2020 FALL COASTMAGAZINE
Alabama’s Historic Civil Rights Trail The enduring legacy of Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma
Naturally Virginia Exploring in and around Lexington
FALL RETREATS Allegany Mountain Resort East Otto, New York
KQ Ranch Resort Julian, California
Styx River RV Resort Robertsdale, Alabama
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CONTENTS
TRAVEL 12 Naturally Virginia
GOOD SAM AND CAMPING WORLD CHAIRMAN AND CEO Marcus Lemonis MarcusVIP@goodsamfamily.com COAST TO COAST PRESIDENT Bruce Hoster CCRPresident@coastresorts.com
Exploring in and around Lexington BY DEE LITTEN WHITED 19 Alabama’s Historic Civil Rights Trail The enduring legacy of Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma BY RICHARD VARR 27 Two Green Thumbs Up Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAULA LOEHR
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MEMBER SERVICES 64 Inverness Drive E. Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-368-5721 info@coastresorts.com COAST TO COAST WEBSITE CoastResorts.com COAST TO COAST FACEBOOK Facebook.com/CoastResorts EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dee Whited ART DIRECTOR Nicole Wilson
DEPARTMENTS 4 From the President 6 Member Matters 7 Resort Updates 32 RV Review
RESORT PROFILES 8 Allegany Mountain Resort East Otto, New York 9 KQ Ranch Resort Julian, California 10 Styx River RV Resort Robertsdale, Alabama
Volume 39, Number 4. Coast to Coast (ISSN 1093-3581) is published quarterly for $14 per year as part of annual membership fees, by Coast to Coast Resorts, 64 Inverness Drive E., Englewood, Colorado 80112. Coast to Coast Resorts assumes no responsi- bility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any method without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2020 Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. Coast wing logo is a reg- istered trademark of Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. The GOOD SAM ICON, and Dream. Plan. Go. are registered trademarks of Good Sam Enterprises, LLC and used with permission. Unauthorized use of Coast’s or Good Sam’s trademarks is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA. COVER PHOTO BY L. MICHAEL WHITED CTC59155 - 0820
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FROM THE PRESIDENT PUTTING MEMBERS FIRST Coast Trip Plus Discounts Now I am pleased to announce that we have recently made a significant enhancement to our Trip Plus Discount Program that will provide all Coast members with a dramatially upgraded benefit. Coast to Coast members can now take advantage of new and improved Trip Plus Discounts powered by Entertainment, North America’s most trusted discount network. Celebrating their 60th year in business this year, Entertainment is the leading provider of unbeatable local and national discounts throughout the United States and Canada. They accomplish this by maintaining a strong local community connection. What started as the flagship Entertainment Book has now evolved to include discounts that can be redeemed via phone and online. The enhanced Trip Plus Discounts offer you over 500,000 locations to save in more than 10,000 cities across the United States and Canada. Entertainment delivers convenient, high value 2-for-1 and up to 50% off coupons that enable members to stretch their dollar further and experience the world for less. Whether it’s pizza or sushi you’re craving, shopping, movie tickets, or a trip to a zoo or theme park, Trip Plus Discounts powered by Entertainment can help you get it for less. In addition to enjoying more 2-for-1 and 50% off coupons, Coast members will also receive discounts in many more categories than before. Our new and
improved Trip Plus Discounts now offer savings in all the following categories: • Dining (fine dining, casual dining, & fast food) • Automotive • Local Shopping • Experiences/Attractions • Online Shopping • Family Fun • Health & Beauty • Golf • Learning for Kids • Skiing • Adult Learning • Home & Garden • Grocery Coupons (coming soon) To check out the great new savings for yourself, sign in at www.CoastResorts.com and click Trip Plus Discounts under the Benefits tab at the top of your member homepage. This will take you to the Entertainment discounts page where you can search savings by category and location. Discount offers that have a cell phone symbol can be redeemed as a mobile coupon. There is no need to download an app to save when using your mobile phone, as the Entertainment website is completely mobile-friendly. Please try your new and improved Trip Plus Discounts soon and see how much you can save on everyday expenses as well as recreation and other activities. It’s just another way that Coast to Coast helps members enjoy more of life while spending less
MARCUS LEMONIS Chairman and CEO Camping World & Good Sam marcusvip@goodsamfamily.com
BRUCE HOSTER President Coast to Coast Resorts CCRPresident@CoastResorts.com
FROM THE PRESIDENT
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“ IF YOU’RE NOT HAPPY, I ’M NOT HAPPY. ”
Need anything? I’m here to help. CALL MY OFFICE 866.232.8790 or Email me at MarcusVIP@goodsam.com
Marcus Lemonis Chairman and CEO Camping World and Good Sam
CTC58178 - 0120
WeWelcome these Four New GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS TO OUR COAST TO COAST NETWORK!
