observatory
Those travelers interested in maritime history should be very interested in making the trip to the Portland Observatory located in Portland, Maine. This is the last example of a maritime signal tower in the entire United States. The observatory stands eighty-six feet tall and consists of seven stories. It was built for the purpose of communication between the merchants of Portland and the incoming freighters. Through the use of a telescope and a lantern, arrangements for loading and unloading could be communicated between the parties long before the ships entered Portland Harbor. The observatory also served as a lookout during the War of 1812. Besides its historical significance, a great view of Portland and the surrounding area can be had from the top of the structure.
Maine’s ties to the maritime pursuits of shipbuilding and the fishing industry are legendary. The many coastal fishing villages that played large roles in the beginning days of the state are for the most still just as they appeared during the state’s formative years. A visit to Maine is a great way for an entire family or group to enjoy their vacation and at the same time see a great deal of things that they will remember for the rest of their lives. The kinds of memories made with a trip to Maine cannot be duplicated by visiting any other state in the United States of America. Maine is a truly original and unique location to choose as a vacation destination, and it has the ability to give any vacationer that comes its way a truly original and unique vacation experience.
Visiting Oregon’s Beautiful Crater Lake
Different people have different priorities and wishes when planning their vacations or extended weekends. Some people prefer to head towards tourist attractions that although they are crowded, are always action packed. Other people seek out exotic tropical locations either nearby or halfway around the world. Still others like to immerse themselves in an urban area they have always dreamed about visiting and experiencing as much about the city as possible. When searching for a beautiful and secluded place to visit though, few vacationers could match the scenery and surroundings of Oregon’s Crater Lake.
Located in southern Oregon, Crater Lake formed in the crater of Mount Mazama after the mountain erupted and collapsed inward on itself. The water inside the lake comes almost exclusively from natural rain and snow melt, making it some of the purest water that can be found any where in North America. There are no rivers or streams that flow into or out of Crater Lake. Crater Lake is approximately five by six miles across and has an amazing average depth of 1,148 feet. The deepest point ever measured in the lake is at a depth of 1,949 feet, which makes Crater Lake not only the deepest lake in the state of Oregon, but the deepest lake in the entire United States. There have been several smaller eruptions over the years, although none in modern times, that have resulted in a smaller cone being built up in the middle of the lake. This new cone was named Wizard Island as it now extends above the surface of the water and somewhat resembles a wizard’s hat.
Though the lake and its surroundings are now part of Crater Lake National Park, there are a number of developed areas within an easy drive that provide food and lodging to the many visitors that make the trek there every year. Along the rim of the lake is the Crater Lake lodge building which houses a gift shop and cafe and is a nice place to get a bite to eat when visiting there. Rim Drive is a road that circumnavigates the entire mountain top lake and is a wonderful way of seeing all aspects of this amazing natural wonder, due to heavy snow the drive is closed during certain parts of the winter months. There are also boat tours that take visitors out on the water of Crater Lake, including the opportunity to depart the boat for a short visit on Wizard Island. This can provide some of the most memorable times of a visit to the lake, but it also requires a bit of a hike down to the boat dock.
There are a number of other things to do in and around Crater Lake too. To the west is the beautiful Oregon Coast which caters to anyone interested in boating, fishing, beach recreation and more including visiting the world famous Oregon Dunes. To the south of Crater Lake is Northern California and all that that region supplies to visitors that travel there every year. Bend, Oregon is a wonderful Eastern Oregon community that sits a couple hours northwest of the lake. Though the lake is somewhat remote, it is also easy to get to from a number of urban areas. The lake itself is only 119 miles from Bend, 250 miles from Portland, 422 miles from Seattle and 450 miles from San Francisco.
For hundreds of years before its discovery by settlers from Europe, Crater Lake had been a very sacred site for many of the Native Americans that lived in the area. A legend from the Klamath tribe says that there was a battle between the sky god and god of the underworld and during the mayhem Mount Mazama was destroyed, and left in its place was Crater Lake. The magnitude of the beauty and uniqueness of Crater Lake has played a large role in the history of this area of Oregon for centuries.
A visit to Crater Lake is awe-inspiring and it is quite common that travelers will be mesmerized by the beauty of the water as well as the realization that they are looking at a lake that is sitting on top of a mountain in what was once an active volcano crater. The beauty of the area doesn’t stop with the water though as the surrounding Cascade Mountains almost equal the visual splendor that the lake provides. For hundreds of years, and possibly even longer, men have made the journey to see this fascinating piece of scenery. Any visitor lucky enough to make the journey today is sure to leave with memories that will last them a lifetime.
