February 21, 2011
The tragic events of September 11, 2001 have become one of our nation’s defining moments. Who doesn’t remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first learned of the attacks? I was at my parents’ house, sleeping off a party the night before. My Story On the evening of September 10, ...
February 21, 2011
Located on the edge of the historic district in St. Augustine, Florida, Castillo de San Marcos was built by the Spanish at the end of the 17th century. Dad and I visited in May 2010 as part of our visit to St. Augustine. History of the Fort St. Augustine is the oldest permanently occupied city ...
February 20, 2011
Fort Pickens, Florida is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore that includes barrier islands along the Mississippi and Florida gulf coasts. Acquired by the National Park Service (NPS) in 1971, Fort Pickens today includes a series of former military defense batteries, a quartz sand beach and an extensive campground. Fort Pickens Road There is ...
February 20, 2011
Located on the northern end of Anastasia Island, within the city limits of St. Augustine, the St. Augustine Lighthouse plays a critical role in water navigation. In May 2010, Dad and I set off to tour the lighthouse and accompanying museum. The surprisingly expansive museum and audio tour provided a great deal of historical information, ...
February 19, 2011
Despite their name, the Harlem Globetrotters actually got their start in Chicago. Although the team’s roots are shrouded in obscurity, it appears to have been founded at the Savoy Ballroom, a popular dance club that opened in 1927. The team name changed several times, but was officially the Harlem Globetrotters by 1929. According to Globetrotters ...
February 11, 2011
Walt Disney always planned to build a working city in Central Florida. Known as the Florida project, his plans called for a high-tech, entirely interconnected city where people could live, work and play without ever needing their cars. When Walt passed away in 1966, however, new management was unsure how to take on such an ...
February 10, 2011
On a recent trip to St. Augustine, Florida, we took some time to simply drive around the area. We love to go out in a new town and get slightly lost, discovering hidden attractions along the way. On one of these drives we ended up at the Mala Compra Plantation Archaeological Site. It’s a park ...
February 10, 2011
In the 1800s, cotton was king throughout most of the American south. Florida certainly raised its share, but settlers quickly discovered that Florida’s rich subtropical climate made it an ideal location for raising another cash crop–sugar cane. In the early 1800s, sugar plantations dotted the Florida landscape, particularly along the Atlantic Coast. But the ...
February 9, 2011
Settled by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest continuously-occupied city in the continental United States. St. Augustine was actually discovered by accident by explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513. Legend has it that Ponce de Leon set out from Puerto Rico in search of the island of Bimini, where he ...
February 9, 2011
They say that every city has its own unique energy. Certainly Los Angeles feels different than New York, and Chicago could never be mistaken for Orlando. But in some cities, the energy feels just a little more supernatural, like something could be lurking behind every doorway. Although these cities may be wildly different from each ...
