Harpers Ferry: A town with a long history

About thirty years ago I visited Harpers Ferry arriving after the park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, had closed.  My recollection was a fairy-tale history rich village that I needed to revisit.  So here we were at 10 AM driving past the park entrance without any specific time table for the day... yes, it was time to stop.

Entry Kiosk

We found a parking space for the truck and trailer.  After walking the cats we left them in the trailer with water, food, a litter box, fans running and vents open. Everyone was set for a few hours of touring.  

OK, we walked... you can go tour

The first stop was the National Park Visitor Center where we hoped to orient ourselves.  The center contained displays, park literature, and most important, park rangers.  The park is huge with four different areas covering three states. This has been an important trade and battle area for centuries and we are fortunate the National Park Service has preserved this history for us.  We opted to tour only Harpers Ferry and from the visitor center there are two routes to the "Lower Town", you can walk the 1.6 mile trail or take a shuttle.  

Visitor Center

The ranger suggested we board the next shuttle and walk the trails around the town.  Taking his advice, we boarded the bus and went back in time as the recorded narrative set the stage for the historical Harpers Ferry. We exited the bus knowing we were stepping back into a pre-Civil War Harpers Ferry.vb b

John Brown's Fort
Relocated many times
but now 150 feet from the original location

History Note:  Many people associate Harpers Ferry and John Brown's Raid.  A quick overview from http://www.history.com/topics/harpers-ferry

In October 1859, the U.S. military arsenal at Harpers Ferry was the target of an assault by an armed band of abolitionists led by John Brown (1800-59). (Originally part of Virginia, Harpers Ferry is located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia near the convergence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers.) The raid was intended to be the first stage in an elaborate plan to establish an independent stronghold of freed slaves in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. Brown was captured during the raid and later convicted of treason and hanged, but the raid inflamed white Southern fears of slave rebellions and increased the mounting tension between Northern and Southern states before the American Civil War (1861-65).

Nestled at the river mouth
far below the surrounding hills

 Harpers Ferry is at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers so naturally it has always been an important site for transportation and commerce.  There is evidence of human occupation for over 10,000 years; however, as with most of the US, history usually starts with the arrival of the British.  (Can't resist the dig being from Florida.)

Many layers of building
Unraveled by the historians and archaeologists

The first recorded  ferry service across the river in 1747 by Robert Harper, thus the name Harpers Ferry.  The town is in West Virginia with Maryland just across the Potomac and Virginia across the Shenandoah.  

Wild strawberries abound
but lacking in flavor

Considering the location, it was the scene of many historical firsts, visits, and battle scenes.  By the early 1800s Harpers Ferry was a thriving industrial hub with rifle-musket manufacturing, milling, and trade.  The rail roads and steamships wanted more access thus it was home to the B & O Railroad and the M & O Canal.   

Study in a preserved house

Exiting the bus you step into the historical park and the 1800s. Walking down the street are many shops, a boarding house, and a few residences.  All reflect a time period of the early 1800s with many shop owners dressed in period clothing.  The historical characters are mostly park staff and well versed in the life style.

Welcome to the General Store!

The displays, kiosks, videos, and visitor friendly layout allow you to explore on your own and experience an earlier time. Should you want more information or a group experience, join one of the formal tours led  by the park staff.

Back streets are still 1800

Now, there are two parts to the town, the National Park historic section and the private town with residences and businesses.  After touring the old town we ventured to the private section which contains additional shops, inns, and resturants.  A short walk found wonderful aromas coming from an inn that is also a restaurant.  The staff is attired in period dress, the building reflects the 1800s as does the menu.  

Appropriate meal
Chicken Pot Pie & Greens with ham

We ordered Chicken Pot Pie, Greens and Ham, along with Peach Cobbler.  All items were freshly made from scratch and quite tasty.

Lunch at the inn with Bill

It was now time to return to the visitor center and continue our trip.  The option of hiking back was appealing especially as over one mile would be on the Appalachian Trail.  