MEMBER MATTERS MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COAST TO COAST MEMBERSHIP Dinosaur Valley RV Park Glen Rose, Texas
Granbury RV Resort Granbury, Texas
Enjoy beautiful scenery and wonderful amenities at Granbury RV Park, conveniently located between Glen Rose and Granbury, Texas. The resort offers large RV spots, extra-large pull-through RV slots, and back-in RV slots with shade trees. Amenities include a fishing pond, community swimming pool with hot tub, and fire pits. I-80 Lakeside Campground North Platte, Nebraska
Dinosaur Valley RV Park is surrounded by Dinosaur Val- ley State Park located in the hill country on the Paluxy River. Enjoy the nostalgic cowboy frontier-themed campground with the latest amenities including spa- cious drive-through RV sites and fully furnished cabins. Boomtown USA RV Resort Vidor, Texas
The I-80 Lakeside Campground is situated on a private lake that’s well-stocked with fish including crappie, bass, walleye, perch, catfish, and others. Rent non-mo- torized watercraft including kayaks, paddle boats, and rowboats. Other activities include swimming, horse- shoes, sand volleyball, and a walking trail.
Boomtown USA RV Resort sits on a beautiful 100-acre lake with white sandy beaches, swimming, fishing, and a boat launch. In addition to 30 and 50-amp RV sites, there are fully furnished waterfront cabins for rent. Amenities include a swimming pool, hot tub, dog park, kayaks, and paddle boats.
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RESORT UPDATES ADDITIONS AND CHANGES TO THE 2020 DIRECTORY The 2020 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is packed with everything you need to navigate the network of Coast to Coast Resorts and Coast Good Neighbor Parks. To keep members up-to-date, each issue of Coast magazine includes any updates that have occurred since the last issue. COAST PREMIER COAST PREMIER RESORT TERMINATION UTAH Butch Cassidy RV Campground, Salina (page 179) COAST DELUXE COAST DELUXE RESORT TERMINATION OHIO Kountry Resort Campground, Racine (page 153) GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS TEXAS Dinosaur Valley RV Park, 1099 Park Rd 59, Glen Rose,
I-10 & FM 105 (Ex 859): Go 1/2 mi W on Freeway Blvd, resort on R. Latitude 30.11291, Longitude -94.04553. Check in noon, check out 11 a.m. Max RV length 70 feet, max 50 amps. Notations: 2020 Coast rate $40- $60. Rate includes 2 adults per site, electric, water, limited sewer. Additional charges: Add'l adult $5/night, dump fee $5, tax 8.25%. Season: Year-round. Granbury RV Resort, 1800 Mambrino Hwy, Granbury, TX, 76048. Phone (817) 776-1902, Email granburyrvresort@gmail.com, Website www.granburyrvresort.com. Directions: From jct Hwy 144 (Glen Rose Hwy) & Mambrino Hwy: Go 2 mi W on Mambrino Hwy, resort is on L. Latitude 32.37646, Longitude -97.74215. Check in 9 a.m., check out 11 a.m. Max RV length 45 feet, max 50 amps. Notations: 2020 Coast rate $32 - $40. Rate includes 2 adults per site, water, sewer, electric. Season: Year-round. I-80 Lakeside Campground, 3800 Hadley Dr, North Platte, NE, 69101. Phone (877) 648-2267, Email i80lakesidecampground@yahoo.com, Website www.i80lakesidecampground.com. Directions: From Jct I-80 & Newberry Rd (56G) (Ex 179): Go 1000 ft N on Newberry Rd, then 1000 ft E on Halligan Dr. East of La Quinta Hotel. Latitude 41.1075, Longitude -100.71956. Check in 2 p.m., check out 1 p.m. Max RV length 100 feet, max 50 amps. Notations: Special discount rate for Coast members. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full water, sewer, and electric. Additional charges: Add'l adult $3/night, add'l child $2/night, cancellation fee, tax 14%. No Wi-fi or Cable TV. Open via dropbox only Oct 1 - Apr 15. Showerhouse, laundry & boat rentals closed Oct 1 - Apr 15. Discount rate available Apr 1 - Sept 15 only. No availability major holiday weekends. Season: Year-round. GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS UPDATE NORTH DAKOTA Roughrider RV Resort, Minot (page 210): New website: www.roughriderrvresort.com; New email: manager@roughriderrvresort.com
TX, 76043. Phone (888) 996-3466, Email mark@dinosaurvalleyrvpark.com, Website
