Abraham Lincoln: "Emancipation" - East Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Emancipation

East Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Emancipation

Plaque

N 41° 45.938 W 072° 39.873

Quick Description: 

Emancipation the title of a sculpture that celebrates Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. It's installed in the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk on the Founders' Bridge between Hartford and East Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

The Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the height of the Civil War. This added a second dimension to the War. Now, the mission was not only to preserve the Union but also, ultimately, to abolish slavery in the United States.

Emancipation is a 3' high bronze sculpture resting on a pedestal which depicts a black family. The central figure is a woman holding a baby high above her head. To her right a man is holding her waist with his left hand while holding a banjo in his left hand. To the left of the woman, a teen-age boy celebrates by raising his left hand high above his head. A plaque contains a Lincoln quote and an explanation of Lincoln's legacy as an emancipator is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}


Emancipation
Preston Jackson, 2006

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be
a master. This expresses my idea of democracy."

Abraham Lincoln insisted that slavery was a "monstrous
injustice" and "an unqualified evil". He believed the
nation's founding fathers agreed with his position and that
the restrictions they had placed on slavery's expansion
would ultimately bring slavery to extinction. However,
with the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854,
Lincoln re-entered politics protesting that the law
would allow for the expansion of slavery. Lincoln's moral
condemnation of slavery raised his profile before a
national audience, and his election to the presidency in
1860 prompted seven states to form the Confederate
States of America in February 1861. Within months, four
more states seceded to join the Confederacy and the
American Civil war began. Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 freeing the slaves in
the rebel states and thus changing the war to save the
Union to a war that also would ultimately destroy slavery.
The Emancipation proclamation paved the way for
200,000 black men, most former slaves who had risked
their lives to escape plantations, to serve in the Union
Armies and Navies. In August 1863 Lincoln wrote, "the
emancipation policy and the use of colored troops
constitute the heaviest blow yet dealt to the rebellion."


The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Abraham Lincoln: "Union" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Union 

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Union

Plaque

GPS: N41° 45.934; W072° 39.946

Quick Description: 

Union is the title of an abstract sculpture that celebrates Lincoln's commitment to preserve the Union. It's installed in the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk on the Founders' Bridge between Hartford and East Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

Lincoln was inspired by the ideal of the founding fathers and was committed to preserve the Union. He believed that the great American experiment would collapse without the union of the states.

Union is a 2.5' high metal abstract sculpture resting on a pedestal. Two pieces, suggestive of hands, rise from the pedestal and form an inter-twined unit suggesting the re-joining of the states into a single interlocked whole.

A plaque containing a Lincoln quote and an explanation of Lincoln's beliefs in the preserving of the union is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}


Union
Peter Chinni, 2005

"We shall not only have saved the Union;
but we shall have so saved it, as to make and
to keep it, forever worthy of saving."

Lincoln was committed to the ideals of the country's
founding fathers, especially the principles established in
the Declaration of independence and the constitution.
Although he wanted to see slavery contained, during the
first two years of the war he maintained that saving the
Union was his first and foremost concern. Lincoln
believed that the united States was testimony to the idea
that people could govern themselves freely long term and
that slavery was the antithesis of democracy. After issuing
the Emancipation proclamation on new year's Day 1863,
he transformed the mission of the war from saving the
Union to one that extended freedom to the slaves.
Ultimately, Lincoln believed the union of the states and
freedom for all were indispensible to the great American
Experiment.


The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Abraham Lincoln: "Lincoln Meets Stowe" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Lincoln Meets Stowe 

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln Meets Stowe

Plaque

GPS: N41° 45.912; W072° 40.029

Quick Description: 

Lincoln Meets Stowe is the title of a sculpture located at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and times of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

This sculpture by Bruno Lucchesi depicts the meeting of President Lincoln and abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe in Washington, D.C. in 1862. A plaque attached to the sculptures mounting is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Lincoln Meets Stowe
Bruno Lucchesi, 2006

"In giving freedom to the slave, we assure
freedom to the free -- honorable alike in what
we give and what we preserve."


