Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in south-east Montana is a solemn place. Foolhardy bravado, a clash of cultures and deadly bloodshed have forever marked its place in the pages of history. White man came across the sea He brought us pain and misery He killed our tribes killed our creed He took our game for his…
Category: National Monument
My Top 10 US States
Since checking off travelling to all 50 US states last year, I get asked a lot what my favourite states are? That’s a pretty tough question! So, based off my overall travel experiences here goes. Firstly, generally people are friendly everywhere and each of the 50 US states has something special to offer but for…
Georgia On My Mind – Road Trip Part III: Athens to Andersonville
My road trip around the state of Georgia continues… From Stone Mountain just east of Atlanta my next stop was the busy little city of Athens the home of the University of Georgia (chartered 1785). I walked about the historic part of the massive campus and explored the downtown area. This seems like a fun…
Remember the Alamo!
The Alamo (a former Franciscan mission first constructed in 1718) is located in San Antonio, Texas and became famous during the Battle of the Alamo (February 23rd to March 6th, 1836). This battle was a significant but doomed event in the Texas Revolution (October 2nd, 1835 to the final battle on April 21st, 1836) led by Texan colonists…
The Battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) “Mighty Mo”
The USS Missouri (BB-63) is an Iowa Class Battleship launched January 29th, 1944 and commissioned on June 11th, 1944. She served in the US Navy until 1955 when she became part of the ready reserve “Mothball Fleet” but was recommissioned in 1986 and went back into service until 1992. At 270.4 metres (887.3 feet) in length with a displacement of 45,000 tonnes she is a big…
Pearl Harbour 1941: Past to Present
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date that will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” – US President Franklin D. Roosevelt Pearl Harbour, Oahu, Hawaii 1941 On December 7th, 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise attack upon the US Navy…
110 Years Ago the Wright Brothers took flight
110 years ago one of the most significant aviation milestones took place in the sand dunes near Kitty Hawk, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On Dec 17th, 1903 at 10:35am, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright conducted the first ever controlled heavier than air, engine powered flight in the aircraft they designed and built themselves, the Wright Flyer. After 4 years…
Semper Fi – US Marine Corps
Semper Fidelis or often shortened to Semper Fi is the motto of the US Marine Corps and is Latin for “Always Faithful” or “Always Loyal“. US Marines have been protecting their nations interests since November 10th, 1775 when they were formed to fight for independence at sea and on the shore. By congressional mandate the Marines are their…
A Close Encounter with the Devils Tower
What does the actor Richard Dreyfuss, mashed potatoes and aliens have in common? Well, they are all linked to Devils Tower National Monument. How? No matter how unlikely, the classic 1977 Steven Spielberg science fiction movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind bonded these images in my mind and that of many others forever. In the movie Dreyfuss…
North vs. South – The Dakota’s that is!
North and South Dakota in the far north of the United States have some of the most wondrous scenery in the country. The Great Plains, National Grasslands and The Badlands to name a few. They are also some of the least populated states. I was recently in the Dakota’s and here are just a few…
An Aussie Nomad’s quest to reach all 50 States
Ok, so I am way behind in writing about my current travels but given my recent posts are about very diverse geographical locations you might have guessed I have been on the move quite a bit of late! In September 2012 I decided to leave Seattle, Washington and return to Australia for a while (via some travels in…
1865: The Death of Lincoln
Our Location: Ford’s Theatre, Washington DC April 14th, 1865. The stage is set for a performance of the play Our American Cousin with the prestigious company of the President of the United States in the audience. Our Hero: Abraham Lincoln, 56 years old and the 16th President of the United States of America. He had just led his…
Deano In America 