www.dinosaurvalleyrvpark.com. Directions: From Jct US Hwy 67 & FM 205: Go 3 mi W on FM 205, then 1 blk N on Park Rd 59, park is on R. Latitude 32.24109, Longitude -97.80795. Check in 3 p.m., check out 11 a.m. Max RV length 45 feet, max 50 amps. Notations: 2020 Coast rate $35, available Sun-Wed only excluding holidays, not available Thu-Sat. Rate includes 2 adults per site, 1 vehicle, electric, water, sewer, picnic table, fire ring. Additional charges: Add'l vehicle $10, tax 6.25%. Season: Year-round. Boomtown USA RV Resort, 23030 IH 10, Vidor, TX, 77662. Phone (409) 769-6105, Email boomtownreservations@gmail.com, Website www.boomtownusarvresort.com. Directions: From Jct
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RESORT TYPE Coast Deluxe LOCATION East Otto, New York SEASON May 15 – October 14 WEBSITE https://alleganymountainresort. com
Allegany Mountain Resort Recreational activities are available at all times of the day
Swim, kayak, play sports—no matter what activities you choose to partake in at the Allegany Mountain Resort at Rainbow Lake, they’re included. And there’s something to suit all ages and interests. Whether it’s taking a canoe or kayak out onto the lake, spending the afternoon in the craft cabin making your next best creation, or having a blast participating in a themed weekend with the other campers, your schedule can be as jam-packed or open as you’d like it. For campers who like to fish, Allegany Mountain Resort offers a 70-acre freshwater lake and two spring-fed ponds. Campers have pulled out everything from trophy- sized bass, perch, bluegill, crappie, bullhead and catfish. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful afternoon fishing from your boat, or are taking the kiddos to the shore for an afternoon of family fishing, the lakes and ponds are available for anglers of all ages and skill levels to enjoy. Keep cool all summer long with fun water activities that
are all included. You don’t have to worry about carrying cash around for activities—just show up and the resort will take care of the rest. Swim in one of the two outdoor pools or the indoor pool. Bring your own non-motorized boat or take one of the resort’s kayaks, canoes, or paddle boats out for an afternoon of fun on the water. Pets are part of the Allegany Mountain family, too. All members are welcome to bring up to three pets along. Pets must be kept on a leash at all times, cleaned up after, and kept quiet from prolonged barking. Neighbors and pets alike should enjoy a peaceful stay at Allegany Mountain Resort. Members can rest easy and feel safe at the resort knowing the security staff is on duty at all times.
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RESORT TYPE Coast Deluxe LOCATION Julian, California SEASON Year-round WEBSITE www.kqranchresort.com
KQ Ranch Resort A perfect choice for all RV, equestrian, and nature enthusiasts
This secluded 5-star RV and camping resort is located just 40 miles east of San Diego. Only 4 miles south of Julian’s charming downtown district, the resort has access to the Pacific Crest and California riding and hiking trails. This makes the secluded KQ Ranch located in San Diego County a perfect choice for all RV, equestrian, and nature enthusiasts. KQ Ranch also offers the very best in amenities. The spacious clubhouse hosts scheduled activities, movies, pancake breakfasts, steak dinners, and games around two large, rock fireplaces, which creates a perfect blend of comfort and rustic charm. For outdoor events, the amphitheater, complete with fire pit and extensive seating, is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoor experience. Splash and play in the heated swimming pool or relax with a soothing soak in the oversized Jacuzzi. Don’t forget to bring your fishing gear and get some
fishing in during your camping trip. Try to land the “big one” in the fishing lake. If you’re looking for family activities, the campground offers a miniature golf course, perfect for families with children of all ages. When you visit KQ Ranch Resort with your equestrian friend, take advantage of choosing from one of the many full hook-up campsites featuring personal horse corrals adjoining each site, found on the property’s eastern ridge. The fully staffed “Kids Club” is most impressive. Kids are received with smiles and activity choices such as art work, beading, woodwork, and X-Box games will keep them smiling and happy. In addition to all of the serene beauty with the secured, gated ranch resort, you’ll also find large, clean bathrooms and showers with a spacious dressing area, year-round trailer storage, horseshoe pits, volleyball, tennis, and basketball courts, and laundry facilities.
