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If you had to break up a Route 66 trip in to say three separate trips where would you break it? I would say Chicago to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City to Flagstaff and then Flagstaff to Santa Monica with a stop at Laughlin for a little righteous casino time. What say you, please chime in where you would make the breaks.
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Our Namesake[1] city this time is Athens, Georgia Athens, Georgia (33.956093, -83.388951) Athens, Georgia is a city of 115,452 located in Clarke County along the routes of US 29 and US 441. The city lies just 60 miles northeast of Atlanta near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Home to the University of Georgia and Piedmont College, it also features a restored Victorian era downtown full of art galleries, shops, nightclubs and fine dining establishments. Athens officially became a town in 1806 and was built on the banks of the Oconee River adjacent to where the University of Georgia was established in the late 1700’s. The area was named Athens after the city in Greece, by John Milledge, a university trustee and later Governor of Georgia. The city was a significant supply center for the Confederacy in the Civil war and still hosts a confederate memorial located on Broad Street near the University Arch. [2] If Civil war history is a passion for you, war exhibits are on display at the T.R.R. Cobb house at 175 Hill Street and you may pick up a map and brochure to the Heartland of the Confederacy Civil War Trails at the Athens Welcome Center at 300 N. Thomas Street. Athens also boasts the worlds only double barrel cannon. Built in 1863 at a local foundry and featured in Ripley’s Believe it Or Not! The cannon can be found at the intersection of City Hall, College, and Hancock Streets. Additional historical sites of interest in Athens include the Morton Theater, built in 1910 as one of the first African-American Vaudeville theaters; the First African Episcopal Methodist Church, built in 1866; Athens First Presbyterian Church, built in Greek Revival style in 1855 and remodeled in 1902; and the home of Joseph Henry Lumpkin, the first Justice of Georgia’s Supreme Court. The home was built in 1845 and is on the driving tour offered by Classic City Tours. You can take a tour of historic Athens daily at 2:00 PM starting from 280 E. Dougherty Street. The University of Georgia also has a rich history. Established in 1785, it was our nations first state charted university. The university was part of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s, admitting its first two black students in 1961. This was a big deal for Athens whose public schools remained segregated until 1970 despite the famous Brown Vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954. Today the university is home to some 34,000 students and boasts a visitor center, arboretum, performing arts center, Stegeman Coliseum for basketball and Sanford Stadium, home to the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. Holding 91,780 cheering fans it is the nations 5th largest on campus stadium. Athens also hosts Piedmont College, a private liberal institution established in 1897, and Athens Technical College, which offers associate degrees. Other attractions in Athens include the Classic Center Theater, The Terrapin Brewery and the 40 Watt Club where you may enjoy the Athens music scene. If Art is your thing you might enjoy visiting the Georgia Museum of Art, Lyndon House Art Center, Lamar School of Art and ATHICA (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art). And you won’t be able to miss “We Let the Dawgs Out” which features some three dozen larger than life Bulldogs spread throughout the city. If flowers interest you don’t miss the State Botanical Gardens and ask at the Welcome Center about the Georgia Antebellum Trail. Parks also abound in Athens including Oconee Forest Park, Sandy Creek Park, Sandy Creek Nature Center, and Memorial Park, which has a zoo “Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail”. Notable residents and natives of Athens, Georgia include: Actress Kim Basinger, Musician Leo Kottke, NFL Football player Dunta Robinson, and Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton. Fran went to Athens High School and the University of Georgia where he was quarterback of the Bulldogs and led them to a conference championship in 1959. Yes there is much to see and do in Athens, Georgia. Discover it all at the “Explore Georgia” Web Site. [3] Athens is included in the Historic Heartland region. Notes: 1. www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens,_Georgia 3. http://www.exploregeorgia.org Picture Credit: Street Scene in Athen's Georgia (Wikipedia Richard Chambers Public Domain)
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This entry in the For Namesake[1] Blog is Warsaw, Indiana. Warsaw, Indiana (41.238091, -85.852748) Warsaw, Indiana is a city of 13,559 located in Kosciusko County along Indiana Route 15, just south of US Route 30. It is the county seat of Kosciusko County and lies 40 miles northwest of Fort Wayne. Old Route 30 that passes through the city is the final alignment of the Lincoln Highway. [2] Warsaw has been given the nickname of “Lake City” because of its many nearby lakes. It is also often called “The Orthopedic Capital of the World” due to the many companies in the city that manufactures orthopedic devices. The closest college is Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake. Kosciusko County was organized in 1836. Warsaw was plated in October of that same year and was named for the capital of Poland. The first Post Office was established in 1837. Warsaw had a population of just over 750 when it was incorporated in March of 1854. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad reached Warsaw in May of that year. A city fire department was organized in 1859. Gas streetlights came in 1880 and were replaced by electric lights in 1897. The Warsaw Summer Resort Association was founded in 1885 for the purpose of establishing Warsaw as a resort community. That same year, Revra DePuy pioneered the orthopedic industry when he founded the DePuy Manufacturing Company. The Winona Interurban electrified trolley car system was started in 1903, tying Warsaw to Winona Lake and eventually to Goshen and Peru. Starting in the 1950’s Warsaw’s economy shifted from agricultural to industrial. From the 1960’s to the 1990’s the land area of the city tripled through a series of annexations and additions. [3] In Warsaw you may visit Adventures in Ballooning, the Hallmark Ornament Museum, Kosciusko County Courthouse, Lake City Greenway, Old Jail Museum, Wagon Wheel Theater, Warsaw Biblical Garden, Warsaw Performing Arts & Theater Group and Williamson’s Llama Farm. Columbia City offers Shannon’s Art & Inspiration, Thomas R. Marshall Home, Whitley County Civil War Memorial, Whitley County Courthouse, Whitley County Farmers Market and the Whitley County Historical Museum. Mentone has the Hidden Gallery of Fine Art and the Lawrence R. Bell Aircraft Museum. North Webster has the Dixie Boat Lake Tours and the Webster Ski Bees. In Rochester you may visit Artistic Impressions, the Coleman Lantern Museum, Dead River Woods Tours, Fulton County Courthouse, Fulton County Museum, Prill School Museum, Round Barn Museum and Siders Blueberry Farm. Nearby Winona Lake offers the Billy Sunday Home Museum, Bluse Heron Art Works, Canal Street Art Gallery, Mount Memorial Art Gallery at Grace College, Reneker Museum of Winona History and the Winona Bike Trail System. There are many lakes, both within Warsaw and the surrounding area. These include Big Barbee Lake, Big Chapman Lake, Center Lake, Hidden Lake, Hoffman Lake, Pike Lake, Tippecanoe Lake, Lake Wawasee, Webster Lake, and Winona Lake. Nearby Conservation areas are Canter Lake Wetland Conservation Area and Pisgah Marsh Non-game Area. Notable residents of Warsaw include Ambrose Bierce, author; Rick Fox, former NBA Basketball player; Bryan Hickerson, Major League Baseball pitcher; Merlin Hull, former member of the United States House of Representatives, Hal Kratzch, original member of the Four Freshmen singing group; and Reuben Williams, Union general during the Civil War. Picture Credit: Downtown Scene in Warsaw, Indiana (Wikimedia Commons - Derek Jensen Public Domain) Notes: 1. www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. Butko, Brian, Lincoln Highway Companion (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 2009) P. 132 3. http://02adf28.netsolhost.com/dotnetnuke/HistoryofWarsaw/tabid/129/Default.aspx