This sculpture commemorates the 1862 meeting of
Abraham Lincoln and Hartford resident Harriet Beecher
Stowe in Washington, D.C. Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's
Cabin, was widely credited for increasing opposition to
slavery and she had written the president urging him to
sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Upon meeting this
tiny powerhouse, Lincoln purportedly quipped, "So you're
the little lady who started this big war."

The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Abraham Lincoln: "Tête à Tête" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Tête à Tête

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Tête à Tête

Plaque

GPS: N41° 45.921; W072° 40.078

Quick Description:

Tête à Tête - (Head to Head) - is the title of a sculpture installed at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford. Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Lincoln was known as a magnanimous president. He often granted citizens clemency, pardoned soldiers who were sentenced to death for desertion, and granted amnesty to nearly 90% of Confederate troops. A sculpture entitled Tête à Tête consists of a pair of stainless steel pieces, by Howard Fromson, that strongly resemble seats. They are installed near a wall in a small alcove. The sculpture suggest Lincoln's willingness to have a discussion with citizens about their hardships.

The plaque begins with one of Lincoln's most quoted phrases taken from his Second Inaugural Address and is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Tête à Tête
Howard Fromson, 2005

"With malice toward none; with charity
for all..."

Abraham Lincoln was known for his magnanimous
response to clemency requests. Even during wartime, the
public had open access to the White House, so he was
frequently approached by citizens seeking favors or
wishing to discuss their hardships. There are multiple
accounts of how the president, upon hearing of a mother or
father's sympathetic story, pardoned Union soldiers
sentenced to death for desertion or falling asleep on
sentry duty, even though his generals claimed it
undermined their discipline. "I guess he cab serve his
country better above the ground than under it," Lincoln
reportedly responded to one request. Lincoln's mercy also
was extended to his enemies - he granted amnesty to
nearly 90% of the Confederate troops.

Abraham Lincoln: "Right to Rise" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Right to Rise

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

"Right to Rise"

Plaque

GPS: N41° 45.909; W072° 40.113

Quick Description: 

Right to Rise the title of the abstract sculpture based on Lincoln's belief of equality of opportunity. It's installed in the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

Lincoln believed that all citizens should be afforded a fair chance to succeed through their hard work and intelligence. An abstract sculpture symbolizing the right to rise stands besides a plaque that contains a quote from Lincoln about opportunity and describes Lincoln's beliefs and his advocacy for the Homestead Act.

The metal sculpture is a vertical tower which tapers outward from its base. Three levels, consisting of upward spirals, are connected by ladder-like elements. The plaque is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}
Right to Rise
Don Gummer, 2003

"It is a struggle...maintaining in the world, that form, and substance of
government, whose leading object is ... to lift artificial weights from all
shoulders; to clear the paths of laudable pursuits for all; to afford all an
unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life"

As a son of the frontier, Abraham Lincoln understood America's potential to
offer each individual, regardless of origin, the opportunity to rise up the
economic ladder and better themselves to the greatest extent of their ability.
This belief manifested itself in Lincoln's advocacy for the Homestead Act,
which allowed citizens to claim 160 acres of public land in return for farming
the property for five years. He considered this one of the signature
accomplishments of his administration, allowing the United States to be a
country where its residents can succeed through hard work and intelligence.

The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Abraham Lincoln: "Towards Union Lines" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

"Towards Union Lines"

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Towards Union Lines

GPS: N41° 45.980; W072° 40.010

Quick Description: 

Towards Union Lines is the title of a sculpture located at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford. Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Elizabeth Keckly was a former slave and Mary Lincoln's dressmaker. She related to the President and Mrs. Lincoln the problems that escaped slaves faced when they crossed military lines in search of freedom. As a result the Lincolns were persuaded to fully support the Contraband Relief Association. The statue depicts a slave carrying her possessions north in search of freedom.

A plaque on the pedestal contains a quote from Lincoln about freedom and the story behind Elizabeth Keckly and the Contraband Relief Association. The plaque is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Towards Union Lines
Preston Jackson, 2005


"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve
it not for themselves..."


Mary Lincoln's dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckly was a
former slave. Through Keckly, the president and First
Lady learned of the troubles "contraband's" (escaped
slaves) faced when they risked their lives to cross military
lines from south into the north in search of freedom.
Mary Lincoln became an advocate for the Contraband
Relief Association, of which Keckly was founder and
president, and urged her friends to contribute to the
organization which collected funds to and clothing for poor
former slaves and helped them acquire the skills needed to
live in an urban environment.  