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RESORT TYPE Coast Classic LOCATION Robertsdale, Alabama SEASON Year-Round WEBSITE www.styxriverrvpark.com
After a long day of driving, it’s a breath of fresh air to find a resort that’s easy to get to. Styx River Resort in Robertsdale, Alabama, is just off Interstate 10 right between Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. It’s the place to kick up your feet and bask in the peaceful sounds, clean air, and comfort of natural surroundings. While parked at your spacious full hook-up site, you may choose to relax at the site or take advantage of the many activities dotted throughout the property. Cool off in the indoor and / or the outdoor pool. Grab a bite to eat at the restaurant. Let your kids get the wiggles out at the playground and recreation room. Challenge a neighbor to a game on one of the game courts or take a walk or jog on the nature trails. Relax in the large clubhouse and enjoy the Wi-Fi. Rent a tube and take a float on the Styx River. The Styx River is a beautiful river with crystal clear water, a sandy bottom, and plenty of sandbars for picnicking. Styx River RV Resort Come play hard or just relax
The winding slow current takes you through primitive rural landscapes and has ideal fishing, swimming, and picnic areas. You don’t have to, but you’ll be glad you joined one of the many planned activities, which include pot lucks, ice cream socials, bingo nights, and flea markets. Styx River Resort’s management excels at hosting group events. Contact the staff if you’re planning a family reunion, office party, or wedding event. There are also beautiful cabin rentals. Off site, visit nearby Mobile’s Battleship Park, home to the USS Alabama, which fought in World War II and was decommissioned in 1947. Visitors can tour decks of the battleship or go into the USS Drum, a World War II era submarine.
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NATURALLY VIRGINIA Exploring in and around Lexington
Map by William Tipton
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Lexington is nestled in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Washington was naturally suited to the challenges presented by laying lines and charting tracts in the Virginia backcountry. It was in this capacity that Washington made his first visit to Virginia’s Natural Bridge. The bridge was originally formed by the collapse of a cavern’s roof that left remnant portions as a 215-foot-high bridge with a span of 90 feet. Here, legend has it, the physically imposing Washington, who towered in his day at 6’ 2”, threw a rock from the creek running underneath the bridge to its top—a distance of 215 feet. Stories of Washington’s physical prowess were well- known during his lifetime and his legend only grew after his death, sometimes blurring the line between fact and hearsay. However, in 1927, a large stone was found in the brush on top of the bridge carved with an official surveyor’s cross and the initials “G.W.,” which historians have accepted as likely proof of the first president’s impressive upper body strength. George Washington isn’t the only founding father associated with the bridge. Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England for 20 shillings in 1774. He called it “the most sublime of nature’s works.” Jefferson built a two-room log cabin, with one room reserved for guests,
NATURALLY VIRGINIA By Dee Litten Whited
He was a young and ambitious 17-year-old Virginian, who more than anything wanted to join the British Navy. The year was 1749 and although George had a mind of his own, he was also respectful of his mother, who believed a life in the navy was too dangerous. Although his family was well off, they weren’t wealthy, so it was up to the young George Washington to find gainful employment. He was a hearty outdoorsman and when the opportunity came to make full use of that skill, he decided a position as a land surveyor would suit him. He had earlier accompanied George William Fairfax and James Gunn on a month-long trip west across the Blue Ridge Mountains to survey land for Lord Fairfax. Through a series of family connections, in 1749, he was given the rather cushy position as official surveyor of the newly formed Culpeper County, Virginia. He completed his first survey within two days, measuring a tract of 400 acres.