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This entry in the For Namesake blog is about London, Kentucky and the World Chicken Festival [1}, which this year is being held on September 25 to 28. This is one of 14 "London's" from the book "For Namesake, a Travel Book"[2] London, Kentucky (37.128670, -84.083341) London, Kentucky is a town of 7,993 located in Laurel County along US Route 25 and Kentucky Route 80, just east of Interstate 75 in the southern part of the state. London is the county seat of Laurel County. London has a satellite campus of Union College. The main campus is in Barbourville 20 miles to the southeast of London. London also has the Somerset Community College. Corbin, 10 miles south of London, has a satellite campus of Eastern Kentucky University. The act that created Laurel County in 1825 provided for a popular vote to select the county seat. John and Jarvis Jackson’s offer of the site of London was accepted along with their suggestion that the town be named London. It is believed that they selected the name based upon their English ancestry and the hope that the new settlement might grow to be like its namesake. London was officially found in 1826. The post office was established in 1831 with Branham Hill as the first postmaster. The town was incorporated in 1866. [3] London is the home of the World Chicken Festival that can draw as many as 250,000 people on the last weekend of every September. Attractions in London include the Camp Wild Cat Civil War Battlefield, Daniel Boone Motocross Park, Kinlee Stables, Laurel County History Museum & Genealogy Center, London Community Orchestra, London Dragway, London Laurel County Farmers Market, Mountain Life Museum and Rockcastle Adventures Canoe Livery. Barbourville has the Historic McNeil’s Crossing, Knox Historical Museum, and the Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site. Corbin offers the Cumberland Star Riverboat, Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum and the Sanders Café & Museum, in Colonel Sanders’ original restaurant. Manchester has the Clay County Community Farmers Market. Mount Vernon offers the Climax Horse Camp, Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, Rockcastle Speedway and Sigmon Farms. Somerset has the Carnegie Community Arts Center, Cedar Creek Vineyard, the Center for Rural Development Performing Arts, Children’s Botanical Garden of South Central Kentucky, Pulaski County Farmers Market, Sinking Valley Winery and SomerSplash Water Park. The Daniel Boone National Forest located both to the east and west of London, has many campgrounds. Nearby lakes include Laurel River Lake and Wood Creek Lake. State Parks in the area include Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, General Burnside Island State Park, Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park and Pine Mountain State Resort Park. Notable residents of London include Teel Bruner, College Football Hall of Fame inductee; Chera-Lyn Cook, beauty queen & Miss Kentucky in 1998; Roy L. Gilbert, American thoroughbred horse jockey; Flem D. Sampson, former governor of Kentucky; and Darrell Scott, country singer and songwriter. Notes: 1. http://chickenfestival.com 2. http://http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 3. Rennick, Robert M., Kentucky Place Names (Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1987) p.178 Picture Credit: Laurel County Courthouse in London, Kentucky (Wikimedia Commons - User: W. Marsh CC-BY-SA)
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This entry in our For Namesake Blog is about Moscow, Idaho. Moscow, Idaho is one of 6 Moscow's in the United states from the book For Namesake, a travel book - Places in America inspired by famous World Cities. [1] Moscow, Idaho (46.732298, -116.999936) Moscow, Idaho is a city of 23,800 located in Latah County along US Route 95 and Idaho Route 8. Moscow is the county seat of Latah County and is situated along the Idaho/Washington border 20 miles north of Lewiston. The city serves as the commercial hub of the Palouse region. Moscow is home to New Saint Andrews College, the University of Idaho and the University of Idaho Law School. The University of Idaho is a land grant institution. Eight miles west is another land grant college, Washington State University, in Pullman. Settlers arrived in the Palouse region of Idaho in 1871 and established the town that would become Moscow. The original name for the community was Paradise Valley In 1875 the town’s first store was opened on Main Street. In 1877, Samuel Neff filed for a postal permit, using the name of Moscow because it reminded him of his hometown of Moscow, Pennsylvania. The city began to grow with the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1885. The city was incorporated as Moscow in 1887. Idaho achieved statehood in 1890. The University of Idaho opened its doors in 1892. England’s electronic rock group, The Cassandra Complex, made the city famous with their song Moscow, Idaho when it was released in1985. [2] There is much to see and do in Moscow and the surrounding area. In Moscow you may visit the Appaloosa Museum, Camas Prairie Winery, Hamilton-Lowe Aquatic Center, Idaho Forest Fire Museum, Idaho Repertory Theater, Kenworthy Performing Arts Center, Latah County Historical Museum, Mary Jane’s Organic Farm, McConnell Mansion Museum, Moscow-Elk River Snowmobile Trails, Moscow Farmers Market,, Palouse Ice Rink, Palouse Recreation Trails and the University of Idaho Arboretum & Botanical Garden. Clarkston, Washington has the Asotin County Aquatic Center, Basalt Cellars Winery, Buffalo Eddy Petroglyphs, Iris Test Garden, Kiwi Helicopter Tours, Lewis and Clark Timeline, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Lower Granite Dam and the Valley Arts Center. Lewiston offers the Clearwater Canyon Winery, Clearwater River Casino, Garden Creek Ranch Conservation Area, Historic Sheep creek Ranch, Lewis-Clark Center for Arts & History, Lewiston Civic Theater, Lewiston Levees Parkway and the Nez Perce County Historical Society Museum. Pullman, Washington has the Cougar Gold Cheese Factory, Ferdinand’s Ice Cream, Palouse Discovery Science Center, Palouse Scenic Byway, Pullman Civic Theater and the Washington State University Theater. South of Moscow at the Emerald Creek Garnet Area you may hunt for your own gems. There are two large lakes in the Moscow area; Dworshak Reservoir in Idaho and Lower Granite Lake on the Snake River Canyon in Washington. The Nez Perce National Historic Park is east of Lewiston. Idaho State parks in the area include Dworshak State Park, Hells Gate State Park Heyburn State Park and Winchester Lake State Park. Steptoe Butte State Park is in Washington, north of Pullman. Notable residents from Moscow include Carol Ryrie Brink, author; Philip Habib, diplomat & peace envoy; and Josh Ritter, singer and songwriter. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/about-moscow/history Picture credit: Welcome sign at Moscow, Idaho (Wikimedia Commons - Robbie Love Giles© CC-BY-SA)
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This entry in the "For Namesake" blog is about Lisbon, Maine, home of the World Famous Moxie Festival which takes place this year on July 11 - 13. Moxie is a unique New England soft drink with a taste that you have to experience for yourself. Moxie started out as a "Nerve Food" and was first introduced by Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union, Maine as a patent medicine in 1876. Back then it was given out by the spoonful to cure any number of medical conditions. In 1884 Dr Thompson began to market it as a soft drink. You may learn all about Moxie and this years festival at: http://moxiefestival.com Come join in the fun and try some Moxie, it really is very good. Lisbon, Maine (43.996006, -70.061090) http://mapjam.com/lisbonmaine Lisbon, Maine is a town of 9,009 located in Androscoggin County along Maine Route 196. Within the town of Lisbon there is a Census Designated Place (CDP) called Lisbon Falls, where Moxie Soft Drinks originated, with a population of 4,420. Lisbon lies along the Androscoggin River, ten miles southeast of Auburn, the county seat. The closest colleges and universities are Bates College in Lewiston, Bowdoin College in Brunswick and Southern New Hampshire University of Maine in Brunswick. Auburn has Central Maine Community College, which offers associates degrees. The town of Lisbon proclaims the area was settled as early as 1628, however, evidence suggests that only part time settlers were in the area at that time, and full time settlers did not arrive until 1766. Between then and 1800, several saw mills and grist mills were being operated in the region. The area at that time was part of the town of Bowdoin, until 1799 when it was incorporated as the Town of Thomsonborough. Wanting