Abraham Lincoln: "Frontier Life" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

"Frontier Life"

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Frontier Life

GPS: N41° 46.018; W072° 40.009

Quick Description:

"Frontier Life" is the title of a sculpture located at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford. Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford. Lincoln grew up poor. His family moved first to Indiana then to Illinois. Both times Lincoln had to help the family clear the land and construct a log cabin home. This sculpture by Neil Goodman arranges an ax, tree stump and a small log structure within an étagère.

A nearby plaque contains a quote from Lincoln quoting the poet Thomas Gray about his early life on the frontier and the story of how Abraham Lincoln achieved his image as a rail-splitter. The plaque is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Frontier Life
Neil Goodman, 2005

"You can find the whole of my early life in
a single line of Gray's Elegy: "The short and
simple annals of the poor.""


Thomas Lincoln moves his family to a heavily forested
area of Spencer County, Indiana in the autumn of 1816.
Although only seven years old, young Abraham was given
an ax to help clear the land and build the family's new log
cabin home. As a young man, chopping wood was an
activity that consumed his days when he was not plowing
or harvesting the family farm. The Lincolns moved outside
Decatur, Illinois in 1830 and, once again, Lincoln helped
build the family log cabin and hewed miles of rails to fence
their 10-acre farm. The image of a young Abraham Lincoln
as a rail-splitter has become an iconic depiction of the
future president. 

Abraham Lincoln: "Secession" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

"Secession" - Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Secession

Plaque

GPS: N41° 46.119; W072° 40.045

Quick Description:

"Secession" is the title of an abstract mosaic mural located at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures (including this mosaic) related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford. Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Soon after Lincoln was elected president several southern states seceded from the Union. These actions led directly to the Civil War during which Lincoln faced his greatest challenge - to preserve the union. This abstract mosaic by Virginia Seely and the Neighborhood Studios, symbolizes the fracturing of the Union and the conflict that ensued.

A nearby plaque contains a quote from Lincoln's 1858 House Divided Speech and interprets the mosaic. The plaque is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Secession
Virginia Seeley/Neighborhood Studios, 2005

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."


This mural was created by students in the Neighborhood
studios program under the tutelage of artist Virginia
Seeley. The jagged shape in the center represents South
Carolina which, in December 1860 shortly after Lincoln
won the presidential election, became the first state to
secede from the Union. The shape also suggests a soldier
with a bayonet. This shape is repeated six time in the
upper left corner, representing the six states that seceded
shortly after South Carolina. The four states that seceded
after the Civil War began in April 1861 are represented in
the lower left corner.. These eleven jagged shapes also are
aligned to suggest the left half of the Confederate flag.
The large star on the right represents the Union, and the
smaller stars and red and white stripes represent the Union
flag. The blue and gray colors represent the uniforms of
both armies and the red represents the blood spilt in battle.
The marbles throughout the mosaic represent bullets and
cannon balls.

Abraham Lincoln: "Jack" - Hartford, CT

Jack

Hartford, CT

Jack

Plaque

GPS: N41° 46.279; W072° 40.071

Quick Description: 

Jack is the name of the first turkey to receive a presidential pardon. It is the title of a sculpture of a turkey located at the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford. Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Lincoln established the Thanksgiving holiday, in 1863, and the practice of pardoning turkeys. The plaque on the pedestal of the sculpture begins with a quote from Lincoln about his early life in Indiana and contains the story behind the practice of pardoning Jack and other turkeys.

The plaque is inscribed:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}

Jack
Philip Grausman, 2006


"We reached our new home (in Indiana)
about the time the State came into the Union.
It was a wild region, with many bears and
other wild animals, still in the woods.
There I grew up"


Abraham Lincoln spoke with regret about the first time
he shot and killed a wild turkey at age eight. perhaps as a
result of this traumatic event, he became the first
president to issue a "Presidential Pardon" to a turkey
when his son, Tad, became attached to a bird names Jack
which was intended for dinner. Tad interrupted a cabinet
meeting weeping and begging for his father's intervention
and returned to the cook with the president's handwritten
order of reprieve. Ironically, Lincoln also issued a
proclamation in October 1863 establishing the last
Thursday of November as "a day of Thanksgiving and
praise," inaugurating a long tradition of both turkey
dinners and presidential turkey pardons.

