Newark, NJ

Place: Newark, NJ
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 43/56F.
Route: From Philadelphia 85 miles NNE on I-95 N.

Population: 282,090
Nickname: Brick City, The Gateway City, City By the River.
Places to Visit: Newark Museum, Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Genealogy: There are some places that I'm visiting that are related to my ancestors. I started getting into genealogy about 10 years ago.  What I find interesting about it is taking something from history and viewing it through the eyes of people who are my direct ancestors.  There have also been a lot of interesting surprises as I've looked into my own genealogy - like the fact that I had ancestors who lived for over 100 years in Newark.
My great-grandmother Mabel was born in 1896 and alive until I was 13. She was my paternal grandfather's mother - her maiden name was Ward.  The Ward's were interesting folks. She had an uncle who was in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. My dad remembers visiting the Ward's in western Nebraska as a child.  They all had colorful nicknames apparently. 
What we didn't know before getting into genealogy is that Mabel's great-grandfather was born in Newark, NJ in 1767 (her father and grandfather were born when their fathers were in their 40's and 50's). The Ward's were actually one of the first European families to settle in Newark, with John Ward moving from Branford, Connecticut, which was part of the New Haven Puritan Colony, to New Jersey in 1670. His father, also named John, migrated from England in 1649 to join the New Haven Colony.
So my branch of the Ward family spent over 100 years in Newark before starting to move westward in the early 1800's.  When they moved from Newark it was still a relatively small town of less than 10,000 people - the industrial revolution of the mid and late 19th century changed Newark quite a bit from when my ancestors lived there.  The changes they would have seen during their time there were still relatively significant. It was originally a puritan town. The name was taken both from Newark-upon-Trent in England - but also from the concept of a "New Ark of the Covenant."  They would see the breaking up of the puritan theocracy in 1746 and of course the American Revolution and the War of 1812.  I don't have any great stories about any of the Wards when they were in Newark - but I'm looking forward to visiting sometime and digging a little deeper!

One Place Philadelphia, PA - Independence Hall

I know it might not be very original, but my one place to visit in Philadelphia is Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The "founding fathers" are often used as a political cudgel - a way to show our opponents how far they have strayed from the supposed perfect vision of the men who gathered in Philadelphia to debate and sign both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. However, even a superficial review of what actually transpired at Independence Hall shows how difficult it was for the representatives from the 13 colonies to come to agreement. The Declaration and the Constitution weren't some perfect documents handed down by God, but rather they were heavily debated documents created by imperfect people.  What brought them together was that they all felt England wasn't treating them very well.  They came together because that was the only chance they had to overthrow Britain and become independent.

If you could somehow ask any of our founding fathers how to solve our modern problems they certainly wouldn't have any great solutions.  What they would say is that we have to figure that out for ourselves.  They created a process, not answers.  What they created has become the foundation for the modern governments all over the world. As the UNESCO site states, even the United Nations charter was influenced by the U.S. Constitution.  When most people think about being proud to be a U.S. citizen, they are picturing Independence Hall in their mind's eye. 

Websites: National Park Service, UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Image:

Independence Hall (from nps.gov)

Video:

UNESCO World Heritage Site video on Independence Hall.

Philadelphia, PA

Place: Philadelphia, PA
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 41/57F
Route: From Baltimore 106 miles NE on I-95 N.

Population: 1,584,064
Nickname: The City of Brotherly Love
Popular Places to Visit: Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Center.







Images: 

Skyline (from visitphilly.com)

Philadelphia Museum of Art (from philamuseum.org)

One Place Baltimore, MD - Fort McHenry

Baltimore is a place I actually lived, Kendra and I were married there.  So there are a lot of places I'd like to visit. But if someone were visiting the city and there was only one place they could go - I would say Fort McHenry.  Even if some folks think it is unsingable - the words to our national anthem were written by Francis Scott Key as he watched the flag of Fort McHenry during a battle of the War of 1812. 
Not only is the history of the fort interesting - but even if it's only an historical monument - it gives Baltimore a different feel than most modern cities. The idea that the city is defended from outside attack makes the harbor feel more intimate and calm.  Of course most of Baltimore's present dangers are internal - we know that should some unnamed country attempt to take the city it would be well defended.

Websites: National Park Service.

Image: 

Fort McHenry with the city in background (from wheretraveler.com)

Video:

Smithsonian Channel video on Fort McHenry from Francis Scott Key's perspective.

Baltimore, MD

Place: Baltimore, MD
Weather: AM Light Rain, 52/67F
Route: From Washington, DC 38 miles NNE on Baltimore-Washington Pkwy.

Population: 602,495 (2018)
Nickname: Charm City
Popular Places to Visit: Fort McHenry National Monument, National Aquarium, The Walters Art Museum, American Visionary Art Museum.













Images: 

Inner Harbor (from baltometro.org)

Washington Monument (from mvpconservency.org)

One Place Washington, DC - Arlington National Cemetery

Choosing one place in Washington, DC is difficult. But, if I had to choose one place I'd choose Arlington National Cemetery. Which I know is actually in Arlington, VA - but close enough. I find cemeteries interesting overall because I think it's telling to see how a society honors its dead - especially a military cemetery like Arlington.  Ever since I was a child the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has fascinated me.  It's the most visited part of the cemetery and yet we literally don't know who is buried there.  The changing of the guard is both technically interesting (I remember thinking as a kid that they didn't seem like real people) and a symbol of our country.
Kendra and I were living in Baltimore when Obama was sworn into office in 2009.  I wanted to go - but knew that getting to the mall was going to be difficult. So, I did something odd - I parked my car in Rock Creek Park and ran into DC.  When I got there I decided I didn't want to be a part of the big mobs of people on the mall - so I ran over to Arlington.  First of all it provides a great view of the mall and I wanted to experience the moment in a unique way. I made my way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier just before the swearing in at noon.  Just as we were changing the guard of our presidency they were changing the guard at the Tomb.  As Obama finished his oath I heard a huge cheer from the people on the mall.  Definitely one of my greatest memories. I discussed it more in my old running blog.
Arlington is much more than just the Tomb or JFK's graves.  There are lots of nooks and crannies with graves of very interesting people. The site was the former house of the Confederate General Robert E. Lee. When the Northern leaders were picking a place for a national military cemetery they decided that it should be on the grounds of his old house - since by becoming a traitor to the union he had in effect caused many of their deaths.  And along with the history, it is just a very beautiful place.

Website: Arlington National Cemetery

Images: 

Robert E. Lee's old house in the background. (from trolleytours.com)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (from washington.org)

Washington, D.C

Place: Washington, D.C.
Weather: AM  Showers, 45/61F
Route: From Harpers Ferry 68 miles SE on US-340 E and I-270 S.

Population: 702,455 (2018)
Nicknames: Our Nation's Capital
Popular Places to Visit: Smithsonian Museums and National Zoo, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Ford's Theatre, White House, The Phillips Collection.







Images: 

Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol from Virginia side of Potomac (from fodors.com)

Lincoln Memorial (from washington.org)