a shorter name, in 1802 the residents changed the name to Lisbon, after the Portugal capital city. The mills in the area continued and were greatly expanded in the 1860’s when the Worumbo, Farwell and Farnsworth mills were erected, employing hundreds of workers. Most of the mills are gone now except for a lumber mill near the Little River Bridge, which has been in operation at that site for nearly 200 years. Lisbon has always been a melting pot of many nationalities including English, French, Slovak and German. Lisbon Falls is now a part of the town of Lisbon, however at one time there was such a rivalry between the two, that a marriage between someone from Lisbon and Lisbon Falls was considered a “mixed marriage”. Sports have always been important in Lisbon and at one time they had a semi professional baseball team called the Worumbo Indians. [1] [2] In Lisbon you may visit the Maine Art Glass Studio and Sanctuary Gallery. Lisbon holds an annual Moxie festival every summer. There are also several historical structures listed on the National Register of Historical Places including Cushman Tavern, Farwell Mill, Shiloh Temple, St. Cyril & St. Methodius Church and Worumbo Mill. Nearby Auburn offers the Androscoggin Historical Society, Androsoggin County Courthouse, Auburn Fire Department Museum, Bel Air Flight Tours, Full Moon Alpacas & Country Store, Knight House Museum and Lewiston/Auburn Little Theater. Just across the river, Lewiston has the Bates College Museum of Art, Great Falls Balloon Festival, Lewiston/Auburn Arts, Lewiston/Auburn Arts Gallery 5, Lewiston Maineiacs Hockey, Maine Music Society, Museum Lewiston/Auburn, Northeast Charter Tours and the Public Theater. In Brunswick you may see the Bayview Gallery, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Bowdoin International Music Festival, C.G. Jung Center, Crystal Spring Farm, Five Rivers Art Alliance, Joshua L Chamberlain Museum, Maine State Music Theater, Peary-Macmillan Artic Museum, Pejepscot Historical Society Museums, Skofield-Whittier House, Spindleworks Art Center, The Theater Project and VSA Gallery. For fishing visit A1 Schenk’s Fishing Guide Service in Lewiston or Captain Doug Jowett Fishing Tours in Brunswick. For boating there is Lake Auburn Dresden, the large Sebago Lake or Seaspray Kayaking Tours in Brunswick. Winter Skiing is available at Lost Valley Ski near Auburn. Near Freeport there are some sand dunes known as the Desert of Maine. There are several state parks in the area including Bradbury Mountain State Park, Peacock Beach State Park, Popham Beach State Park, Range Ponds State Park, Reid State Park, Sebago Lake State Park and Thomcrag Bird Sanctuary. Near Popham Beach State Park is the Fort Popham State Historical Site. Famous persons from Lisbon include humorist and author John Gould and horror writer Steven King. United States Senator Olympia Snowe, lives in nearby Auburn. Paris, Maine another "For Namesake" town is located 30 miles northwest of Lisbon. All "For Namesake" towns are from my book "For Namesake, a Travel Book - Places in AMerica Inspired by Famous World Cities". [3] Notes: 1. http://www.lisbonmainehistory.org 2. http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2200 3. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK Picture Credit: Balloons Over Androscoggin River in Auburn near Lisbon, Maine. (Wikimedia Commons - Kevin Fellow Public Domain)
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From the album: For Namesake
Moxie bottle, taken in North Conway, Maine on a fall foliage trip in 2012.© Photo by Rick Etchells
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This month's "For Namesake" town is Milan, Michigan, one of 10 Milan's in the US from the book "For Namesake - a Travel Book"[1] Milan, Michigan (42.084126, -83.681074) http://mapjam.com/milanmi Milan, Michigan is a town of 5,836 located in Monroe and Washtenaw Counties along US Route 23. It lies 20 miles northwest of Monroe, the county seat of Monroe County and 15 miles south of Ann Arbor, the county seat of Washtenaw County. Milan is on the Saline River, which is a tributary of the River Raisin. The closest universities are Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Concordia University in Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor also has a campus of Cleary University. US Route 12 that passes north of Milan, through the community of Saline, is known as the Pulaski Memorial Highway. The first settler in what would become the town of Milan was John Marvin who arrived in 1831. The same year, Bethuel Hack and Harmon Allen arrived. These three men, with their families, formed the nucleus for the present day Milan. There was no master plan for a town, it just sort of happened on its own. By the spring of 1833 there were enough settlers in the area for a post office. It was established with Bethuel Hack as the first postmaster, and designated as Farmersville, because it was primarily a farming community. In 1834 David A Woodard took over as postmaster and promptly renamed the community as Woodard mills in honor of himself. A short time later Henry Tolan, the town druggist served as interim postmaster and again renamed the town; this time to Tolanville, also after himself. In 1836 the townsfolk chose to name the town Milan, after the township that it was a part of. Milan Township had been named after the Italian city because of its many immigrants from that country. The Postmaster General agreed that henceforth all mail for the town would be directed to Milan. Milan was officially accepted as a Home-rule Village in 1885. Eighty-two years later, in 1967, it was formally incorporated as a Michigan City. [2] In Milan you may visit the Hack House Museum, Milan Dragway, Talladay Farms Corn Maze and the Wasem Fruit Farm. The larger city of Ann Arbor offers the Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Charles Baird Carillion, Cobblestone Farm Museum, Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Gerald R. Ford Library, Kempf House Museum, Kreft Center Gallery, Leslie Science Center, Matthaei Botanical Garden, Michigan Theater, University of Michigan Art Museum, University of Michigan Kelsey Museum of Archeology, University of Michigan Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry and the Washtenaw County Courthouse. Dundee has Farmer J’s Corn Maze, Hoopt’s Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze, Old Mill Museum and the Southeast Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail. Monroe offers the Eby Log Cabin, Farmer Charley’s Corn Maze Adventures, Monroe County Courthouse, Monroe County Historical Museum, Monroe County Labor History Museum, River Raisin Battlefield Visitors Center, Sawyer Homestead (1873) and the Vietnam Veterans Historical Museum. In Saline you may visit Coleman’s Corn Maze, Lotz Orchard, Saline Depot Museum, Rentschler Farm Museum and the Spotted Dog Winery. Ypsilanti offers the Makielski Berry farm, Michigan Firehouse Museum, Riverside Arts Center, Wiards Orchard, Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, Ypsilanti Fire Station Museum and the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. There are two lakes near Milan along the Huron River; Ford Lake and Belleville Lake. State parks in the area include Cambridge Junction Historical State Park, Lake Huron State Recreation Area, Pinckney State Recreation Area, Waterloo State Recreation Area and Walter J. Hays State Park. Notable residents of the Washtenaw county seat of Ann Arbor include Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist; Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker; Loren D. Estleman, author; Jim Harbaugh, former NFL quarterback; Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza; Iggy Pop (James Newell Ostenberg, Jr.), rock musician; Bob Seger, rock musician; Samuel C.C. Ting, Nobel Prize winning physicist; and Martha Vickers, actress. Photo: Saline River Dam in Saline near Milan, Michigan (Wikimedia Commons - Dwight Burdette CC_BY-SA) Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://www.historicmilan.com
