Greetings - We started towards Old Sturbridge Village in MA today but on the way through New York, we decided to detour to West Point when we realized our GPS route took u within 8 miles of it (I had planned to go there on the way back south after visiting New England).
As we headed towards West Point, we discovered a new exhibit and museum honoring all Purple Heart recipients that is located in New Windsor on the grounds of the last cantonment of of the Revolutionary War and the spot where General George Washington presented the first Badge of Merit award (later to become the Purple Heart).
This monument is on the path leading to the exhibit...
The museum had on display one of the only three badges that were known to be presented... the purple heart was not reestablished until WWII...
The center also has the only surviving cabin from the cantonment...
This area brought some moving feelings to Deb as she thought about her father and his service...
and a replica of the temple where George Washington presented the Badge of Merit in 1783...
A young Continental Soldier demonstrated his musket for us... it misfired thrice before finally discharging... 
Tyler, on the way out of the museum, guess who we ran into????By the time we got out of the exhibit, it was too late to take the bus tour at West Point (the only way to see it now due to security measures)...
So we decided to just drive there to see what we needed to do to get in on a tour tomorrow... the drive takes you through the Hudson River Valley in the Peekskill Mountains and it is beautiful... reminded me a lot of Columbia Gorge Highway but maybe better...
It was very warm today and humid... records set all up and down the eastern seaboard... but the smell of oak in the air was awesome... smelled like a cabinet shop everywhere we went...
Deb took this picture of the West Gate of the WPMA as we drove by... we are probaly on a terrorist watch list now... notice the camera? (Actually we got permission, unofficially).
On the way back down to Newburgh, NY where we are spending the night, we visited the actual cantonment where General Jackson was encamped... Deb took many photos here and I took one of her...Then I took her to see the Base housing where she lived after she was born at West Point Military Academy...
Stewart Airbase is now Stewart International Airport...
And "Stewart Gardens" where she lived is being bulldozed to make way for "Stewart Terrace" which appears to be very nice housing for Naval and Marine personnel...
The houses on the side of the street where we believe she lived are already gone...
But there was an example of the type of housing they lived in on the other side of the street...
Nearby, we found "Little Britain Elementary School" where Donna and Frank went to school...
Finally, we found some remnants of the buildings on the old airbase that are also being removed to make way for a large commercial community development...I am glad we chose to come on this trip now or Deb would never have been able to see an example of her first home or see the base as it was when her dad was stationed here...
In the morning, we will go back to West Point and then start towards MA again...
Goodnight to all. Scott.
3 comments:
I'm glad, Deb, that you got to go and see where you were born and lived. It is a nostalgic feeling, if you are like me. One of the "worst" days of my life was the day Dorothy and I went back to the logging camp where I had lived as a young man only to find it wiped totally off the map. I found one small piece of glass where our one room school stood and that was it for the whole camp. I felt devastated, like a whole period of my life was gone forever, and it was. Big deal, huh? But that is me. That one house is very similar to the houses at Ft. Vancouver and ones they had at Ft. Lewis.
No doubt standard military issue!
I know you will like Boston. When we were there we never got to see Fanuel Hall because they were getting ready for some big political bash and would not allow us to go inside. The thing that impressed me was how narrow the streets are and how crooked they are laid out. One of the fire fighters told me that their engines are designed with heavy duty bumpers so that they can shove cars out of the way while responding to emergencies.
Came home this afternoon. Glad to be here. Looking forward to a good nights sleep in my own little bed! didn't get a buck but ken got his doe and that is okay.
Stopped in Damascus to see Craig and where he works. Met his boss.
Enjoy your tour.
Love,
Dad
No wonder you are enjoying New York so much Scott. Isn't that the home of Hillary? The next President of these United States? Oh boy! Are you going to drive up and try to meet her? Did you guys get a chance to visit the Hershey plant? I've heard that is a great tour.
Her Majesty HC was mentioned when we were at the Purple Heart HalL of Honor... She is not real popular in these parts... Kind of like Oregon, with the exception of the big city, very conservative!
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