Mount Rushmore National Memorial – South Dakota
Carved into the granite face of the Black Hills are the towering likenesses of four of our presidential leaders. Visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a ceremonial experience. Upon approaching the site, we walked the Avenue of Flags, with flags representing all U.S. states and territories. This walk takes us to the overlook where the monumental sculpture emerges from the mountainside.
The faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were sculpted between 1917 and 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum. The project transformed raw stone into a lasting symbol of American ideals representing the nation’s birth, growth, development and preservation. The scale of this project is a part of the message as the mountain itself is enlisted in the act of remembrance.
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Fort Smith – Arkansas
While traveling around Arkansas, I visited Fort Smith National Historic Site. This fort was established in 1817, as a U.S. military post to project federal presence on a volatile frontier. From the beginning, it served as a gateway to the West, a place where eastern law met western uncertainty. The strategic position of this fort made […]
Theodore Roosevelt National Park – North Dakota
I have traveled with intention, seeking out the place that tells the fuller stories of the Presidents of the United States. Over the years, I have visited all the Presidential libraries, along with many of their birthplaces, homes and the lesser-known sites that reveal who these men were beyond their public offices. It is often these […]
Springfield Armory National Historic Site – Massachusetts
I have visited the Springfield Armory National Historic Site a few times over the years. I have left with a deep appreciation of how this place shaped American history. Founded in 1794, at the direction of George Washington, the Springfield Armory became the center of American military manufacturing for nearly two hundred years. During its […]