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This entry in our For Namesake Blog [1] is about Havana, Florida, the "Arts and Antiques" Capital of northern Florida. (30.62728, -84.41483) http://mapjam.com/havana_florida Havana, Florida is a town of 1,754 located in Gasden County along US Route 27 and Florida Route 12. It lies 11 miles east of Quincy, the county seat of Gasden County and 12 miles northwest of Tallahassee, the Florida capital. The nearest universities are Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University in Tallahassee. Tallahassee also has Tallahassee Community College, a 2-year college. The town of Havana was chartered in 1906. Its economy was primarily based on tobacco for the cigar industry. Because of this, the town was named for Havana, Cuba. The town suffered economic hardship when the cigar industry moved to Central America in the 1960’s when many people were forced to move away. In 1983, two antiques shop owners in Tallahassee were looking to relocate and wanted to buy an old building on the main street in Havana. They were delighted that for just twice as much money they were offered the entire block of buildings. This was the beginning of transforming the town of Havana into the art and antique Mecca that it is today. With many antique type shops in the same area, the business of all of them continues to grow. It has also helped that they work together and not against one another and participate in joint advertising and marketing. In addition to the antiques there has been a resurgence of interest in the historic homes of old Havana. Through out its history Havana has lived through many devastating fires in 1909, 1916, 1973 and most recently in the year 2000 when the Havana Canning Company Warehouse burned down. [2] With more than 30 antiques and art oriented shops, Havana is known as North Florida’s “Arts and Antiques Capital” and is a prime stop on the Florida Arts Trail. The Planters Exchange, Inc. building and the Dr. Malcolm Nicholson Farmhouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Havana sponsors three annual festivals including the Havana MusicFest each April and the Bead and Jewelry Fest and Pumpkin Fest in October. The county seat of Quincy is known as the “City that Coca-Cola built” because of the large amount of the company’s stock once owned by the town’s residents. Quincy has a designated historic district, nine structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Bell and Bates restored Hardware store and the Gasden Arts Center. The state capital of Tallahassee offers the Goodwood Museum and Gardens, the Governors Mansion, Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, John G. Riley Museum of African American History and Culture, Knott House Museum, Lemoyne Center for Visual Arts, Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, Mission San Luis, Museum of Florida History, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Pebble Hill Plantation, State Capitol Complex, Tallahassee Automobile Museum, Tallahassee Ballet, Tallahassee Museum, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and the Union Bank Museum. Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge, located south of Tallahassee on the coast, offers a habitat for migratory birds. The nearby Apalachicola National Forest offers many campgrounds. There are five fairly large lakes and eleven state parks within an hours drive of Havana. The lakes are Lake Jackson, Lake Lamonia, Lake Miccosukee, Lake Seminole and Lake Talquin. The state parks are Alfred B. Maclay Gardens, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs, Florida Caverns, Lake Jackson Mounds Arch, Lake Talquin, Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic, Ochlockonee River, San Marcos de Apalache Historic, Saint George Island, Three Rivers, and Torreya. Notable residents from the county seat of Quincy include Nat Adderly, Jr., music arranger for Luther Vandross; Lady Chablis, actress; Billy Dean, country music singer; Dexter Jackson, NFL football player & Super Bowl XXXVII Most Valuable Player; and Jerrie Mock, the first woman to fly solo around the world. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://www.havanaflorida.com/history.aspx Picture: Street scene in Havana, Florida (Credit - Wikimedia Commons - Tim Ross Public Domain)
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Spring begins today (March 20). What better way to celebrate it than to get out and take a drive on the famous roads and highways of our great country. One such highway of course is Route 66. One namesake town very close to Route 66 is Vienna, Missouri, so it is the subject of this installment of the For Namesake" Blog [1] Vienna, Missouri (32.18692, -91.94904) http://mapjam.com/vienna-missouri Vienna, Missouri is a village of 610 located in Maries County at the Intersection of US Route 63 and Missouri State Route 42. It is the county seat of Maries County and lies 20 miles northwest of Rolla. The nearest university is Missouri University of Science and Technology, formally the University of Missouri-Rolla in Rolla. Famous Route 66 passes by south of Vienna, through the communities of Rolla and St. James. Maries County was organized in March of 1855 and named for the Big and Little Maries Rivers. Vienna was selected as the county seat. It is said that Dr. V.G. Lethem, who was the presiding county judge, had a young women in his family named Vie Anna who had passed away. He desired that the village be given that name to honor her. Commissioner McCord, thinking this unwise, chose instead to name the community after the Austrian Capital, Vienna, a name so similar that even the good Dr. would approve. The post office here dates from 1867 forward, so we can take that as the date of the founding of the village, although it most likely had its beginning earlier. [2] In Vienna you may visit the Maries County Courthouse and the Maries County Historical Society Museum. Dixon has the Blue Jay Farm, Boling Springs Canoe Rentals and the Rocky Edge Bluff Farm. The Capital city of Jefferson City has many attractions including The Art Bazaar, Carnahan Memorial Gardens, Cole County Historical Society Museum, Jefferson Landing State Historical Site, La Maison Conference Center, Lewis & Clark Trailhead Monument, Missouri Governors Mansion, Missouri Highway Patrol Safety Education Center & Museum, Missouri State Capitol, Missouri State Museum, Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation Museum, Museum of Missouri Military History Rudge Nature Center and Summit Lake Winery. Rolla has a Visitors Center at 1311 Kings Highway. There you may learn about The Centre, Leach Theater, Ozark Actors Theater, Splash Zone, University of Science & Technology Experimental Mine, University of Science & Technology Mineral Museum and other Rolla area attractions. In St. James you may visit the St. James Winery. The Mark Twain National Forest is just southwest of Rolla. Vienna is located close to several conservation areas including Canaan Conservation Area, Painted Rock Conservation Area, Spring Creek Conservation Area, and Woods Memorial Conservation Area. Nearby Lakes include Lake Ozark and Peaceful Valley Lake. State Parks in the region include Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Katy Trail State Park, Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Onondaga Cave State Park. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://thelibrary.org/lochist/moser/mariesco.html Picture Credit: Maries County Courthouse at Vienna, Missouri (Americasroof at en.wikipedia CC-BY-SA)
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This entry in the For Namesake [1] blog is Cairo, Georgia. (30.88101, -84.19922) http://mapjam.com/cairo-georgia Cairo, Georgia is a town of 9,607 located along US Route 84 in the southwest corner of Georgia. The town is the county seat of Grady County and lies 15 miles west of Thomasville, Georgia and 40 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. The town has a campus of Southwest Georgia Technical College. The main campus is in Thomasville, which also has Thomas University. Bainbridge College, a 2-year junior college, is in the town of Bainbridge, 20 miles west of Cairo. The first settlement in the Cairo area was known as Miller’s Station and was a stagecoach stop between Thomasville and Bainbridge. Cairo was charted first as a town in 1870 and then as a city in 1906. It was named for the city in Egypt but is pronounced, “kay-row”. [2] Cairo is nicknamed “Georgia’s Hospitality City” and “Syrup City”. There is no relationship with the Karo brand of corn syrup even though the pronunciation is the same. The town earned its nickname because it was a large producer of cane syrup from the early 1900’s up until the late 1990’s. The best-known producer in the area was the W. B. Roddenbery Company. Dean Foods purchased the company in 1993 and the Cairo plant was shut down about 10 years later. The Cairo high school football team is known as the “Syrupmakers” and the schools female athletic teams are called the “Syrup Maids”. Attractions in Cairo include the Roddenbery Memorial Library with an excellent Children’s library and a genealogy collection; The Birdsong Nature Center at 2106 Meridian Road, offering nature trails and bird watching and the Cairo Antique Car Museum on US 84 in town. The Pope museum, 8 miles to the northeast of town, offers