Tag: history
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Punta Gorda, Roatan, Honduras
Author’s Note: Please note that this post was reviewed and corrected by Nerissa Webster, referenced below, and published with her permission. We arrived at Punta Gorda — a village founded by the Garifuna people after being exiled from nearby St. Vincent Island and being deposited on Roatan, Honduras on April 12, 1797 — that sits…
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Vigur Island Heritage Farm & Nature Reserve, Iceland
People have been living on Vigur Island for over 1,000 years. It’s been the site of a working farm since 1650. It’s the home of Iceland’s only historic windmill, built circa 1840/1860 and operational until 1912. The island’s house, called Viktoria’s House, was built in the mid-1800s as an engagement present from goldsmith, Sumarliði Sumarliðason,…
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Roman Volubilis, Morocco
Situated among the fertile agriculture fields outside Moulay Idriss, one stumbles upon the ruins largely from the Roman 2nd and 3rd centuries, a place where olive-oil based wealth funded high-status homes and decorations. Once the home of Juba II, husband of Cleopatra’s daughter Cleopatra Selene II, 10,000+ Romans, and 20,000+ Moroccans, the region then as…
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Glass Flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
In 1886, a father and son team of Czech glass artisans were asked to make botanical models for Harvard University. Over nearly half a century, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka worked to create one of the most “scientifically and breathtakingly beautiful collections ever created”. Popularly, the collection created by the Blaschka’s and Harvard are called the…
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Laurel Bluffs Trail along the Eno River (Durham, North Carolina)
OverviewLocated in north Durham, the Laurel Bluffs Trail offers a roughly 5-mile out-and-back hike along a beautiful stretch of the Eno River. The route begins from Eno River State Park’s Pump Station Trail and continues to Guess Road. For most of the way, the trail hugs the river closely, climbing up to ridge tops only…
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Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (Hillsborough, North Carolina)
Overview: The Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (HOST), a 44-acre preserve and historical site, includes three miles of trails that take visitors around the original speedway (open from 1948–68), or alternately, along the banks of the Eno River. This trail is set to join the statewide Mountains to the Sea Trail. Directions: Travel south on I-85.…
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Carolina Beach State Park (New Hanover County, North Carolina)
Overview: On November 9, 2008, my husband and I made a delightful stop at Carolina Beach State Park, a 761-acre park located in Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island in New Hanover County, North Carolina. The park offers a number of recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing, camping, and hiking. If you’re looking to learn more about…
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Near the Mouth of the Cape Fear River (Brunswick & New Hanover Counties, North Carolina)
Overview: On November 8, 2008, my husband and I were able to take a fascinating boat tour of the magnificent mouth of the Cape Fear River. The tour originated on Oak Island in Brunswick County, North Carolina and ended miles upstream in Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina. This tour was offered at the…
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Chicago Wilderness & The Grove (Cook County, Illinois)
Introduction: As a native midwesterner, autumn rarely feels official until I’ve breathed in the cool, crisp air of the north and feasted on views of golden sugar maples and russet burr oaks. This year was no different than most; my natural wanderlust led me back home to northern Illinois. Historically, northeastern Illinois is home to…
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Condoret Nature Preserve (Chatham County, North Carolina)
Overview: Condoret Nature Preserve, a Triangle Land Conservancy property acquired by donation in 2003, represents some of the many preserved and protected areas in and around the Triangle that are not intended for recreational use, but meant solely to preserve important ecological habitats and land for our future. The property extends 85 acres and protects…
Sense of Place 