Appalachian Trail
rowards the Visitor Center

It was a pleasant return trip with scenic views of the hills and river.  Along the way we encountered other hikers, turtles, birds, and the opportunity to return to the 21st century gradually.

Turtle on the Shenandoah

Medoc Mountain State Park - A jewel in North Carolina

Want to know a secret?  An amazing park just off busy I-95 in North Carolina is Medoc Mountain State Park.  This year we had limited travel time... thus it seemed the best route from Florida to New York is the infamous I-95, the road everyone loves to hate but we are all thankful it exists.

Bluff Loop Trail

In searching for interesting overnight stops and adventure stops I found this...
Trails beckon as light filters through branches overhead and falls on paths that hold the promise of new frontiers. The peacefulness gives the opportunity to refresh. The silence of the forest is broken only by bird songs and the occasional drumming of the pileated woodpecker. Grab your hiking boots. Load your camera. Spend some time at Medoc Mountain State Park and let nature renew your spirit. (http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/memo/main.php)

Flowers to delight your senses

Rapids in the Little Fishing River
to renew the spirit

Well, the park description and location certainly caught my attention and we are glad it did.  The campground was almost empty!  It was like a private park which was good for walking the cats.

Slipjig feeling confident on this walk

With more than ten miles of hiking trails there was no question about Wednesday's adventure.  We were up early to walk the cats in the sparsely populated campground and open fields... 

Sleepy-eyed Bill walking Anna
At 5:30 AM Bill can awake slowly

Early morning sun reflects
on tall pines

...then off to hike the trails.  The first trail required bicycling to the educational trail at the Park Office.  This trail is paved and informs us about Clean Air and how to keep our air clean.  While at the Park Office, tour the museum to learn about the park.

Changing colors due to the dry summer

Returning to the campground, parking the bicycles, it was time to hit the longer trails.  The first choice was the three mile Bluff Loop Trail.  This promised views of the Little Fishing Creek from the high bluffs above the river.  Of course, the trail descended to the creek in many locations with the most interesting being the rapids caused when the creek narrowed.

  

Stairs on the Bluff Loop Trail
Climb up/down the bluff

Walking along the Bluff Loop Trail
renews your energy

At 325 feet above sea level Medoc Mountain is all that remains after millions of years of erosion on a mighty mountain range. The eroded peaks were formed by volcanic action during the Paleozoic Age, about 350 million years ago, so this is an old granite dome with a rich history.  When hiking the Summit Trail there are numerous outcroppings of granite and large granite stones.

Medoc Mountain Summit Trail

Considering the area was primarily agriculture since the early-1800s the road found on the Summit trail is not un-expected.  Nor was the cemetery; however, there was no mention of the Vinson family in the park literature.  This left me with more questions than answers on the Summit Loop Trail.

Vinson family  cemetary
Martha Smith Vinson
seems to have outlived most of her children

When there are not many people around the animals make their presence known.  We often saw deer, snakes, and toads on the trails.  

A huge black racer - 5+ feet
on the Summit Loop

One of the many toads in the park

Birds sang and called constantly... cardinals, crows, sparrows, woodpeckers, titmouse, wrens, hawks, and more.

Bird house are always a good sign

Although it has been dry, there was plenty of color in the leaves, trees, streams, and flowers. 

A dry summer season
brings color to the leaves

Interesting  formation in the clay
at the base of a tree

Lovely daisy plants
decorate the trails

When will we return?  For certain whenever we are in this area of the country.  Medoc Mountain State Park is a perfect stop over or vacation spot.

Colleton State Park ... Revisited

OK, what is the one of the original wayside parks built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp? 

A wayside park...
Originally a day use park
with picnic facilities
Yes, this is one of the original buildings

The definition of Wayside from Dictionary which gives:  the side of the way; land immediately adjacent to a road, highway, path; roadside. 

Edisto River
boarders the park

Hint, it is in South Carolina with a town address of Canadys, on the Edisto River,...
... and not far off I-95.

