history – CREATE YOUR OWN KIND OF HOLIDAY

National City Christian Church

National City Christian Church, located on Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C., is the national church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (often abbreviated as the “Disciples of Christ” or “Christian Church”). The denomination grew out of the Stone-Campbell Movement founded by Thomas Campbell and Alexander Campbell of Pennsylvania and West Virginia (then Virginia) and Barton W. Stone of Kentucky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_City_Christian_Church

Service times:
8:30 a.m.  Gospel Service (Sanctuary)
11 a.m.  Traditional Service (Sanctuary)
11 a.m.  Servicio En Español (Community Room)

Address: 5 Thomas Cir NW, Washington, DC 20005

Scottish Rite Freemasonry Alexandria, VA

Scottish Rite is one of the two branches of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason (Third Degree) may proceed after he has completed the three degrees of Symbolic or Blue Lodge Masonry. (The other branch is known as York Rite consisting of Capitular and Cryptic Masons and Knights Templar.)

Scottish Rite includes the Degrees from the Fourth to the Thirty-third, inclusive. The moral teachings and philosophy of Scottish Rite are an elaboration of the basic Masonic principles found in Blue Lodge or Symbolic Freemasonry. Sometimes likened to a “College of Freemasonry,” Scottish Rite uses extensive drama and allegory to emphasize the content and message of its degrees.
http://bluelodge.net/srfacts.htm

the most visible and least understood appendant body of Freemasonry, the Scottish Rite isn’t particularly ancient, and it didn’t come from Scotland. It is technically a concordant body, because some of its degrees continue the story of the building of Solomon’s Temple started in the first three lodge degrees. The Scottish Rite appears in a major role in Dan Brown’s novel, The Lost Symbol.

Freemasons For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Some of my favorite pictures from our visit.

Address: 1430 W Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302
Monday 8AM–4PM
Tuesday 8AM–4PM
Wednesday 8AM–4PM
Thursday 8AM–4PM
Friday Closed
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon was originally called Little Hunting Creek Plantation and owned by John Washington. Augustine passed the estate to his eldest son Lawrence, George’s elder half-brother, in 1740 who renamed it Mount Vernon after the famed English naval officer Admiral Edward Vernon.

George and Martha never had children together. He helped raise 2 of her children. Martha gave birth to 4 children:
Daniel (Nov. 19, 1751–Feb. 19, 1754) died most likely of malaria
Frances (Apr. 12, 1753–Apr. 1, 1757)
John (Jacky) Parke Custis (Nov. 27, 1754–Nov. 5, 1781)
Martha (“Patsy”) Parke Custis (1756–June 19, 1773)

The children’s great-grandfather had imposed a strict condition on inheritance: only children bearing the name “Parke” as part of their given name would receive a portion of the family estate.

A law was passed to make George Washington the highest ranking U.S. officer General of the Armies of the United States. No one will outrank him.

He owned a whiskey distillery. In 1799, his distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons, making it one of the largest whiskey distilleries in America at the time.

In 1768 before the start of the American Revolution, Washington and his wife had guests for dinner on eighty-two of the 291 days.

George Washington did not have a middle name. The use of middle names was not a common practice in Europe or its colonies until the early 19th century. Of the first 20 United States presidents, only 5 had middle names.

George had almost every breed of dog known to American Kennel Club. He owned French hounds Tipsy, Mopsey, Truelove, and Ragman – just to name a few.

Admission for Adults is $13; senior citizens 62 and older pay $12; youth ages 6–11 are $6; kids 5 and younger are free. Mount Vernon is open every day of the year.

Address: 3200 Mount Vernon Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA 22121
Area: 500 acres

Fort Washington, Maryland

Pack a picnic and take advantage of the shade. There is a $10 entry fee good for multiple days. The path to the lighthouse is pleasant and the view of the city is picturesque. Most of the buildings are not open to the public however plan on spending an hour or better walking around the grounds. This would be the perfect day picnic with the family.

Mailing Address:
13551 Fort Washington Road
Fort Washington, MD 20744
Phone: (301) 763-4600

The Visitor Center and Historic Fort are open daily 9:00 am – 4:30 pm.

Ball’s Bluff

The Battle of Ball’s Bluff in Loudoun County, Virginia on October 21, 1861, was one of the early battles of the American Civil War, where Union Army forces under Major General George B. McClellan, suffered a humiliating defeat.

The operation was planned as a minor reconnaissance across the Potomac to establish whether the Confederates were occupying the strategically important position of Leesburg. A false report of an unguarded Confederate camp encouraged Brigadier General Charles Pomeroy Stone to order a raid, which clashed with enemy forces. A prominent U.S. Senator in uniform, Colonel Edward Baker, tried to reinforce the Union troops, but failed to ensure that there were enough boats for the river crossings, which were then delayed. Baker was killed, and a newly-arrived Confederate unit routed the rest of Stone’s expedition.