Abraham Lincoln: "Perseverance" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Perseverance

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

 Perseverance

Plaque

GPS: N41° 46.432; W072° 39.986

Quick Description: 

Perseverance the title of the abstract sculpture based on Lincoln's ability to overcome adversity. It's installed in the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

Lincoln had many set-backs in his life. He never gave in to the temptation to quit but overcame each one. An abstract sculpture symbolizing perseverance stands besides a plaque that contains a quote from Lincoln about determination and a listing of the obstacles that Lincoln had to overcome. Perseverance is symbolized by two large blocks of granite placed side by side. A taller 7' high rectangular block is set at an angle leaning on a smaller, 5', roughly cubic block.

The plaque is inscribed: 

{Profile of Lincoln}

Lincoln

Financial

Sculpture 

Walk at

Riverfront

{five wavy lines}

Perseverance

Darrell Petit, 2005

"... you can not fail if you resolutely determine that you will not."

Lincoln is often regarded as a model for overcoming life's little adversities. He experienced many setbacks in life including:

• Defeated in his first run for the Illinois state legislature

• His first business, a store, failed

• His sweetheart died

• Defeated to be Speaker of the Illinois state house

• Defeated for nomination to Congress

• Defeated for U.S. Senate

• Defeated again for U.S. Senate

• Lost two sons - one at nearly four years of age, one at age 11

• Publicly maligned for his political positions

Despite these stumbling blocks, and perhaps because of them, Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the most revered presidents and possibly the most admired

American in U. S. history. 

The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Abraham Lincoln: "Steamer" - Hartford, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Steamer

Hartford, CT

Topic: Abraham Lincoln

Steamer

Plaque

GPS: N41° 46.459; W072° 39.949

Quick Description: 

Steamer is the title of the sculpture based on Lincoln's patented invention. It's installed in the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford, CT.

Long Description:

Sixteen abstract and traditional sculptures related to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln are installed along the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront in Hartford and East Hartford.

Lincoln, the inventor, is the subject of this sculpture and plaque. A sculpture of the flatboat that Lincoln invented and patented stands besides a plaque describing this achievement.

The plaque adjacent to the sculpture contains a quote from Lincoln about ingenuity and a description of Lincoln's legacy as an inventor:

{Profile of Lincoln}
Lincoln
Financial
Sculpture
Walk at
Riverfront
{five wavy lines}


Steamer
Jonathan Kirk, 2005

"Man is not the only animal who labors;
but he is the only one who improves his
workmanship."

Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to hold a
patent. After years of both working as a hired hand on
flatboats and traveling on rivers, he designed a method of
lifting vessels over shoals and through shallow waters. The
patent was issued in May 1849. Although Lincoln never
built a full-size version of the flat-bottomed boat, the U.S.
military used the design to create one type of ship that
landed on the beaches on D-Day in 1944.


The Lincoln Financial is an insurance company based in Philadelphia with offices in Hartford.

Philatelic Photograph: Nassau Hall - Princeton, NJ

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Nassau Hall

Princeton, NJ

Topic: Philatelic Photograph

GPS: N40° 20.929; W074° 39.563

Quick Description: 

Nassau Hall is located on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, NJ

Long Description:

Nassau Hall was built from 1754 - 1756 and is the oldest building on the campus of Princeton University. The original building was designed by Robert Smith and remodeled by Benjamin Latrobe and John Notman. The building was used to hold classes, a library, a chapel, and a residence hall for both for students and faculty. Today Nassau Hall houses Princeton University's administrative offices, including the office of the President of the University. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

During the Revolutionary War, Nassau Hall was under the control of both the British and American forces. During this time it was severely damaged. After the war, from July to October 1783, Princeton was the capital of the United States.

A plaque at the entrance is inscribed with the buildings history:

This building, erected in 1756 by the College of New Jersey and named Nassau Hall in honor of King William III, was seized by British forces for military purposes in 1776, and retaken by the American Army January 3, 1777.

