Getting Around in Virginia

Our plan to spend a few months in historic places in the Eastern U. S. begins now. We arrived in Fairfax, Virginia, a few days ago and settled into a comfortable spot at the Elks Lodge. The Arlington/Fairfax lodge has electrical hookups and water for $14.00 per day, a real steal for this area of the country. It's convenient for getting around and near the Metro as well. But, unfortunately, as soon as we unhooked the Jeep, we discovered a mechanical problem on the coach. So we took a day to analyze the issue and investigate a repair facility. We made an appointment for next Tuesday. With that plan in place, it wouldn't help to worry. So it was time to start our exploration of the area.

First on the agenda was a little help for our travels. One thing we've been considering to help get around in big cities is a GPS. We found a Best Buy with a good salesman and here's our new friend, “Tillie,” the Garmin GPS. (We thought the name just suited her.) We've had fun on our test runs since she joined us. Tillie told us how to navigate the highways and side streets in Fairfax and D. C., to locate, buildings, restaurants and parks. And she is so patient, “recalculating” any time we miss a turn. We were amazed that it was so easy to catch on to all the functions. Why didn't we have this sooner???

Yesterday we took a short trip, about 20 miles southwest, to the Manassas National Battlefield. This is the site of the first land battle of the Civil War in 1861 - “First Manassas.” Many call it “Bull Run”. About a year later, Union and Confederate soldiers bloodied these hills and woods again in the “Second Manassas.” In all, almost 30,000 soldiers fell to their deaths on this battlefield.

There are a museum, movie and hands-on artifacts in the visitors' center that provide a good deal of information about this sobering piece of history. But the 45-minute tour over the battlefield with the park ranger, Hank, brought us the vivid imagery. He walked us through the circumstances of the First Manassas, describing the types of soldiers involved and bringing to life in our minds the horror of the events played out on the ground where we were standing. The cannons are positioned on the hill and at the edge of the woods just as they were 148 years ago. You stand at the top of Henry Hill and look north to where the boys in blue fought over Bull Run and up the hill to where the boys in gray fiercely defended out of the woods. Around 5,000 men lost their lives on that summer day in 1861. He explained the tactics of the Union and Confederate officers in command, two men who were former classmates at West Point. He emphasized that the majority of the volunteers fighting on both sides were barely trained and very naive about the glory of war. It was also widely believed that this would be a short conflict, perhaps ending after this battle. The soldiers who survived learned that there is no romance in war and that this was only the beginning of many months of sorrow. And, of course, friends and families from Massachusetts to Texas became aware of these realities, too.

Later we took the ride that leads through the countryside , over the grounds of the battle to several key sites of the Second Manassas in 1862. As you drive the tour you can see the denseness of the woods that the men marched through and the hills and valleys where they positioned their cannons and stood to fire their rifles....in the open... point blank. The one year of fighting had seasoned those who hadn't been taken by a bullet or a disease. The Stone House that was a Union field hospital still stands, with initials carved by soldiers recovering and dying there. The troops casualties in this battle numbered 24,000. Some of the dead were buried on the site and a few were carried home by family. God bless them all.

The visit to Manassas was somewhat sad, but also very informative. The park has impressive presentations that are designed for all ages.

It reminded us that there are good reasons to preserve this place in time and discuss these tragic moments in history. We had a good day.

Researching in Brown County, Indiana

Over the past few days we've been in a favorite Indiana spot, Brown County. It's a place that thousands enjoy each year and for good reason. Nature abounds in them thar hills! The scenes in the hills turn bright in the spring with blossoms and warm oranges in the fall. It's also a lot of fun to to experience the shops in Nashville, the county seat that began as an artists' colony. We can now find a myriad of handmade jewelry, leather goods, fudge and furniture, in addition to the art. There's always the popular stop in the Nashville House for some famous fried biscuits or a quaint cafe for fresh selection of coffees or ice cream.