more than 200 statues all done my Mrs. Pope Forester. The statues honor heroes from both world wars and others. Even though the museum is now closed, and up for sale, you can still view the statues on your own. Cairo holds several annual festivals including the Rattlesnake Roundup in January, the Great Southwest Antique Auto Show and Rally in May, Pow-Wow in July, Mule Day in November and a Christmas parade each December. In Thomasville there is the Jack Hadley Black History Museum (214 Alexander Street); Pebble Hill Plantation (1251 US 319 South); Thomasville Cultural Center (600 East Washington) and the Lapham Patterson House Historic Site at 626 North Dawson. Water sports are available along the Ochlocknee River, which flows south of Cairo and at several nearby lakes. These include Lake Lamonia, Lake Miccosukee and Lake Jackson in northern Florida and Lake Seminole 40 miles west of Cairo on the Georgia/Florida border. Seminole State Park is located on the northern side of the lake. Grady County and the area around Cairo are also well known for its excellent hunting resources. Notable persons from Cairo include Teresa Edwards, former professional basketball player and Olympic Gold Medalist; Jackie Robinson, Baseball Hall of Fame member and first African American to play professional baseball; Daryle Singletary, county music singer; Mickey Thomas, lead singer of Jefferson Starship; and Arthur L. Williams, Jr., founder of Primerica Financial Services. Berlin, Georgia is another nearby For Namesake town. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2944 Picture Credit: Grady County Courthouse in Cairo, Georgia (Wikimedia Commons – Tim Ross Public Domain)
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From the album: For Namesake
Display outside of US 40 Our National Road interpretive center in Richmond, Indiana.© My picture
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This entry in our For Namesake blog is by request and is about Dublin, Indiana. You will find this village and many many others in my book, "For Namesake"[1] If anyone has any other For Namesake places that they would alike to see in this blog, either from my book or not, please let me know. Dublin, Indiana (39.812294,-85.206442) Dublin, Indiana is a village of 790 located in Wayne County along Historic US Route 40. It lies 16 miles west of the larger city and county seat of Richmond. The closest college or university is Earlham College in Richmond. US Route 40 is known as “Our National Road” and was one of our nation’s first transcontinental highways, stretching 3157 miles from Atlantic City, New Jersey to San Francisco California. Commissioned in 1926 its path lays along that of several previous highways and transportation routes including the National Road, the Victory Highway and parts of the Lincoln Highway. You can learn about the highway, past and present, at the National Road Welcome Center at 5701 National Road East in Richmond or at the US Route 40 web site [2] Display at US 40 Our National Road Welcome Center The village of Dublin was first plated in 1830. A Female Seminary was established there in 1835. The attitude of temperance was strong in the area and there were no drinking saloons in the early days of Dublin. By 1870 Dublin had a population of 1,076 persons. [3] An historical marker located by the volunteer fire department in town indicates that Dublin was the site in 1851 of the first woman’s rights convention in Indiana. Interestingly the name Dublin has nothing to do with Irish heritage, but rather from a hill along the National Road that required doublin’ up of horses to climb in muddy conditions. [4] The Wayne county area around Dublin has numerous attractions. In Cambridge City you can see the 1830’s Overbeck House, McMaze Corn Maze and visit the Museum of Overbeck Art Pottery. Centerville has the 1840 Mansion House Inn, a Model T Ford Museum, Centerville Historic District and Salisbury Courthouse. In Connersville you can enjoy a ride along the Whitewater Valley Railroad. Fountain City has the Levi Coffin Home, which was a stop along the Underground Railroad. Near Hagerstown you can see the Birthplace of air pioneer, Wilber Wright. The 1871 Isaac Kinsey House known as Beechwood is near Milton. Mount Auburn offers the Huddleston House Tavern, an 1838 Inn along the National Road. In New Castle you can visit the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. The City of Richmond offers the Garr House and Farm Museum, the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, Joseph Moore Art Museum, Richmond Art Museum, Wayne County Courthouse and the Wayne County Historical Museum. There are also four historic districts in Richmond and the Madonna of the Trail Statue. Located at 2260 East Main in Richmond this is one of twelve such statues in the country, placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor pioneer women. In the northern part of Wayne County is an Amish settlement in Williamsburg. Madonna of the Trail in Richmond, Indiana Outdoor recreation in the area is available at Summit Lake State Park, north of Dublin and at three recreation areas along Brookville Reservoir, south of Dublin. These include Whitewater Memorial State Park, Quakertown State Recreation Area and Mounds State Recreation Area. Notable persons from Wayne County include Jim Jones, cult founder/leader; Rich Mullins, Christian contemporary artist; and Ned Rorem, composer. New Paris, Ohio, located 20 miles east of Dublin is another "For Namesake" town. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://www.route40.net 3. http://www.archive.org/details/historyofwayneco00inyoun pg. 262-266 4. http://www.visitrichmond.org/history.cfm Picture Credits : (courtesy of the author)
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Denny, Thanks for your input and suggestion. We can do that one for sure. It will be next up. Rick
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This blog is based on Namesake communities from my book "For Namesake, a Travel Book - Places in America inspired by Famous World Cities".http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK The book contains articles on 17 famous world cities and 185 cities, towns and vilages in the USA that have the same name. I believe it's a fun and enjoyable read. I have been doing this blog now for awhile where I have been picking the Namesake communities to present. Now it's your turn to comment and let me know if there is a particular community from my book that you would like me to blog about. So here is the list from the book. Please comment and let me know: Alabama: Athens, Florence, Geneva, Madrid Arizona: Florence Arkansas: Georgetown, Havana, London, Paris California: Dublin, Georgetown Colorado: Florence, Georgetown Connecticut: Georgetown, New London Delaware: Georgetown Florida: Geneva, Havana, Lisbon Georgia: Athens, Berlin, Cairo, Dublin, East Dublin, Geneva, Georgetown, Milan, Rome, Vienna Idaho: Georgetown, Moscow, Paris Illinois: Athens, New Athens, Berlin, New Berlin, Cairo, Florence, Geneva, Georgetown, Havana, Lima, Lisbon, London Mills, Milan, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Warsaw Indiana: Dublin, Geneva, Georgetown, Milan, New Paris, Rome city, Warsaw Iowa: Geneva, Lisbon, Madrid, New London, Rome, New Vienna, Kansas: Florence, Havana, Milan, Moscow Kentucky: Florence, Georgetown, London, Paris, Warsaw Louisiana: Athens, Georgetown, Lisbon, Vienna Maine: Lisbon, Paris, West Paris Maryland: Berlin, Londontowne, Vienna Michigan: Athens, Milan Minnesota: Florence, Geneva, Georgetown, Milan, New London Mississippi: Florence, Georgetown Missouri: Cairo, New Florence, New London, New Madrid, Milan, Moscow Mills, Paris, Vienna, Warsaw Montana: Florence, Lima Nebraska: Cairo, Geneva, Madrid New Hampshire: Berlin, Lisbon, Londonderry New Jersey: Berlin New Mexico: Madrid, Milan New York: Athens, New Berlin, Cairo, Geneva, Lima, Rome, Warsaw North Carolina: Dublin, New London, Warsaw North Dakota: Berlin, Havana, Lisbon Ohio: Athens, New Athens, Berlin Heights, Cairo, Dublin, Geneva, Geneva on the Lake, Georgetown, Lima, Lisbon, London, New London, Milan, Moscow, New Paris, Saint Paris, New Vienna, South Vienna, Warsaw Oklahoma: Lima Oregon: Florence Pennsylvania: Athens, Berlin, East Berlin, New Berlin, Dublin, New Florence, Geneva, Georgetown, Lima, Moscow, New Paris, Rome South Carolina: Florence, Georgetown South Dakota: Florence, Vienna Tennessee: Athens, Milan, Moscow, Paris Texas: Athens, New Berlin, Dublin, Florence, Georgetown, Havana, New London, Paris, Roma Virginia: Dublin, Vienna, and Warsaw Washington: Geneva West Virginia: Athens, Cairo, Vienna Wisconsin: Athens, Berlin, New Berlin, New Lisbon, New London, Rome Thanks.