The Union losses, although modest by later standards, alarmed Congress, which set-up the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, a body which would provoke years of bitter political infighting.

Take advantage of the trails. I took one of the trails north of the parking lot. Bug spray is highly recommended.

Hours are dusk to dawn.

Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park

Ball’s Bluff Road

Leesburg, VA 21076

T 703-737-7800
E templehallfarm@nvrpa.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ball%27s_Bluff

Clara Barton

We know her as Clara Barton, but her full name is Clarissa Harlowe Barton. She was named after a character from the novel Clarissa or the History of a Young Lady, which her aunt was reading when Clara was born in 1821.

– Clara became a teacher at the age of 16. Later, when she was 30, she opened a free school in Bordentown, New Jersey.

– She also had a job as a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office.

– When the Civil War began, she worked as a battlefield nurse. One of the soldiers to whom she tended told her, “This is the second time you saved my life.” He then explained that she had been his teacher in New Jersey.

– Clara was first introduced to the International Red Cross when she visited Switzerland while recovering from a nervous breakdown after the war. She suggested starting an American Red Cross to President Chester Arthur, he loved it. Clara was named its first president in 1881.

Her property is closed due to much needed rennovations.

http://www.mentorpl.org/10-interesting-facts-about-clara-barton-the-founder-of-the-american-red-cross/

Echo Park

Echo Park Entrance

In the early 20th century the Chautauqua site was turned into an amusement park named Glen Echo Park. The amusement park was one of the larger establishments of its type in the Washington, D.C. area, and was very popular well into the late 1940s. By the mid-1950s, however, attendance began to decline due to the growing popularity of larger regional theme parks, such as Disneyland. Another blow to the park occurred in 1960 when the trolley line from Washington, D.C. ceased operation.

https://glenechopark.org/events

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Echo_Park,_Maryland

National Portrait Gallery

8th and F Streets, NW Washington, DC

Home to several exhibits including:
■ America’s Presidents
■ The Struggle for Justice
■ Portrait Connection
■ Special Exhibitions
■ American Origins, 1600–1900
■ One Life
■ American Experience
■ Folk and Self-taught Art
■ Graphic Arts
■ American Art through 1940

Did you know:
The original residents of the buildings were employees of the US Patent Office.

Bull Run Battle

Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson figured prominently in two Confederate victories here. Also known as “Bull Run,” the First Battle of Manassas on July 21, 1861, ended any illusion of a short war. The Second Battle of Manassas, August 28-30, 1862, brought Southern forces to the height of their military power. The two battles are commemorated on this 5,000 acre battlefield park.

Confederate Casualties at First Bull Run (approximate) Beauregard and Johnston’s combined force of 30,800 had 390 killed, 1,600 wounded, and about a dozen missing, a total of approximately 2,000 or about 6.5 percent. Both sides suffered about the same number of killed and wounded.
Source: www.historynet.com/bull-run-casualties

https://www.battlefields.org/visit/battlefields/bull-run-battlefield

The Stone House was built to be both a wagon stop and a private residence, on the 2nd floor. As it was strategically located right across from the toll gate located on the new 1828 Warrenton Turnpike, it was used as place to rest, grab a bite to eat and enjoy some hard drinking before traveling down this marvelous private, paved road. In the early part of the 19th century, many goods were taken to cities by horse and wagon; driven by drovers and teamsters; the 19th century version of the 20th century truck drivers. The owners had living quarters on the second floor and did very well indeed for the 22 years that they owned it.

Starting in 1850, the next owners of The Stone House were Henry and Jane Matthews. Unfortunately, they were not as successful because of the building of the new railroad stop in the city of Manassas in the 1850’s, causing their road business to steadily decline. The Matthews family turned to farming corn, oats and hops to make ends meet. During the Civil War, the Matthews family found that the location of the Stone House was not an income enhancer, and down right dangerous.

In 1861 and 1862, they found that their Stone House and their farm property was swallowed up by the two battles of Bull Run. Despite the two invasions of wounded soldiers into their establishment, they held onto their property.

The Stone House became a field hospital for wounded men of both sides, because of its location.
Source: http://www.hauntedhouses.com/states/va/stone_house.htm

During Stonewall Jackson’s attack at Henry House Hill, the Confederate soldiers charged with their bayonets and screamed a terrifying high pitch battle cry that later became known as the “rebel yell.”

6511 Sudey Road
Manassas, VA 20109, USA

Law Enforcement Memorial

Address: 450 F St NW, Washington, DC 20001
https://washington.org/find-dc-listings/national-law-enforcement-officers-memorial

Since 1791, more than 20,000 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ensures that those who made the ultimate sacrifice are remembered for generations to come, while providing a place where survivors can spend a quiet moment paying tribute to their loved ones.
http://names.lawmemorial.org/

MemorialSiteMap click to view the PDF file of the map.

To see all the braves souls in the Tucson area:
http://names.lawmemorial.org/search.html#q=tucson