Here met from June 30, 1783 until Nov. 4, 1788, the Continental Congress, and here Aug. 26, 1783, General Washington received the grateful acknowledgements of the Congress for his services in establishing the freedom and independence of the United States of America.


Erected
October 21, 1896, by the
Society of Sons of
the Revolution in the

State of New Jersey

The stamp was issued by the United States in 1956 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Nassau Hall. it was the first U.S. commemorative stamp ever printed on colored paper (orange).

Castle: Rosenborg Slot - Copenhagen, Denmark

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Rosenborg Slot (Castle)

Copenhagen, Denmark

Topic: Castles

GPS: N55° 41.119; E012° 34.695

Quick Description: 

The Rosenborg Castle is located just north of the center of Copenhagen east of Øster Voldgade.

Long Description:

The Rosenborg Slot began a summer cottage for King Christian IV that was constructed from 1606 to 1607. The summer house expanded into the castle that completed, as it exists today, in 1617. The Dutch renaissance dominated Danish architecture during that period and the castle, designed by architects Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger, is a gem of Dutch renaissance architecture.

From the front and back of the brick castle displays a classic Dutch facade flanked by four towers with copper spires. The central portion has a copper gabled roof. From the south side the castle displays symmetry with a tall central tower flanked by matching wings with windows six bays wide and three storeys high. The copper roof has gables on either side of the tower. The castle is surrounded by a wall and encircled by a moat. Access (coordinates) is from the bridge that takes you over the moat.

The castle was used as a royal residence until around 1710. Since the reign of Frederik IV, Rosenborg was used as a royal residence only twice, in emergencies. The first time was after Christiansborg Palace burned down in 1794, and the second time was during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801. The castle is now a state museum housing exhibits on the history and culture of Denmark and contains the Danish crown jewels.

Date of origin:: 1606 - 1624 Architect(s): Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger Style: Late Renaissance (ca. 1580–1620) Address: Rosenborg Slotshave Øster Voldgade 4A Copenhagen, Denmark 1350

National Parks: Cliff Palace - Mesa Verde, CO

Interesting Places I've Visited

Cliff Palace

Mesa Verde, CO

Topic: National Parks 

GPS: N37° 09.981; W108° 28.345

Quick Description: 

The Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado

Long Description:

Fourteen hundred years ago an ancient group of Pueblo people began to make their homes in the cliffs of Mesa Verde in southwest Colorado. Their civilization flourished for 700 years - from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300, they then mysteriously disappeared, abandoning their cliff dwellings.

There are over 4,000 known archaeological sites at Mesa Verde, including 600 cliff dwellings. The Cliff Palace is the largest, best known, most easily accessible (provided you can handle the ladders), and most impressive of these sites.

Ski Jumps: Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumps - Lillehammer, Norway

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena

Lillehammer, Norway

Topic: Ski Jumps

GPS: N61° 07.525; E010° 29.157

Quick Description: 

The Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena was the ski jumping venue during 1994 Winter Olympics held in Lillehammar, Norway. It is all year around.

Long Description:

Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena was built in 1992 especially for the Winter Olympics of 1994. It is perhaps the most iconic symbol of these games. The jump area is located on a natural hill overlooking the town of Lillehammar. It has become a major tourist attraction of Norway.

The venue consists of two adjacent jumps, a large hill classified as HS138 and a normal hill with an HS100 classification. and a small hill, HS138 and HS100, respectively. The ski jumpers can be seen all year around, with jumping on snow cover during cold weather months and on a plastic ground cover the rest of the year. Approximately 80,000 jumps are made during the winter and about 20,000 during the summer.

A ski lift is used to reach the top of the slopes. A scoreboard, sound and lighting equipment, toilet facilities and spectator stands seating as many as 50,000 persons, are located near the base where there is a gift shop and refreshment stands.

Technical Data:
Active: yes

Height of the ski jump (feet): Large Hill = 449 feet; Small Hill = 367 feet

K-point (critical point): Large Hill = 123; Small Hill = 90

Hillsize-point: Large Hill = 138; Small Hill = 100

Date constructed: 1992

Public access: yes

Roadside Attractions: Tree Trunk ATM - Greenfield, MA

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Tree Trunk ATM

Greenfield, MA

Topic: Roadside Attractions

GPS: N42° 35.184; W072° 37.503

Quick Description: 

This ATM in Greenfield, MA is not very well disguised as the stump of a giant redwood tree.