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This entry in the "For Namesake"[1] blog is about Madrid, New Mexico. Madrid, once a company coal mining town, was famous from the 1920's to the 1940's when miners would light up the winter sky with some 150,000 Christmas lights powered from the company's coal fed generators. Today this tradition has been revived with the town being lit again by its artisans and shop owners. Explore the Christmas events and all there is to see and do in Madrid at http://www.visitmadridnm.com Madrid, New Mexico (35.406705, -106.152523) http://aMAP.to/madrid-newmexico Madrid, New Mexico is a village of 204 located in Santa Fe County along New Mexico Route 14. This highway is known as the Turquoise Trail and connects Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Madrid lies 20 mile southwest of Santa Fe, the county seat of Santa Fe County and the capital of New Mexico. The closest colleges are in Santa Fe and include the College of Santa Fe, Institute of American Indian Arts, St. Johns College and Southwestern College. Santa Fe also has Santa Fe Community College. Madrid is in the mineral rich Ortiz Mountains. It is the oldest coal mining region in New Mexico, with evidence of mining activity as early as the mid 1850’s. By 1892 the yield was such that a 6.5-mile standard gauge railroad spur was constructed from the valley there, then called “Coal Gulch”, to the main line of the Santa Fe Railroad. By 1899 all coal production in the area was consolidated there and Coal Gulch had become Madrid. It is believed to have been named for a family of settlers. It became a boomtown of about 2,500 persons. To provide homes for the miners and their families, cabins were dismantled in Kansas, shipped by rail and reassembled. In 1919 Oscar Joseph Huber was hired as fulltime superintendent of the mines. He was instrumental in turning Madrid into a model company town, with a company store, fully equipped hospital and good schools. He formed an Employee’s Club that required every miner to donate from .50 to $1.00 per month for community causes. They were also required to participate in town events such as the Fourth of July celebration and the now famous Christmas Light Displays. This lasted from the 1920’s to the 1950’s when the mines closed. In the 1970’s Oscar’s son, Joe Huber, began renting the miner’s cabins to artisans. This trend converted Madrid into what it is today, a small village with a quiet residential area, and a busy main street filled with merchants and art galleries. A recent source for income for the village has been in supplying granite slabs for countertops. Like most of the communities in Santa Fe County, Madrid is a Census Designated Place (CDP). [2] [3] In Madrid itself you may visit the Old Coal Mine Museum and the famous Mineshaft Tavern. The ending of the 2007 film “Wild Hogs” was set and filmed in Madrid. Nearby Cerrillos, has the Turquoise Mining Museum & Petting Zoo. Twenty-four miles south, along the Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway, you do not want to miss seeing the quirky Tinkertown Museum. [4] The capital city of Santa Fe is also a must stop, and offers much to see and do. Sites of architectural or historic interest include the Barrio De Analco Historic District, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Loretto Chapel, Palace of the Governors and San Miguel Mission. Santa Fe is considered to be the second largest art center in the United States after New York City. The highest concentration of galleries is along Canyon Road, east of the downtown Plaza. There are also many Sculptures located throughout the city. For the performing arts there is the Lensic Theater where dance, music and opera productions are held on a regular basis. Museums include the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Institute of American Indian Arts, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art, New Mexico History Museum, New Mexico Museum or Art and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. Check the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau web site for complete information on all of the city’s attractions. [5] There are two state parks in the Madrid area; Cerrillos Hills State Park and Hyde Memorial State Park. Rafting is available on the nearby Rio Grande River. You may take a tramway to the top of Sandia Peak, in the Cibola National Forest, for spectacular views of the city of Albuquerque, far below. Mary Wayne “Mae” Marsh, American film actress, was born in Madrid. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. http://www.mad-rid.com 3. http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=17897 4. Meier, Johnnie, “Tinkertown: The Wonderful Whimsical World of Ross Ward”, Route 66 Magazine, Volume 17, No. 3; (summer, 2010) 8 5. http://www.santafe.org Picture: Shops in old miners cabins in Madrid, New Mexico (Wikimedia Commons – Cathy Calkin CC-BY-SA)
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This entry in the "For Namesake"[1] Blog is about the town of New Madrid, Missouri. Incorporated in 1808 It is believed to be the oldest town west of the Mississippi River, albeit it is not too far west. It has an interesting history. A series of strong earthquakes that nearly destroyed the entire region began 202 years ago this December. New Madrid, Missouri (36.586449, -89.527855) http://aMAP.to/newmadrid-missouri New Madrid, Missouri is a town of 3,116 located in New Madrid County along US Route 61/62 in the southeastern corner of the state. It lies on the Mississippi River, about 40 miles southwest of Cairo, Illinois. It is the county seat of New Madrid County. Interstate 55 passes to the north and west of New Madrid. The closest universities are Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a campus of the University of Tennessee at Martin, Tennessee. Francois and Joseph LeSieur, Canadian trappers, who came to the area to hunt and trade with the Indians living in the region, made the first settlement at the site of what would become New Madrid in 1783. They named their village L’Anse a la Graise which means “cove of grease”, most likely referring the abundance of game in the area. The Spanish gave Colonel George Morgan a grant of land that included this region. He promised to populate the region and dreamed of founding a great city that would be the capital of a principality. He traveled to this spot in 1789, and had the land surveyed for a grand village that he named New Madrid, after the Spanish capital city. His detailed plan called for wide streets with specific areas set aside for parks, churches and schools. To entice settlers to move there he promised to give the first 600 settlers’ half-acre city lots and five acre outlying lots for the sum of $1, if they would build a home and reside there for one year. His plan worked and the town of New Madrid was born. [2] It was formally incorporated in 1808 and is believed to be the oldest city west of the Mississippi. In December of 1811 the first of a series of great earthquakes, three of which reached a magnitude of eight on the Richter scale, struck the region. The quakes were so numerous and severe, it was said that by the end of the winter of 1812, only a few houses within 250 miles of the Mississippi River and the town of New Madrid remained undamaged. [3] In New Madrid you may visit the Hart-Stepp House Art Gallery, Higgerson School Historic Site, A. B. Hunter, Sr. Mansion (1910), Hunter-Dawson Home State Historic Site, Kochtitsky Home (1880), Mississippian Indian Temple Mound, New Madrid County Courthouse, and the New Madrid Historical Museum. Nearby Caruthersville has the Armory & Art Center, Aztar Riverboat Casino, Caruthersville Recreation Center, Historic “Lighthouse” Water Tower, and the Lady Luck Casino. Near East Prairie is the Towosahgy State Historic Site, a prehistoric Indian village and trade center. Sikeston offers the Begg’s Pumpkin Patch, Columns Monument, Cotton Country Murals, Flyway Hunting Club, Southeast Missouri Agriculture Museum, Sikeston Depot and the Sikeston Race Park. There are several wildlife areas in Missouri near New Madrid, including the Donaldson Point Conservation Area, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Seven Island Conservation Area and Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area. There are also two Missouri State Parks in the area; Big Oak Tree State Park and Lake Wappapello State Park. Across the River in Tennessee are Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge, Reelfoot Lake, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, and Reelfoot State Park. Just north in Kentucky is Columbus-Belmont State Park. Notable residents from New Madrid County include Eric Hurley, Major League Baseball pitcher; Peter C. Myers, former United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; Alfred C. Sikes, former chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission; Robert Vaughn, author; and Thomas Wilson, former Chief Executive Officer of the Boeing Company. All are from the larger city of Sikeston. Cairo, Illinois, another Namesake town, is located 40 miles to the northeast of New Madrid, along the Mississippi River. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK 2. Douglass, Robert Sidney History of Southeast Missouri (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1912) p.81-87 3. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~monewmad/nm-history/history-2.htm Picture: Bog Oak Tree State Park near New Madrid, Missouri Picture Credit: (Knowledgeum at en.wikipedia CC-BY-SA)