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The Drama of Creation is a special evening activity at the Natural Bridge.
beginning its use as a retreat. Jefferson considered the Natural Bridge and the passage of the Potomac River through the Blue Ridge Mountains at Harpers Ferry to be two of the most incredible natural sites in America and described them as "monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth to its center." Approximately 270 years later, my best friend Julie and I decided to do our own surveying of the bridge and we were not disappointed. Julie and I live equidistance apart in Virginia and North Carolina, so Natural Bridge State Park had us meeting practically in the middle. I was at first disappointed that I couldn’t see the bridge from the entrance to the park, but the wait was worth it. Once inside the visitors’ center, we paid the $8 visitor fee for adults ($6 for children). You can stay a while to watch a park film, talk to a ranger, or browse the bookstore and gift shop. There are two ways to travel to the bridge: walk or ride. I chose ride, my intrepid friend chose to walk. It was a moderately strenuous walk for her and in the end she chose to take the tram back. The view fromthe bottomwas one of themost spectacular things I’ve ever seen. Seemingly rising out of the creek bed was this natural wonder, 215 feet of solid rock
carved by the fingers of nature and Cedar Creek. We sat on one of the comfortable benches and, of course, asked a passerby to take our photo. We continued on the Cedar Creek trail under the enormous bridge, which winds past a saltpeter cave and Lost River to Lace Falls. We stopped to explore the Monacan Indian Village with colorful reenactors showing the life of a typical Native American settlement. The Monacan Indian Nation is one of 11 Native American tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The original territory of the Siouan-speaking tribe and its allies comprised more than half of present-day Virginia. After a lovely morning by the bridge, we checked back into the Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center, just a short walk from the entrance to Natural Bridge, where we signed up for a light show that night beneath the bridge. After a delicious dinner, we were transported to the bottom of the bridge and were in for a magnificent treat. During the night pageant, the mountain sides form a vast stage. Scenes move and change with a presentation of the Drama of Creation, accompanied by classical music and moving lighting effects. We discovered there were many other venues to explore
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Tubing on the James River. Credit: Pete Hellman
Take a carriage ride to tour Lexington. Credit: Chris Weisler
Lee Chapel, constructed in 1867, is a National Historic landmark.
Lavender Fields at Tantivy Farm. Credit: L. Michael Whited
in the area. A lovely and lazy tube trip organized by Twin River Outfitters on the nearby James River cooled us off on a warm day. This river is Virginia’s largest and flows across the entire state. Cedar Creek under the Natural Bridge is actually a tributary to the James. It was such a beautiful area, we decided to search for other places to visit and discovered and explored Humpback Covered Bridge in nearby Covington, which is one of the few remaining covered bridges in the United States that was built higher in the middle than on either end; hence, the name humpback. No trip to Humpback Bridge is complete without traveling a few more miles to Falling Spring Falls. As we drove, I searched both sides of the roadway waiting for a glimpse and was totally delighted and surprised when the falls appeared. The waterfall itself is easily viewed from the roadside lookout. The falls are created by a spring, so there's always some flow. The waterfall drops about 150 feet off an overhanging ledge, a rare type of fall in a state where most falls are cascades or slides. It’s especially thrilling after a spring rain. Our wanderings also took us to Lavender Fields at Tantivy Farm in Fairfield, a family-owned lavender farm and flower garden set atop one of the nearby mountains with most impressive views. You may sit and enjoy the
view and the lovely scent of lavender, or explore one or more of the hiking trails. The proprietors, Brian and Penny, were delightful hosts and introduced us to their friendly horses and Sicilian mini burros. Before parting, we sampled their homemade lavender ice cream. Armed with lavender sachets from their well-stocked gift shop, we enjoyed the lovely scent all the way home. No trip to this region would be complete without staying awhile in nearby Lexington. Not only is it a city of beauty and history, but one of higher education including not one but two well-known universities: Washington and Lee and Virginia Military Institute. The City of Lexington, originally known as Gilbert Campbell's Ford, was established as the town of Lexington in the spring of 1778. The name chosen by the Virginia Legislature for the new county seat was in honor of the first great battle of the Revolutionary War, the battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, which had occurred three years earlier. TheCityof Lexingtonwas incorporated in1841andalmost from the beginning its main industry was education. Liberty Hall Academy was established in 1790 just to the west of the town. When George Washington made a sizable gift to the college's endowment, the institution's
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Humpback Bridge is a short drive from Natural Bridge Credit L. Michael Whited
People of all ages love meeting the horses that pull the carriage ride. Credit Chris Weisler
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Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery is home to the graves of Stonewall and Jackson family members. Credit: Chris Weisler
Washington and Lee University has a beautiful campus. Credit: Chris Weisler
Virginia Military Institute cadets on parade. Credit: Julie Rivera
The barracks at Virginia Military Institute. Credit: Nathan Beck
name was changed to Washington College to honor the nation's first president. At the end of the Civil War the presidency of the college was offered to Gen. Robert E. Lee who presided over it for the five years preceding his death. Shortly thereafter the trustees renamed the school Washington and Lee University. Today, it enjoys a reputation as one of the finest coeducational centers of learning in the country. Its enrollment is in excess of 1,600 undergraduates and 350 law students. The university is a colonial-era college and the ninth- oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Washington and Lee's 325-acre campus sits at the edge of Lexington and abuts the campus of the Virginia Military Institute. In 1816 the General Assembly of Virginia established three arsenals for the housing of arms. One of these was built in Lexington. By the mid-1830s a prominent local attorney and graduate of Washington College, John T. L. Preston, advocated the establishment of a state military school at the arsenal. The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) enrolled its first cadets in November of 1839 and prospered in the years prior to the Civil War. Among its faculty was Maj. Thomas J. Jackson, soon to become known as "Stonewall Jackson" and be noted as one of the South's most famous and revered heroes.