Long Description:

You can't help but notice this huge redwood tree stump in a shopping plaza off heavily travelled Route 2 (the Mohawk Trail) in north central Massachusetts. So, what is a redwood tree doing 3000 miles from home? The artificial GSB Money Tree is housing an ATM machine owned by the Greenfield Savings Bank, designed by the Holbek Group of Orange, MA, and cost $120,000.

This 25' high sculpture of a redwood stump is roughly sheared off at the top, hollowed out, and partially missing its bark. Its roots are exposed and growing around rocks. A pair of giant mushroom that grow out from the stump provides lighting and act as a rain shield for the ATP nestled within a hollow of the tree.

Glaciers: Mendelhall Glacier - Juneau, Alaska

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Mendenhall Glacier

Juneau, Alaska

Topic: Glaciers

Mendenhall Glacier Reaches the Sea 

At the melt pool

GPS: N58° 24.987; W134° 32.833

Quick Description: 

Mendenhall Glacier is Juneau's most popular tourist attraction.

Long Description:

From the official Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau Website.

"Juneau's most popular attraction (and the most easily accessible Alaska glacier) is the mighty, magnificent Mendenhall Glacier, located just 13 miles from downtown Juneau and only a few minutes from the airport.

The Mendenhall is just one of the 38 major glaciers that flow from the Juneau Icefield, an expanse of interconnected glaciers that sits just behind the mountains next to Juneau. The Icefield covers more than 1,500 square miles and runs from the Taku River inlet east of town to Skagway, 90 miles northwest. Now that's one big ice cube."

The coordinates will take you to the visitors center. From there there are several places you can view the glacier. You may take one of six loop trails ranging in distance from 0.3 mi to 3.5 miles. The shortest of these is the Photo Point Trail which has handicapped access and takes you right up to Mendenhall Lake for an unobstructed view of the glacier. Other trails gain elevation for viewing down at the lake and glacier.

If you bring your binoculars you can which a variety of bird life patrolling the edge of the glacier. Commonly seen are Arctic terns, loons and gulls that nest along the lake shore.

Visitors Center Hours:

Winter Hours of Operation: October - April
10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday
Closed on Federal Holidays

Summer Hours of Operation: May - September
8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Saturday
Open on Federal Holidays

Philatelic Photographs: Carmel Mission Basilica Belfry - Carmel, CA

Interesting places I've Photographed

Carmel Mission Basilica Belfry

Carmel, CA

Topic: Philatelic Photographs

GPS: N36° 32.562; W121° 55.195

Quick Description: 

Belfry at the Basilica of Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo in Carmel California.

Long Description:

Mission San Carlos Borroméo del Río Carmelo, aka Carmel Mission, is a Roman Catholic Basilica in Carmel. The mission was founded in 1770 in Monterey and relocated into its present location in 1791. It was headed by Father Junípero Serra from 1770 until his death in 1784. Farther Serra is buried beneath the chapel floor.

Starting in 1818, the Spanish began to lose control of the area and the mission fell into disrepair. The mission was restored in 1884. It retains the original bell tower dome, the subject of the stamp issued by the United States to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the settlement of California.  The mission is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Fountains: Great River Project Cascading Fountains - Westfield, MA

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Great River Project Cascading Fountains

Westfield, MA

Topic: Fountains

GPS: N42° 07.761; W072° 44.733

Quick Description: 

A cascade of fountains is located between the bridges that cross the Westfield River in Westfield, MA.

Long Description:

The construction of a new bridge, parallel to the older bridge, across the Westfield River along Route 10/202 was accompanied with a redevelopment of the area. On the slope between the bridges on the north side of the river a series of cascading fountains were constructed. They serve as the centerpiece of a new park.

The fountain complex has five elements arranged in a linear array. The water from circular fountain at the top of the slope flows down a series of steps. On occasion a stream of water shoots up and back from the cascade. The water reaches a large circular basin the bottom of which is lined with colorful river stones. The overflow from the basin flows down another series of steps, identical to the one above and finally into a larger circular fountain at the bottom.