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This entry in our blog about namesake cities [1] is about Berlin, New Jersey. Berlin, New Jersey is one of some 15 Berlin's that are incorporated communities in the United States. Berlin, New Jersey (39.791226, -74.929054) http://aMAP.to/berlin-newjersey Berlin, New Jersey is a town of 7,588 located in Camden County along US Highway 30. It lies just 16 miles southeast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Berlin is a designated Borough of New Jersey. There is also a Berlin Township and unincorporated populated places known as East Berlin and West Berlin all located in the same general area in Camden County. My understanding is that in New Jersey boroughs and townships differ in the way the local government is set up. It is difficult to distinguish between these places with the same name in the same area, so this article pertains to all of them. This area was once known as “Long-a-coming” and saw its first settlers in 1714. The name was adapted from a Native American path connecting the New Jersey shore with the Delaware River called Lonaconing Trail. Iron Forges and Glassworks were among the first industries in the 1800’s. In 1867 the area was named Berlin, although no one really knows why this name was chosen. It became a town in 1910. In 1927, Berlin was formally incorporated as a Borough taking some area away from Berlin Township. [2] There are no colleges or universities located in Berlin itself, however there are four located nearby in Camden County. These include Camden County College, College of South Jersey, Rowen University and Rutgers University. Of course there are many others across the Delaware River in Philadelphia including Drexel University, La Salle University, Peirce College, Temple University, and The University of Pennsylvania. Attractions in the Berlin area include Adventure Aquarium, Children’s Garden, the soup Tureen Museum and the Battleship New Jersey in Camden; Historic Barclay Farmstead Museum in Cherry Hill; South Jersey Museum of American History and the Heritage Glass Museum in Glassboro; and the Indian King Tavern Museum in Haddonfield. The Indian King Tavern was build in 1750 and in 1777 was the site where New Jersey declared its independence from English rule. Just 16 miles away the sites of Philadelphia beckon. How could you resist visiting the Philadelphia Mint, The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site or seeing the Liberty Bell at Independence National Historic Park? The kids would love seeing the creepy bugs and crawling things at the Insectarium Museum (8046 Frankford Avenue in northeast Philadelphia). Check it all out at the “Visit Philly” Web site. [3] If you are in Philadelphia, I would be very remiss if I didn’t remind you to check out the famous Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. I’ll leave it up to you to decide between Pat’s, Geno’s or many of the other rivals vying for the finest Cheesesteak in Philly. [4] Have one for me. For outdoor recreation you can go to Berlin Park right in the town of Berlin or visit any of four New Jersey State Parks located close by. These include Neshaminy State Park on the Delaware River, Mount Laurel State Park in Mount Laurel, Parvin State Park in Elmer, and Rancocas State Park in Hainesport. Berlin is also close to The Wharton State Forest. Nearby US 130, from Trenton to Camden, was included in the original Proclamation route of the Lincoln Highway when it was laid out in 1913. In just a few years, however, the Lincoln was rerouted to US 1 on the Pennsylvania side of the river. [5] Much of the more than 3000 mile Lincoln Highway running from New York to San Francisco can still be driven today, it’s an enjoyable ride. Notable residents and natives of Berlin include Ron Dayne, running back for the Houston Texans; Kelly Ripa, co-host of the “Live With Kelly and Michael” morning television show; and Dan Pomponio, top alcohol funny car driver. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940016722009 2. http://www.nextination.com/longacoming/berlin.html 3. http://www.visitphilly.com 4. Genovese, Peter, “Philly’s Phinest”, American Road Magazine, Volume VI, No.4; (Winter, 2008), 34 5. Butko, Brian, Greetings from the Lincoln Highway (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2005) p. 34. Picture: Indian King Tavern Museum near Berlin, New Jersey. Picture Credit: (Wikimedia Commons - User: Smallbones Public Domain)
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This entry in the "For Namesake" blog is about Georgetown, Delaware. [1] A mere 8 miles away at the Wheatley farm near Bridgeville is the home of the "Punkin Chunkin" contest held every year in early November. This year's contest will be held on Friday November 1 through Sunday November 3. It may be your opportunity to see a world record "Chunk" from a variety of pumpkin throwing contraptions from trebruchet's to air cannons and every thing in between. For more info see the contest website at http://www.punkinchunkin.com If you miss the event you can watch a recap of it on the Science channel on Thanksgiving evening, November 28. Georgetown, Delaware ( 38.690113, -75.385473) http://aMAP.to/georgetowndelaware Georgetown, Delaware is a town of 6,422 located in Sussex County along US Route 9 near the intersection with US Route 113. It is the county seat of Sussex county and lies 35 miles south of Dover, the capital of Delaware. Four colleges have a satellite campus in Georgetown including Delaware State University, University of Delaware, Wilmington University and Delaware Technical Community College. The first settlement in Delaware was the Dutch community of Lewes established in 1631. When the boundaries of Sussex County were established in 1775 it was natural to select Lewes as the county seat. However, this was a difficult location for residents in the western part of the county to travel to in those days, so they petitioned the Delaware General Assembly for a more central location. Since the central part of the county was largely unsettled at that time, a commission was setup to purchase land and to build a courthouse and jail. They did so and laid out a town in a circle one mile across. The county seat was moved to the new town on October 26, 1791 and it was named Georgetown in honor of George Mitchell who was active on the commission. The town thrived until it was divided by the Civil War with sons fighting on both sides and families torn apart by divided loyalties. A war memorial stands on the south side of the current courthouse to honor all those from Georgetown who have served in military service throughout the town’s history. [2] Georgetown has several historic structures many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You may view many of them via a walking tour of downtown Georgetown starting at the 1791 Old Sussex County Courthouse. Exhibits of interest in Georgetown include the Delaware World War II Aviation Museum, Nutter D. Marvel Carriage Museum, Treasure of the Sea Exhibit at Delaware Technical Community College and the Elsie Williams Doll Collection. Georgetown has a 19th century renovated train station. The Possum Point Players are a voluntary community theater group in town. Near the community of Bridgeville, just 8 miles east of Georgetown, is the location of the annual World Championship “Punkin Chunkin” contest held each November. In Lewes you may visit the Burton-Ingram House with a small maritime museum, Cannonball House, Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, De Vries Monument, Fisher Martin House, Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, Maull House, Nassau Valley Winery, St. Peters Church from 1681 and Zwaanendael Museum. You can also take a ferry from Lewes to Cape May, New Jersey. Milford has Mispillion Lighthouse, Parson Thorne Museum and the Riverfront Theater. Milton has the Lydia Black Cannon Museum. Seaford offers the Burton Brothers Hardware Store, Days Gone By Museum, the Governor Ross Mansion and Plantation, Seaford Museum and the Seaford Fire Museum. In Woodland south of Seaford you can cross the Nanticoke River on a cable drawn ferry. Georgetown is located less than 20 miles from many beaches along the Atlantic coastline. There are several nature and wildlife preserves in the region including Barnes Woods Nature Preserve south of Seaford, Abbots Mill Nature Center and the Dupont Nature Center in Milford, Edward H. McCabe Nature Preserve in Milton and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge on the coast, north of Lewes. If deep sea fishing is a favorite pastime, charter boats are available at Fisherman’s Wharf in Lewes. There are four state parks in the area including Cape Heniopen, Delaware Seashore, Holts Landing and Trap Pond State Parks. Notable residents of Georgetown include Matt Barlow, vocalist for the band Iced Earth; and Luke Pettigout, NFL football player. Notes: 1. www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK or www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940016722009 2. http://www.georgetownde.com/gorghist.html Picture Credit: (Wikimedia Commons user GB Fan CC-BY-SA)
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Thanks Jim. We really enjoyed the drive on US 40 in Ohio. We also drove US 40 across the eastern part of Indiana, from the state line to Indianapolis. We only had 2 days on this trip to do the drive from Wheeling, West Virginia to Indianapolis. That was enough to see the main things but not enough to see everything mentioned in the Ohio US 40 guide by Doug Smith and Glen Harper. That is a wonderful guide and makes for good reading even if you can't drive the actual road. We had a great stop at the Our National Road Welcome Center just across the border in Richmond, Indiana. The lady there was very helpful and gave us a guide they had done on what to see on Our National Road in Indiana. There is another Madonna of the Trail there in Richmond.
