Vacation

[lavacarancher]

I'm sittin' here in California, Md at a hotel. Nice part of the country but sure a lot of folks packed into a small area. Didn't expect to see a lot of farming but I was supprised. Just about every piece of land that didn't have a house on it had something growing, from corn to some sort of hay grass. Apparently, round bales are the ticket here as in Texas. Even saw a deer grazing in one of the corn fields.

Spent the past two days in DC visiting Arlington, the Capital and a couple of the Smithsonian buildings. Wonder if any of you know how the Arlington National Cemetary came about - and when? I was sure never taught this in history when I was in school. Very interesting. Don't google it, just take a guess or if you really know write it down.

 

[TexasBred]

It originally was Rober E. Lee's farm/plantation wasn't it?

 

[BILL CLAYLAND]

Lava, Make sure you get some Yuengling beer and steamed crabs, crab cakes are awesome too, and if you can get a rockfish stuffed with crab,,MMMMM

Southern MD is country compared to and hour drive north. Tobacco country.
Big fishing community right there on the Chesapeake.

Welcome to MD!

Sorry cant answer your question about Arlington, Same kinda cemetery in Annapolis MD

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

A Smithsonian website has a rather lengthy article: "How Arlington National Cemetery Came to Be." Link below.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-Battle-of-Arlington.html

 

[highgrit]

Lincoln got what he had coming to him, just not soon enough. What a bunch of thieves, still are.

 

[Ouachita]

Lincoln got what he had coming to him, just not soon enough. What a bunch of thieves, still are.

Amen

 

[lavacarancher]

It originally was Rober E. Lee's farm/plantation wasn't it?

Right on the money. Robert E. Lee owned the land thru his wife who was the granddaughter of George Washington. George and Martha never had any kids of their own but took in a young man and raised him as theirs. He married and had a daughter who married Robert E. Lee.

Before the Civil War, Robert E. Lee was a Lt. in the Union Army but when war was declared he resigned his commission and went to the "South" (he was from Virginia). During the war there were so many dead that the Union could not find places to bury them. They devised a plan to confiscate Lee's property by forcing him to pay his back taxes - in person! Lee's wife sent an embessary to the North's government with $90 to pay the taxes but it was refused because Lee had not come in person. They seized Lee's land and turned it into a cemetary to bury the dead union solders. Probably a lot more to the story.

Rotten politics was rampant even back then.

 

[kerley]

A Smithsonian website has a rather lengthy article: "How Arlington National Cemetery Came to Be." Link below.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-Battle-of-Arlington.html

Thank you Kathie. My wife "Kathy" and I visited Arlington Cemetery June 2000. This story was a very good read.

 

[Jogeephus]

Arlington has a very good database for the interned. Was there a few years ago and paid someone a visit and their system was very good. Did you visit the tomb? I did and there were some very disrespectly "tall people" there and the guard had to warn them several times to shut up. I thought for a minute he was going to chamber a round and make the world a better place but he kept his composure even though I know of one eye witness who would have sworn aliens took the trash out.

 

[lavacarancher]

Arlington has a very good database for the interned. Was there a few years ago and paid someone a visit and their system was very good. Did you visit the tomb? I did and there were some very disrespectly "tall people" there and the guard had to warn them several times to shut up. I thought for a minute he was going to chamber a round and make the world a better place but he kept his composure even though I know of one eye witness who would have sworn aliens took the trash out.

Yes, we did, Jogee. Very somber and moving experience. Most everyone behaved themselves and were very respectful. Maybe because there was a platoon of young men there about to be deployed and I don't think they would have taken any shyt from anyone. I got to shake their hands and wish them the best and told them we were very proud of them. Sure hope none of them come back to Arlington.

As bad as I wanted to we did not get to visit the Viet Nam wall. Those folks, and the ones that made it back alive, got screwed by America or at least some segments of America. Hanoi Jane is one name that sticks in my mind.

We just simply ran out of time and my old legs just gave out. So many things to see and do. I think we will plan another trip in the near future, perhaps when the guard changes in the big house.

 

[Dave]

The one and only time I have been to the east coast I was chaperoning a group of high school boys to an event. We got to spend a day in DC. One of our stops was the Vietnam Wall. It was a pretty tough experience for me. There are the names of a couple high school classmates and a neighbor listed there. The neighbor was a marine pilot. He is still listed as MIA.

Near the end of the wall I ran face to face with another one of the chaperones from another state. By that point I was just walking and looking straight ahead. So was he. It is not an easy place to visit. And I don't recommend doing it with a group of high school kids that you are responcible for sheparding through the city.