The whole complex has a dramatic setting on the slope, between the bridges, enhanced by Westfield River cascading over as series of bare rocks in the background.

National Parks: Thomas Jefferson Memorial - Washington, DC

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Washington, DC

Topic: National Parks

GPS: N38° 52.922; W077° 02.194

Quick Description: 

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is regarded by many as Washington's most beautiful monument. Its beauty is enhanced when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

Long Description:

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a neoclassical building in the style of the Pantheon in Rome and was influenced by Jefferson's Rotunda at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It was designed by John Russell Pope. Construction began in 1939 and completed in 1943. The bronze statue of Jefferson in the center of the rotunda was added in 1947.

In 1934, at President Franklin Roosevelt's behest, Congress appropriated $3 million for a memorial to Jefferson. Pope's design was for a 129 foot high pantheon-like structure, sitting on a square platform, and flanked by two smaller, rectangular, colonnaded buildings. The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated by President Roosevelt on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's birthday.

Over 2 million people a year visit the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. It is located on the southeast side of Tidal Basin and is open 24 hours a day. Admission is free.

Revolutionary War: Nathan Hale Statue - New Haven, CT

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Nathan Hale Statue

New Haven, CT

Topic: Revolutionary War

Nathan Hale

GPS: N41° 18.495; W072° 55.717

Quick Description: 

A statue of Nathan Hale is located outside Connecticut Hall on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Long Description:

Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, Connecticut on June 6, 1755. He attended Yale University and graduated in 1773. In 1775, he joined a Connecticut militia as a first lieutenant. After the battle of Long Island in, August 1776, Washington retreated to Manhattan. He desperately needed information on British troop movements. On September 8, 1776, Captain Nathan Hale volunteered to go behind enemy lines to obtain the information and report back to General Washington.

He was secretly ferried into Long Island. Subsequently, lower Manhattan was captured by the British and Washington fled to Harlem Heights. Hale was captured in Flushing Bay, Queens and brought to Manhattan where, on September 22, 1776, twenty-one year old Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy. In 1985, he was officially designated the state hero of Connecticut.

A 6.5' high bronze sculpture of Nathan Hale stands in front of Connecticut Hall, the dormitory he lived in while attending Yale University. The statue rests on a 3' high by 2.25' square granite base. He is shown in the moments before he was hanged as a spy in 1776. He is wearing a long coat, vest, open color shirt, knee-length pants and long stockings. He is looking straight ahead with his feet tied together and his hands tied behind his back.

The sculpture was created by Bela Lyon Pratt and cast at the Roman Bronze Works in 1913. It was a gift to Yale from its graduates and friends.

The front of the base is inscribed:

NATHAN HALE
1755-1776
CLASS OF 1773 The back of the base is inscribed:

A GIFT TO YALE COLLEGE
BY GRADUATES AND FRIENDS
ANNO DOMINI MCMXIV
The edge of bronze base is inscribed with the famous quote:

I ONLY REGRET THAT I HAVE BUT ONE LIFE TO LOSE FOR MY COUNTRY

National Register of Historic Places: Connecticut Hall - Yale University

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Connecticut Hall

Yale University

New Haven, CT
Topic: National Register of Historic Places

N 41° 18.479 W 072° 55.729

Quick Description: 

Connecticut Hall is located on the Old Campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Long Description:

The symmetrical Georgian style Connecticut Hall was built from 1752 - 1753 to serve as a dormitory; it is the oldest surviving building on the Yale campus. All the other 18th century structures of the Old Brick Row were razed after Civil War.

Connecticut Hall was built under the direction of the President of Yale University, Thomas Clap. The Georgian design, by Francis Letort and Thomas Bills, was inspired by Massachusetts Hall on the campus of Harvard University. The original building is 100' long by 40' wide, and three storeys high. It was later enlarged to its present day four storeys.

The building was slated for demolition early in the 20th century but was saved by the efforts of the Alumni in 1905. Many famous persons lived in Connecticut Hall while attending Yale University. The patriot Nathan Hale is perhaps the most famous. The inventor Eli Whitney, artist John Trumbull, and dictionary publisher Noah Webster also lived there.