VMI has been referred to as the “The West Point of the South.” Cadets and alumni played instrumental roles in the American Civil War. On 14 occasions, the Confederacy called cadets into active military engagements. On May 14, 1864, the Governor of Virginia called upon the cadets from VMI to participate in the American Civil War. After marching overnight 80 miles from Lexington to New Market, on May 15, 247 members of the VMI Corps of Cadets fought at the Battle of New Market. This event marks the only time in U.S. history wherein the student body of an operating college fought as an organized unit in pitched combat in battle. Visitors to Lexington should start at the beautiful Visitor Center of Lexington on Washington Street where you can pick up a detailed map of the city. It’s not a very large city, but it’s packed with must-see attractions, restaurants, historical sites, and several streets lined with artists’ shops. Julie and I not only enjoyed going inside the many bookstores and artist shops, but managed to also take in a taste of the town through several restaurants. In addition to serving mouth-watering Southern dishes and yummy barbecue, you’ll find sushi, Mediterranean and Greek, Thai, Italian, and a variety of Asian restaurants.
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Author Dee Litten Whited and best friend Julie Ritterskamp prepare to tube the James River.
Shopping in downtown Lexington includes many art-filled shops. Credit: Chris Weisler
Our highlight in Lexington happened right outside the visitor center, where we booked a tour with Lexington Carriage Company. Not only was the ride out in the open air delightful, but our tour guide gave a very comprehensive historic tour of the town. We learned so much more than we could ever have found in a guide book. We drove past Stonewall Jackson’s home, past VMI, and Washington and Lee, learned about the different famous homes we passed, and stopped for a moment at the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery where the Jackson family was buried. Also buried there are 144 Confederate veterans and two governors of Virginia. In a bizarre event, Jackson is really buried in two places—his amputated left arm has its own separate burial site from his body. Jackson was accidentally shot in the arm by his own troops during an 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia, causing the need for the arm to be removed. Although Jackson’s body is buried in Lexington. His left arm is buried more than 100 miles away in Chancellorsville, Virginia. As a home-grown Virginian, I am biased, but I believe that any time you spend exploring Virginia is well-worth the time and effort. For more places that prove that Virginia is for lovers and adventurers, visit www.virginia. org.
Catch the downtown carriage ride outside Lexington’s Visitors Center. Credit: Chris Weisler
FOR MORE INFORMATION Natural Bridge State Park: naturalbridgestatepark.org Lexington: lexingtonvirginia.com Monacan Indian Village: www.virginia.org/Listings/Museums/ MonacanIndianLivingHistoryExhibitatNaturalBridge Twin River Outfitters: canoevirginia.net Humpback Bridge : www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/ HumpbackBridge Lavender Fields at Tantivy Farm: www.tantivyfarm.com Carriage tour: www.lexcarriage.com/historical-tours.html
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Alabama’s Historic CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL
The enduring legacy of Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma
A statue of Rosa Parks, the African-American civil rights activist.
