Posted by GabrielleHere is the first of my posts about the Washington Tour! It's great review about what I learned just putting these posts together! :)
Our first stop was in Winchester, Virginia, at Washington's Office from which he worked as a young Colonel in the Militia.
This Marker from outside the office reads:
While constructing Fort Loudoun, George Washington used the center room of this building as an office from the fall of 1755 until he moved into the fort in Dec. 1756. He was a Colonel in the Virginia Militia and responsible for protecting Virginia's 300 mile frontier from the French and Indians.
The statue of George Washington in front of the building. The marker reads:
In March of 1748, George Washington, at age sixteen, arrived in Winchester, then called Frederick Town. During the next four years, he worked as a surveyor throughout the colonial Virginia frontier.
Mr. Horn giving a talk on Washington's early years. Specifically, he encouraged young men to follow in Washington's footsteps and spend their early years wisely by learning skills and character, not idling the years away.
He gave several points of character that Washington had as a young man that helped him to mature. Though directed towards young men, they are equally applicable for young ladies.
- God uses hardships to prepare us for greater things. Washington's early years were full of hardships.
- Cowardice is not fulfilling the Great Commission. To mature, boys must be in positions of danger, as was Washington on more than one occasion.
- Leisure is wasting our time and Scripture says that time matters. Washington worked diligently to make himself presentable in the society to which he aspired. He was ambitious and faithful in every job he was given.
You can see a video of the office
here.
And you can watch part of the talk
here.
Jedidiah taking notes :)
Our next stop of the day was at Jumonville Glen in Pennsylvania.
This was where Washington began the French and Indian War by attacking a party of French "ambassadors" camped there. He was only 21 at this time.
I loved the glen enclosed by towering rock walls and could almost imagine what happened there.
Our last stop of the day was the site of Washington's first battle, first defeat, and only surrender:
Fort Necessity.
In his talk, Mr. Horn pointed out a couple mistakes of Washington's which caused him to be defeated. Still, we can learn from his example. Even though he was defeated, he continued the war and ended up winning it. If he had not fought this battle, we would have lost the war.
- Washington should have waited for more reinforcements before attacking, and,
- He should not have built this fort in a valley.
See a video of the fort
here.
Mr. Horn talking at Fort Necessity
Elliot and a friend comparing notes
On the way back to the buses, we made a short stop in the Fort Necessity Visitor's Center Park...You look beautiful, Christianna! :)
We arrived at our hotel in Philadelphia after midnight, so it was a very long first day.
A picture on the fridge, drawn by their grandchildren, to make it feel more like home. ;)
Incidentally, it happened we were dropped off right across from the United States Mint.
Walking along the cobble-stoned streets of Philadelphia to Christ Church
The steeple of Christ Church. This is the church that many of our country's founding fathers attended, and George Washington visited. Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush, contemporaries of Washington, are buried in Christ Church Burying Ground which we visited afterward.
Our next stop was Carpenter's Hall, the location of the first Continental Congress. Washington was a delegate at this convention.
Before we toured the building, Mr. Horn gave a short talk on Washington as a Politician.
(Thank you, Bekah, for the picture!)
After touring Independence Hall, we visited the Liberty Bell
Joshua Horn gave a talk on the hardships that the soldiers endured during the Revolutionary War. It made me appreciate even more the simpler of our luxuries here.
The statue of George Washington in front of the building. The marker reads: In March of 1748, George Washington, at age sixteen, arrived in Winchester, then called Frederick Town. During the next four years, he worked as a surveyor throughout the colonial Virginia frontier.
Mr. Horn giving a talk on Washington's early years. Specifically, he encouraged young men to follow in Washington's footsteps and spend their early years wisely by learning skills and character, not idling the years away.
Jedidiah taking notes :)
This was where Washington began the French and Indian War by attacking a party of French "ambassadors" camped there. He was only 21 at this time.
Fort Necessity.
Mr. Horn talking at Fort Necessity
Elliot and a friend comparing notes
On the way back to the buses, we made a short stop in the Fort Necessity Visitor's Center Park...You look beautiful, Christianna! :)
Here in North Carolina, the weather has become crisper and the leaves are beginning to turn colors and fall.
(Washington Monument ~ taken on our trip up to MA in May)
Photography ~ the flowers of the crepe myrtle next door
Cardmaking ~ a birthday card for Mrs. Clayton
Scrapbooking ~ a decorated notebook for the tour of the Life of George Washington which we will be attending with our church in a week. More on that to come.
Sewing ~ my current recreational sewing project, my medieval gown
Drawing ~ the bluebird I am currently working on to join the framed cardinal drawing in our living room
(as a note, this is a singing candle: you light the candle and turn the base to have it sing 'Happy Birthday. It didn't sing when we needed it to because we had 'tested' it too much that morning :)
(Mrs. Clayton was the one who had given it to us, so she always gets a laugh when we use it again for her :)
ever-hungry little brothers
That was amazing! Not too many people can do that.
And this was ingenious! With the danger of breaking the nearby fence and bushes by falling limbs, they simply attached each with a rope on a ring to the cable. The climber then cut the branch and it slid down the cable to the ground.
Chipping the branches into the woods.
And finally, last but not least, the felling of the remaining tree. Not the best shot, as my camera went off a couple seconds too soon, but you get the picture!