The campground area is heavily treed

Get it?  Yes, it is Colleton State Park.
I know you read my previous post on the park so this post will spotlight additional gems.  

The nature trail is heavily wooded
but opens into a cleared field

One jewel that captured my eyes were the bath house floors... broken tiles in a random pattern both inside and out.  Makes you wonder if the tiles were broken in shipment or from an older structure.

The CCC boys provided interesting
tile work in the bath house

Could these be the original doors?  

The park is well maintained so I'd say yes!

Bath house interior

 In contrast, the rangers are remodeling the one CCC building into an overnight cabin. They have added picnic tables, air conditioning, bunks, pathways, and a stairway to the river.  Just proves the CCC projects are gifts that keep on giving in new and wonderful ways.

Stairway and path to the river

Sparrow Music Camp at O'Leno State Park

Several years ago I started the journey to learn fiddle... this is not for the timid or feint of heart. There are days when I can not stand to hear myself practice but still I give it 10-15 minutes.  However, with each passing year the number of good practice days are catching up to the number of bad practice days!  Workshops have been the key to improving my music.

The sparrow heralds the details.

Last summer I first heard of Sparrow Music Camp and thought, "Maybe I'll go in 2015."  So here I am at the music camp.   

2014 Decal

 The camp is dedicated to teaching and preserving traditional music. This is often code for 'learn by ear' from instructors who gathered the tunes from traditional music masters.  It started as a mostly fiddle camp with a target audience of youth; however, we older folks help to fill the ranks and support the camp.  

Saturday afternoon Student Concert
The Old-Time Band #1

If the only instruction was for fiddle then the camp would not support interesting jams or a variety of instructors and players.  So the organizers designed the camp to include workshops in banjo, mandolin, dance, guitar, uke, and mountain dulcimer in addition to fiddle and fiddle-family instruments.

Practicing Banjo by the Sante Fe River

The camp is the dream of Aisha Ivey, a wonderful violinist and fiddler who just happens to teach music at Florida State University.  She has many credits to her name including nine Scottish Fiddle Championships, president of the Florida Fiddlers Association, and leader of a youth Old-Time String band.

Aisha Ivey & Chuck Levy
Saturday night concert

 The instructors and musical styles taught echo Aisha's broad range of interest with classes in Blues, Bluegrass, Improvisation, Irish, Minstrel, Old-Time, Scandinavian, Scottish, Swing, and the ever present theory buried in most classes.

Sharon Hartman, Mary Algire and band

The camp is held at O'Leno State Park with a recorded history back to the 1880s when the town of Leno was founded on the banks of the Santa Fe River. 

Remains of the Rock Dam
built for crop and lumber processing

The town was originally named Keno after a popular gambling game at the time. In 1876, Colonel Whetstone applied for a post office for the town of Keno and was denied due to the name and its relationship with gambling. The Colonel then had the name changed to Leno and was granted the post office. The town was an industrious town, consisting of two grist mills, a saw mill and six cotton gins. The town also had a general store, a hotel, a livery stable and a doctor’s office. In 1894, the S, F & W Railroad was diverted to pass through Fort White instead of Leno. This led to the eventual demise of the town, and by 1896, everyone had moved away.

History of Leno

O'Leno State Park is one of the original CCC parks.  The projects include many buildings, a lodge, and a well preserved suspension bridge built in 1935-1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corp and Works Progress Administration.

Suspension bridge
Built by the CCC in the 1930s

Suspension bridge
Built by the CCC & WPA in 1935-1936

The park, CCC, and the WPA...

Tom and Nancy Wilson
view the Student Concert
Held in the CCC Lodge

Development of the camp started as a Works Progress Administration project using unemployed labor from the High Springs area. In July 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps installed workers from Company 418. Camp P-67, to assist WPA workers at O’Leno. Development of the site progressed rapidly and between 1935 and 1936 the CCC cleared land, built roads and trails and constructed many of the buildings found in the park today.

Saturday afternoon Student Concert
in the CCC Lodge