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Dave and Denny, Thanks for the feedback. I have driven the Lincoln Highway across Ohio before and now US 40 across the state. That clearly is only a beginning of what Ohio has to offer the roadie in all of us. I will for sure need to come back again someday. I would love to drive the Dixie Highway and have that on my list of roads to travel.
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I recently had an opportunity to drive US 40 across the state of Ohio. It was a fun and interesting drive. I wrote a little bit about my experience and posted some pictures in my "For Namesake" Blog here on American Road. Look for the entry titled "Dublin Ohio plus US 40 "Our National Road Across Ohio. Safe travels, etchr66
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Recently I had an opportunity to spend two days driving across the Buckeye State of Ohio on US 40, "Our National Road". So in this entry I am going to blog about Dublin, Ohio as our "Namesake" city and share some highlights and photos of some of the things to see along Our National Road. Dublin, Ohio from the book "For Namesake, A Travel Book - Places in America Inspired by Famous World Cities [1] Dublin, Ohio (40.099229, -83.114077) http://aMAP.to/dublin-ohio Dublin, Ohio is a city of 41,751 located in Franklin County along Ohio Route 745. The city is a suburb of and lies 15 miles northwest of the Capital city of Columbus. Parts of Dublin lie in Delaware and Union counties. Interstate 270, “The Jack Nicklaus Freeway”, and US Highway 33 pass through Dublin, as does the Scioto River. The first settlers arrived in the Dublin area as early as 1802 and it was plated as a village in 1810. It was named after Dublin, Ireland, the birthplace of one of its developers. Dublin remained small until recent times and had a population of only 681 in 1970. Since then it has blossomed due to the construction of I 270, corporations who moved there headquarters there such as Wendy’s International and the growth of Muirfield Village golf club. [2] Muirfield Village was founded by Jack Nicklaus and has hosted the annual Memorial Golf Tournament since 1976. It was named after the famous Muirfield golf course located in Gullane, Scotland on the Firth of Forth. Dublin officially became a city in Ohio in 1987 when it reached a population of 5,000. There are no less than six four-year colleges and universities in the Columbus area. These include Ohio State University, Franklin University, Ohio Dominican University, Pontifico College Josephinum, and Capitol University in Columbus; and Otterbein College in Westerville. Ohio State University with 59,000 students is the largest University in Ohio. Founded in 1870, it has a large campus (1755 Acres) four miles north of downtown Columbus and 6 satellite campus located throughout out the state. Ohio Wesleyan University lies north of Dublin in the city of Delaware, Ohio. There are lots of attractions to see in the Dublin and Columbus area. In Dublin itself you can tour the Fletcher Coffman Homestead, an 1860’s era home and see the rather quirky Chief Leather Lips Monument, a smaller sculpture similar to South Dakota’s Crazy Horse (see pictures below). Every August, Dublin holds an annual Irish Festival. Theatrical productions are offered at Abbey Theater, a part of the full service Dublin Community Recreation Center. In Powell, just north of Dublin, you may visit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium or cool off at the Zoombezi water park. Delaware, 15 miles north, has Perkins Observatory, the Nash House Museum, Olentangy Indian Caverns and the birthplace of President Rutherford B. Hayes. Columbus offers the Columbus Museum of Art, Jack Nicklaus Museum, Ohio Historical Museum, Columbus Topiary Garden, Columbus Center of Science and Industry, James Thurber House, the Statehouse, the Ohio Capitol Building and the Santa Maria. The later is a full size replica of one of the ships that Columbus sailed to America in 1492. Theatrical productions are available at Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus of Ohio State University. For information on these and other attractions in the area see the Discover Ohio web site [3] For outdoor recreation Dublin has 46 developed parks and some 72 miles of bicycle trails. There are also numerous parks in Columbus. Boating is available at Alum Creek Lake, O’Shaughnessy Reservoir and Hoover Reservoir. There are two nearby Ohio State Parks; Alum Creek on Alum Creek Lake and Delaware, near the city of Delaware. Notable residents from Dublin include Nick Goings, NFL football running back; Brady Quinn, NFL football quarterback; Chris Quinn, NBA basketball player; and Jay Richardson, NFL football defensive end. Jack Nicklaus and James Thurber were born in Columbus, grew up there and attended Ohio State University. Another famous person from Columbus was world war one flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. Images of the Chief Leather Lips Monument in Scioto Park in Dublin (yours truly at the top) US 40, "Our National Road" Across Ohio In driving US 40 we utilized the great Travel Guide "The Historic National Road in Ohio" available at the Ohio National Road Association http://www.ohionationalroad.org There is much to see along Our National Road in Ohio and two days is not enough time to see it all. The following are photos that I took of just a few of the many things to see. My reason for posting these is to encourage you to travel and enjoy Our National Road. It truly is a fun and interesting drive. Spanish Revival Service Station in Bridgeport Restord Mile Marker and Brick Section at St. Clairsville Old Road Section near Hendrysburg Peters Creek 1828 S-Bridge Fox Run S-Bridge Park Eagles Nest Monument near Brownsville Springfield, Ohio has one of the 12 Madonna of the Trail Monuments. It is in downtown Springfield right alongside US 40. For a list of all 12 locations you may go to the following web site: http://www.dar.org/natsociety/content.cfm?ID=324&FO=Y&hd=n If you like airplanes you can see literally hundreds of them preserved at the United States Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. They range all the way back to World War One up to the present. This is a must see museum. Here are just a few images. The last one is me crashing the Space Shuttle in the simulator they have there. That's all for this entry. If you enjoy these posts or even if you don't please comment. The starting picture is at the City Hall in Dublin. Notes: 1. http://www.amzn.com/B00CBM6JFK or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940016722009 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin,_Ohio 3. http://consumer.discoverohio.com