Street address: Yale University 1017 Chapel Street New Haven, CT United States 06510 County / Borough / Parish: New Haven Year listed: 1966 Historic significance: Education, Architecture Period of significance: 1750-1799 Historic function: Education Current function: Education Privately owned?: yes

Literary Sites: Emily Dickinson Homestead - Amherst, MA

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Emily Dickinson Homestead

Amherst, MA

Topic: Literary Sites

N 42° 22.555 W 072° 30.873

Quick Description: 

The house where Emily Dickinson was born, lived all her life, wrote her poems, and died is located at 280 Main Street in Amherst, MA

Long Description:

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (1830-1886) lived in this house in Amherst all her life. She was born into a prominent Massachusetts family. Her father was a lawyer and her grandfather was one of the founders of Amherst Academy and Amherst College. Emily attended Amherst Academy and entered nearby Mount Holyoke College Female Seminary for one year. In her thirties she became very reclusive and spent most her her time in her bedroom writing poetry. Nonetheless, she was well informed by virtue of the family subscriptions to literary journals and her own correspondence.

Emily Dickinson began writing poetry in her early twenties and and was very prolific by the time she was thirty. She eventually wrote 1800 poems. Her poems were stories in meter and rhyme drawn from everyday life. They were noted for their insight into human nature, concise style, brilliant imagery, and use of varied meter and irregular rhymes. The first book of her poetry was published in 1890, four years after her death. Publication was through the efforts of her sister Lavinia and editors Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd. Emily Dickinson is among the most read, admired, and loved poets in the world of literature.

In 1963, the Home of Emily Dickinson was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ships: U.S.S. Constitution - Charlestown, MA

Interesting Places I've Photographed

U.S.S. Constitution

Oldest Commissioned Warship Afloat

Charlestown, MA
Topic: Ships

GPS: N42° 22.350; W071° 03.387

Quick Description: 

The Frigate U.S.S. Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat. It is docked at the Charlestown (Boston) Navy Yard in Charlestown, MA

Long Description:

The Frigate U.S.S. Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat. In 1954, Congress passed and President Eisenhower signed a law to authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to repair, equip, and restore the U.S.S. Constitution to her original appearance and to maintain the ship in Boston, MA.

The U.S.S Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate designed by Joshua Humphreys. It was launched in 1797 and it first saw action against the Barbary pirates during the First Barbary War. She gained her famous reputation during the War of 1812 by capturing numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane and Levant. It was after she defeated the Guerriere that she was given the nickname of "Old Ironsides" and has won the favor of the American people ever since.

The ship is constructed of white pine, long-leaf pine, white oak, and southern live oak, a very dense wood. The ship's hull is 21 inches thick at a time when 18 inches was most common. She is 204 feet long and a 43 feet wide. Its copper bolts were forged by Paul Revere.

The ship's mission is to promote the United States Navy and America’s naval heritage through educational outreach, public access and historic demonstrations, in port and at sea. In view of this mission, the Constitution is open for free guided tours throughout the year. The tours are conducted by U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the USS Constitution.

Philatelic Photographs: Tower Bridge over the Thames River - London, UK

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Tower Bridge over the Thames River

London, United Kingdom

Topic: Philatelic Photographs

GPS: N51° 30.436; W000° 04.628

Quick Description: 

London's iconic bridge over the Thames River.

Long Description:

The Tower Bridge gets its name from its proximity to the Tower of London. The embankment walkway below the Tower of London offers a fine view of the bridge and the Thames River.

Tower Bridge has an unusual design, its a combination of a central drawbridge (bascule) and two side suspension bridges. The two towers are connected by two horizontal walkways 143 feet above the river. Construction started in 1886. The bridge was opened on June 30, 1894. Five different contractors were required for various aspects of the bridge. The resident engineer was E. W. Crutwell. The Victorian Gothic style façade gives the bridge its unique appearance and places it in harmony with the architecture of the Tower of London.

The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in long, the towers are 213 feet (65 m) high and 200 feet apart. Each of the counterbalanced bascules weighs over 1,000 tons. The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long.

The stamp is part of a five stamp set issued by Great Britain (U.K.) in 2002 depicting bridges over the Thames River.