Our location for these few days was the Brown County State Park. It's a beautiful park with winding scenic views. The winter browns are just starting to disappear. Spring rains are bringing out the buds on the trees and the robins are nesting. This is a park that draws loads of hikers, bikers, campers and picnickers for many weeks of the year. We were early enough that it was pretty quiet during the past week. I took long walks in the evening through our sparsely occupied campground. It was a little wet for me to get out on the trails, but there are sure some super ones here.
We did take note of a certain type of connoisseur appearing this time of year in the woods of Brown County. As we leisurely enjoyed the few miles of road leading us out of the park each day, we would see a few cars parked along the road without occupants. But then quickly we noticed two or three people walking very slowly staring intently at the brown leaves on the ground. This deliberate glare looks a lot different than the usual hiker's pose. Ah, hah, the spring time brings out the Morel mushroom hunters! Later, I had a strong confirmation of the value of this activity when I visited the local IGA -- $29.99 per lb for these treasures. Maybe this hobby is one to consider.

However, no time for that now, our main motivation for this particular trip was one of our favorite passtimes, family research. Jerry's Hurley ancestors were among the early settlers of the area in the 1830s. In fact, one historical account states that the first election in the county was held in the home of Cornelius Hurley. Although many family facts have already been discovered, there are a few pieces to find. What are all the circumstances of Elisha Hurley's family after he was killed in 1847 in the Mexican American War?

Often going directly to the locale to investigate the records proves more successful. So we spent a few of our afternoons searching through the genealogical section of the Brown County Public Library. We did get a few leads to follow.

Our research also took us out and about, to the Mt. Zion Cemetery at the top of a hill on highway 135 between Stone Head and Story, Indiana. Jerry was able to get photos and plot GPS locations of Ephraim, Cornelius and a few other Hurley tombstones for his records. Stone Head was the home of the Hurleys in the 1800s and the resting place of several of them today. Roaming an old cemetery on a sunny day amidst the forests and fields of southern Indiana can be somewhat good for the soul. Who knows! Maybe a few still roam the hills and cornfields.

One thing you can depend on in the spring time in Indiana is that there's no telling what weather there may be. Typically, we had three days of sun and two days of clouds and rain. Soon the greens will be everywhere. It was nice to be here. Now we're moving on east.....looking towards our next destination in the D. C. area.

Making History

Did you ever stop to think what history you are making every day? If your descendants were to research your life, what would they find and what would they think? Celebrating grandson Ben's birthday yesterday, along with some recent family research, made me wonder how our every day lives might play out in their minds. Would our ways of celebrating birthdays be strange? Or our traditions for Easter?

I hope they would find our lives somewhat interesting, and hopefully, worthy of retelling to their own contemporaries. Can you just hear it?? "These people had to use wires to connect their telephones and lights. They even pumped gasoline into their vehicles!!"

Lately history's been popping up as we plan our stops in the eastern part of the country for the next six months or so. We've been choosing sites that we will take some time to explore more in depth than our short vacations in the past have allowed. (Historical item here, at left: My mom's high school basketball team. Click to read.)



But this past weekend current events took center stage. Between Indiana's spring showers we had lots of fun celebrating Easter and our grandson's birthday.


My sister, Marti, has an annual Easter Egg Hunt
that she puts on for the children of family and friends on the Saturday preceding Easter. In addition to assembling a tremendous number of eggs to hide, she cooked some delicious food. We all filled our bellies with meatballs, her fabulous potato salad, great vegetables, and of course, deviled eggs and cupcakes with jelly bean decorations.



Jerry and Krissy and I were appointed to be Easter Bunnies. I'll tell you this, it was a challenge to find enough hiding places for the volume of eggs she had stuffed with candy, money and prize-winning tickets. But the kids were determined to find every one. They enjoyed blowing bubbles and playing with all the gifts that were rewards of their efforts. Thanks, Marti, it was a nice day!



The following day, Easter Sunday, was a day for celebrating grandson Ben's 14th birthday. And we were blessed with another sunny day...... we could enjoy the outdoors. Ben's Uncle Tim once again opened his home to us all. The food was great, the company was great and the story-telling was outstanding.

The youngsters in the group ran Tim's atv's mercilously on the tracks next door. Even Rio, the always-ready-to-play-ball Border Collie had a workout and was exhausted by the end of the afternoon....... Just the usual Hurley gathering.
Celebrating Ben's birthday made me think back (Here goes history again.) to when he visited us on the road at Green River Lakes in Wyoming a few summers ago. It was such a treasure to be able to share that spot with him.



Here's a photo of Jerry and Ben during that visit. As is always said, how can they grow up so fast? Ben is turning into a young man. He has a great personality, brains, an inquisitive nature and a super smile. (No prejudice here!)








What will his history be down the road?
We made one day of it, his 14th birthday.
May you have many more fabulous ones, Ben!!