Five American Beaches That Should Not Be Missed
When it comes to popular vacation destinations, a beach vacation is at or near the top of the list of most travelers each and every year. Between the immense opportunities for fun in the sun and the thrill and excitement of playing in the surf, beach vacations usually have enough entertainment opportunities for the entire family or travel group. There are a wide variety of beaches in the entire United States and a great deal of them are vastly different from each other.
Some beaches are famous for their endless stretches of beautiful sand, while others are known for their rugged but gorgeous rocky shoreline. Both of these are attractive to different travelers for different reasons. Likewise, some beaches cater more to day trippers looking for an escape from populated and more civilized and modern attractions like amusement parks and shopping malls while other beaches feature nearby camping and are more remote.
No matter what type of traveler is looking for a beach vacation, America is a big enough country that there is a beach out there that matches their travel needs and vacation desires almost perfectly. With that in mind, here is a list of five American beaches that should definitely not be missed.
Fort De Soto Park
Located very near to the St. Pete and Clearwater, Florida area, Fort De Soto Park has been one of the more popular beaches in Florida for years. There is actually an abundance of campsites available in the park for visitors to make use of, but it is highly recommended that would-be travelers reserve a site early as there are usually very few or none available to those that show up without reservations. Being so near the St. Pete and Clearwater areas, there are tons of things to do that will entertain both children and adults alike. One of the most popular features of the park itself is the historical museum that details the exciting local history of the area and the old cannons that still adorn the fort.
Main Beach
Located in the trendy and popular East Hampton, New York area, Main Beach is easily one of the nicest and most beautiful beaches in the Northeastern United States. Surrounded by stunning colonial homes, windmills, natural ponds, and even some wildlife, the long sandy beach is perfect for families with children of all ages. Because of it’s pricey location, staying nearby may be challenging for many families, but it doesn’t preclude a day trip out to this playground for the rich and famous. The fireworks show on the Fourth of July is one of the more popular draws that Main Beach has and can be enjoyed by people for miles around.
Hanauma Bay Nature Park
One visit to the Hanauma Bay Nature Park on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and every visitor is sure to see why this location consistently ranks at or near the top of most best beach lists. The park is designed as a state underwater park and is popular with snorkelers and scuba divers alike. It is a very popular beach, so like most popular locations it may be wise for a traveler to get their early to ensure there is a place for their towel on the sand. The Hanauma Bay Nature Park is located very near to the popular Waikiki Beach area meaning that it is both convenient to get to and also near a great deal of other attractions that will appeal to almost everyone in a family and/or group.
Coast Guard Beach
Not just because it is located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, but also due to it being part of the Cape Cod National Seashore which is operated and maintained by the National Park Service, Coast Guard Beach is one of the most beautiful and least trampled on natural beaches in the Northeastern United States. With miles of sand dunes to explore and a gentle sloping shoreline, Coast Guard Beach has been one of the more popular destinations for anyone from the area or visiting to the area who want to experience their share of fun in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Coronado Beach
Anyone visiting the San Diego, California area and looking to experience the Pacific Ocean in all it’s glory would be well served at taking some time at beautiful Coronado Beach. Located in a very historically important area of the city of San Diego, Coronado Beach offers great opportunities for fun on the beach and also is in convenient proximity to many other San Diego attractions as well. Visitors can watch or take part in body surfing, boogie boarding, swimming, beach running, beach volleyball, suntanning, tide pool exploring, and whale watching. Coronado Beach is also a popular location for sand sculptors to show their talents, and some of the creations these true artists construct should indeed not be missed. For those with pets, a visit to Dog Beach, an area where pets are permitted to be off leash and play in the sand and surf, is a definite must.
A vacation trip to the beach has been a tradition for families and groups for centuries. Whether those traveling are looking for exciting fun on the sand and in the surf or are more interested in quite serene times just listening to the waves pound the shoreline, the ocean beaches of the world have always been popular destinations and it isn’t any different here in the United States of America. There is something purely refreshing about a trip to the beach that keeps millions of Americans coming back year after year, often to the same place they have been before, and often exploring new beach locations that they have never before experienced. Experienced beach travelers know what they generally will find at the next beach they visit, but each beach is also so different in so many ways. A beach vacation is an opportunity to experience the incredible power of nature, but in an extremely fun and interesting way.