A lesson in American History

   This summer my cousin got married in Savannah, Georgia, my family had never been to Savannah, so we turned the wedding into an excuse for a week long family vacation.  Being one of nine, family vacations were few and far between and typically centered around visiting other family or my Dad's business trips.  So we were more than a little excited to go explore Savannah.  Savannah, like so much of the East Coast is full of so much history, so much more than the Midwestern states!  So naturally we had to soak up as much history as we possibly could.

    The rehearsal dinner was at Old Fort Jackson.  They had Civil War re-enactors, dressed in the appropriate military garb who were ready and willing to answer any questions we might have had about the fort.  They also shot off a 32lb. cannon, which was incredibly loud!  The Fort is located on the Savannah River.

The Entrance to Old Fort Jackson

A Riverboat cruising past the fort



Preparing to shoot off the cannon!

   On Sunday night after re-cooperating from the wedding festivities, we got together with our relatives that were still in town for dinner and a ghost tour.  31 of us went to dinner and the ghost tour, which meant that we had the entire trolley to just our family.  I felt a little bit bad for the tour guides who were trying their hardest to be serious and scary and my family just cracking jokes the entire time.  But we learned interesting theories on a variety of aspects in Savannah.  Such as, Spanish Moss grows on the trees all throughout Savannah, except for one Square towards the center of the city.  It is believed that no moss grows there because it was the square where they would have public hangings, and so now the moss won't grow. 

The Forsythe Park, where the Spanish moss DOES grow!

   Later on in the week we went to Tybee Island to soak up some sun on the beach and swim in the ocean.  Us, Midwesterners don't get to swim in the ocean, the closest thing we have is Lake Michigan and it doesn't quite compare.  On the way to Tybee Island we stopped at Fort Pulaski and toured the fort.  Again there were civil war re-enactors who were dressed in appropriate military garb, we happened to be there on one of the days when the fort was considered Union.  We watched a musket presentation and learned all about how they would load their guns.  We toured their barracks and explored their underground armories. 

Musket Presentation

My brothers exploring the Cannons

We put my sister in the Brig - she wasn't too happy!

The Underground Armories, with tight hallways, a complex system to get to different locations.

Ft. Pulaski sustained ALOT of damage and if you look closely you can still see cannon balls in the walls of the fort!

   History is incredibly important to me, especially concerning our military and those who serve our wonderful country.  Being at the fort gives you a sense of the tragedy and intense warfare that occurred during the Civil War and the stark realization of the sacrifice so many of our men and women have given to our country!

Have you traveled anywhere this summer that was rich in American History?