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The Edmund Pettis Bridge is the site of many famous civil rights marches.
make their demands to Gov. George Wallace,” explains Barry McNealy, the Education Program Consultant for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a museum highlighting the continuous struggle by African Americans in Alabama and beyond for equal rights. “And that impetus pushed Pres. Lyndon Johnson to later sign the Voting Rights Act.” “Those people that were there at that time had to be some of the most courageous people in the movement for what they accomplished,” adds McNealy. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led the third five-day march, finally reaching Montgomery under the protection of federalized Alabama National Guardsmen and FBI agents. The bridge is now part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and a National Historic Landmark, where memorial plaques pay tribute to the heroes of the three marches, including Martin Luther King Jr. and the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. Today, visitors walk over the bridge to relive these moments in history, and also drive the 54-mile Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail along U.S. Route 80 with two interpretive centers along the way, in Selma and in Lowndes County. Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham are home to key historic moments and sites in the struggle for civil
The Selma Voting Rights Monument and Park Includes trails through wooded areas and views of Selma and the Alabama River.
HISTORIC CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL By Richard Varr
Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, with its single curved arch, stretches over the often-tranquil waters of the Alabama River, not unlike other bridges in America. Yet history tells another story about how what happened on this bridge 55 years ago reverberated throughout the world—a momentous event known as “Bloody Sunday” that changed history. OnMarch 7, 1965, about 600 peaceful civil rights activists marching from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery for equal voting rights had just crossed the bridge where Alabama State troopers and a deputized posse awaited them on the other side. When marchers refused to leave, troopers fired tear gas, charged them on horses, and clubbed them with nightsticks. Nationally televised images portrayed the horror that very night. “There was a momentum there, but it would take two more marches to finally make it to Montgomery to
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The statue of Martin Luther King Jr. stands in front of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
Sturdivant Hall is also known as the Watts-Parkman-Gillman Home.
rights—from Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge and the bus stopwhere Rosa Parks defied segregation inMontgomery, to Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church where a bombing killed four girls. Dating back to 1873, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was Birmingham’s first African American church where powerful harmonies of the church’s choir still echo through its spacious nave during Sunday services. The building that stands today, with its cupola and dual towers, was completed in 1911. Since then, it’s been a central meeting place for the city’s black community and thus a key gathering spot during the struggle for civil rights in the early 1960s. Terror and tragedy though thrust the church into world headlines on September 15, 1963, at 10:22 a.m., when a bomb tore through the building killing four young girls attending Sunday school. “The church has always been a leader in the community and during the Civil Rights Movement,” notes McNealy. “And because of that leadership, the Ku Klux Klan targeted the church for a bombing in retaliation for the City of Birmingham integrating its public-school system under court order.” Today, the church offers tours that showcase this tumultuous event and the church’s role in the struggle against segregation and the ongoing quest for civil
rights. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute sits within the heart of the city’s Civil Rights District with permanent and temporary exhibitions that detail past segregation and the fight for equal rights through the most turbulent 1960s. Exhibits include Barriers 1920s - 1950s highlighting how people lived and worked through times of racial divide with examples of segregated lunch counters, high schools, religious sanctuaries, barber shops, and more. Another exhibit is the Movement Gallery with a replica Freedom Riders’ bus. The Freedom Riders included both white and black activists who traveled the South by bus in 1961 to end segregation at bus terminals. The museum’s other not-to-miss highlights include the restored armored personnel police vehicle used by staunch civil rights opponent Eugene “Bull” Connor, the city’s Commissioner of Public Safety at the time, and the actual door from Martin Luther King Jr.’s jail cell where in 1963 he wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” “In his letter, King spoke to the fact that people lived in a ‘tiptoe’ stance, always on guard, never quite knowing from one day to the next what was going to happen,” explains McNealy.
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Historic Kelly Ingram Park was the site of civil rights rallies, demonstrations, and confrontations in the 1960s.
The Bethel Baptist Church was bombed three times in 1956, 1958, and 1962.
The Freedom Walk Path in the Historic Kelly Ingram Park.
Alabama capitol building in Montgomery.
