Happy  Thanksgiving, America!

You probably already know that the play you did in elementary school depicting a happy meal between people dressed in feathers and people dressed in black and white hats didn’t cover exactly how the meeting between the pilgrims and Indians went down. Hopefully you also know that the people who lived on this land long before the Mayflower docked at Plymouth Rock weren’t actually Indians. Indian, in fact, is an entirely different country on an entirely different continent.

But I digress.

Thanksgiving. Settlers. A meeting (or clashing, you might say) of the old and the new. There’s a few places to go to get a slightly more accurate overview of what was going on in New England in 1620.

• Pilgrim Hall; Plymouth, Massachusetts - find out more about the people who really did come over on the Mayflower, as well as the families and community they built on what would become American soil.
• National Museum of the American Indian; Washington, D.C. - the Smithsonian always does a phenomenal job and they have access to the best stuff. Added bonus – all of their museums, including the NMOAI, are free.
• The Mashantucket Pequot Museum; Mashantucket, CT – Near Mystic, CT, this museum can be challenging to get through because of an overwhelming layout, but it does an impressive job of explaining the conflict between Europeans and native tribes.

Plan a trip to one of these sites in the next 12 months and you can enjoy your turkey guilt free today!

Photo: Britt Reints

As Inauguration day approaches the Washington metro area is preparing for the estimated four million or so visitors that will be attending the event. It’s going to be quite a celebration. After the celebration you may want to end your vacation in D.C. on a historic note. How about taking the family on a short road trip to learn about the first president of the United States?

The first inauguration at the Federal Hall in New York

George Washington gave our countries first inaugural address on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York on April 30, 1789. After serving two terms as president of the United States he returned to his home in Mount Vernon where he lived the final two years of his life. Mount Vernon is probably the most famous home of George Washington, but if you have ever wondered about the other places George Washington called home, here are two often overlooked nearby locations.

Popes Creek Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia

A quiet spot at Popes Creek Plantation

George Washington was born at Popes Creek Plantation in Westmoreland County Virginia. I’ve visited this location on several occasions and it’s a tranquil, slow moving kind of place. Of all the historic locations I’ve visited, this one feels the most authentic. It’s not as grand as Monticello and it’s not as forced as Colonial Williamsburg but it has charm. You can walk in the quiet along the river or through trails and imagine what was when our country was just beginning. The future paleontologist in the family will enjoy searching for fossilized sharks’ teeth in the sandy river shore. Future graffiti artists can use a stick to carve designs into the clay cliffs. Just be careful of the wildlife when you go. The squirrels at the picnic area will shamelessly steal your Cheetos and the turkeys are a little mean.

Ferry Farm, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Known as George Washington’s boyhood home, Ferry Farm isn’t a re-created historical site as much as an active learning location. They have a beautiful colonial style garden and some trails along the Rappahanock River but that’s not why we visit. We go for the fun, well thought out summer educational programs. In addition to the civil war workshops and gardening programs they can “Dig George” and become junior archaeologists or learn about the “First Virginians”, the Powhatan Indians. They have also created a touch box program that enables the blind and visually impaired to enjoy history with touchable artifacts, Braille maps and text, and large print brochures.

Ferry Farm is located just outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia about 50 minutes from Mount Vernon. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. George Washington’s birthplace is an easy 60 minute drive from Ferry Farm. Admission is $4 for adults and no fee for children. They’re both worth a visit.

Photo Credits : Federal Hall from the public domain. Popes Creek Plantation by Ken Lund