Travel

By Renée S. Gordon Contrary to what some might believe, Lynchburg was named after John Lynch, who took over the family’s James River ferry service in 1757. In 1786, 45 acres of John Lynch’s land was used to found the town that was chartered 29 years later. The location of the ferry service was memorialized…

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By Renée S. Gordon In 1669, the French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle — the first recorded European in the Ohio region — was met by the Iroquois Indians, who migrated there in the early 1600s. The river and the state would both eventually be named Ohio, which is the Iroquois word for…

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Visit Philadelphia Beware! Some of the country’s best spooky events and biggest fright factories are here… Philadelphia embraces the spooky spirit each fall with haunted houses, creepy ghost tours and fun fall fests in celebration of Halloween. For those who dare, some of the top-ranked haunted attractions in the country are in the Philadelphia region….

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ABOVE PHOTO: Anse La Raye bay in St. Lucia   (Photo: shutterstock) by Renée S. Gordon Saint Lucia was possibly inhabited 3,000 years ago by the Ciboney.  Based on archaeological research and artifacts, it has been proven that “Iouanalao” island — “land of the iguanas” — was settled by the Arawaks around 2,000 years ago….

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BPT Perhaps the main reason most people go to the fair is for the food — delicious, over-the-top savory and sweet items you just can’t get anywhere else, whether on a stick or not. In fact, most people are willing to put up with the heat, crowds, expense, and even long lines just for a…

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ABOVE PHOTO: Hagley Mansion  (Photos: Renée S. Gordon) By Renée S. Gordon “…my most sincere respects, and accept yourself assurances of my constant affection, and my prayers that a genial sky and propitious gales may place you after a pleasant voyage in the midst of your friends.”       –Thomas Jefferson to Pierre du…

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ABOVE PHOTO: Willingtown Square  (Photos: Renée S. Gordon) By Renée S. Gordon On Monday, September 17, 1849, Araminta “Minty” Ross set out from Poplar Neck Plantation, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, to freedom in the North. Prior to her escape, she changed her name to Harriet, after her mother, and took her husband’s last name….

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ABOVE PHOTO: Arches National Park in Moab, Utah.   (Photo: shutterstock) By Andrea Lawful Sanders On Friday, September 13 — and 6,165 miles of driving later — my friend Denise and I made it home from our tour across middle America.  When we left Colorado, we went on to Utah, where we visited the majestic National…

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ABOVE PHOTO: Wilson Peak and the San Juan Mountains, Colorado  (Photo: Robert Cicchetti / shutterstock) By Andrea Lawful Sanders On July 29, 2018, I packed up a car, promised my concerned husband that I would be perfectly safe, and headed across America, dragging my newly retired friend with me.    Two Black women proceeded alone…

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By Renee Gordon The first Europeans in the southern region of Maryland — today’s 10-mile long South Potomac Heritage Scenic Corridor portion*– were met by the Piscataway Indians who lived there since 1300. Regional native habitation dates back 13,000 years and was the site of a thriving culture. Captain John Smith mapped the expanse in…

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