Of the 15 presidential libraries run by the National Archives and Records Administration, this one is devoted to perhaps the most effective yet controversial president of the 20th century: Lyndon Johnson. If there’s one word that defines this museum, it’s “legacy.”
The trouble with the Smithsonian Institution is that it simply has way too much stuff to see. That’s not such a bad thing, though.
It’s all very well visiting grand historic homes and grand museums, but sometimes a very ordinary-looking old structure can grab the imagination and unexpectedly suck you in. That was my experience with the Mingus Grist Mill at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Easily the most prominent “man on a horse” statue at Virginia’s Manassas National Battlefield Park is that of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Weirdly, it’s a.) only been around since 1940, and b.) looks nothing like the real Jackson—or his horse.
The time I visited the George Mason Memorial I stumbled across it almost completely by accident. If there was ever a memorial in Washington, DC that seems like it was intended to be hidden from view, this is it. Just as well it’s so darned charming.
If you’re visiting Washington, DC and find yourself standing at the southern edge of Lafayette Square, chances are you’re there to get a view of the White House. But take a few minutes to look around and you’ll also see the park contains some fascinating statuary. There are some great stories behind those statues.
I’ve visited Gettysburg on five separate occasions over the years. But the most memorable of these was the time a ranger was giving us a tour of the National Military Cemetery and decided to go off script and do something a bit different. Suddenly we were off on a graveyard adventure!
It’s hard to overstate how much difference a good interpretive guide can make to your experience of a historic monument. I’ve had visits to great monuments spoiled by poor interpreters and visits to less well-known sites really brought alive by inspired historical interpretation. Longfellow House is a happy example of the latter category.
Dougie Does Monuments 