Just across the street from both the Civil Rights Institute and the 16th Street Baptist Church, the block-wide Kelly Ingram Park conveniently served as a staging area for racial equality demonstrations. It’s from here where images of the park’s 1963 mass arrests, and authorities using fire hoses and dogs to quash demonstrators, soon reached a worldwide audience. Today, this now tranquil park brings to light this solemn history with a circular Freedom Walk path and through tributes to those who helped foster change, including statues of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a key figure in Birmingham’s civil rights struggles. Also in the park, the Four Spirits sculpture depicts the girls killed in the 16th Street Church bombing with gentle remembrances of the four victims. “You see the girls in preparation for church service—an ordinary moment that was frozen there,” says McNealy. “They’re symbolically releasing six doves representing the lives lost by children, the four girls and two boys who were also killed in Birmingham due to racial violence on that day.” Park audio tours are available through the Civil Rights Institute. Rev. Shuttlesworth was pastor at the historic Bethel Baptist Church in North Birmingham’s Collegeville neighborhood. Shuttlesworth and the church played key
roles in the Civil RightsMovement and thus his churchwas bombed three times, in 1956, 1958, and 1962, with the reverend and his family narrowly escaping death with the first bombing. Now a National Historic Landmark, Bethel was also a meeting and launching point at times for the 1961 Freedom Riders, with Shuttlesworth advancing the cause with help from the Kennedy Administration. Church tours take place on weekdays. Known as “the most historical short street in America,” central Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue leads to the Alabama State Capitol where demonstrators took their final steps on the long march from Selma to Montgomery, and where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “How Long, Not Long” speech on March 25, 1965. Along the street’s six short blocks sits the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, its name more recently changed to reflect that King preached there from 1954- 1960. The redbrick structure with white window trim and stairwell was completed in 1889 and is a National Historic Landmark. Opposite the State Capitol and at the other end of Dexter Avenue, a plaque marks the spot along Court Square that sparked the beginning of the modern civil rights movement. A life-size statue of Rosa Parks sporting rounded glasses and clutching her handbag was
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Rosa Parks statue in Montgomery.
Slavery Evolved Wall in the Legacy Museum.
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The Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice monuments.
unveiled last December. It pays tribute to where she stepped onto a bus on December 1, 1955, and refused to give up her seat for white passengers. After her arrest and trial, Martin Luther King Jr. led the Montgomery Bus Boycott until the Supreme Court desegregated public transportation a year later. “Court Square is where two pivotal moments in American history happened across the street from each other,” explains Collier Neeley, Executive Director of the Landmark Foundation of Montgomery. “Not only the start of the Civil Rights Movement, but also that’s the corner where the order was given to fire on Fort Sumter that started the Civil War,” he adds, referring to where a telegram was sent from a still existing building off the square. Just a block away from the bus stop, the Rosa Parks Museum within Troy University showcases Parks’ actual fingerprint arrest record, court documents and police reports, and a 1950s-era city bus similar to the one Parks was riding in on that historic day. Visitors can sit on the bus and also view a restored 1955 station wagon, one of 19 such vehicles known as a “rolling church” used to transport protestors during the Bus Boycott. Opened in 2018, Montgomery’s Legacy Museum: From
Enslavement to Mass Incarceration was built on the grounds where a warehouse once imprisoned slaves. Exhibits trace the history of lynching, segregation, and racism with rare first-person accounts during the slave trade. On a nearby six-acre site and also opened in 2018, the outdoor National Memorial for Peace and Justice encloses 800 six-foot monuments under a slab- like open roof to symbolize the victims of lynching and racial terror. “It begins the conversation about racial terror and an unequal justice system in the U.S.,” says Neeley. “As you walk through the memorial with its steel monuments, you walk downward and they rise above you, creating a surreal effect that drives home the injustice that existed and how people were victimized and terrorized by not just individuals, but by a system that wanted to maintain oppression.” Other Montgomery civil rights points of interest include the Freedom Rides Museum in a former Greyhound station. It’s here that young Freedom Riders stepped off buses to peacefully confront often violent mobs to help end segregation in public transportation. The Dexter Parsonage Museum was the actual home to pastors of the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church from 1920-1992, and has some of the actual furniture used
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Visit the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery where Freedom Riders stepped off buses to peacefully confront violent mobs.
A plaque tells Rosa Parks’ history.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice encloses 800 six-foot monuments.
This saying is on the wall in the lobby of the Legacy Museum.
by Martin Luther King Jr. and his family when he lived there. Selma’s redbrick Brown Chapel AME Church with its dual cupola-topped towers and side stained-glass windows dates back to 1866 and was the starting point for the 1965 voting rights marches. Outside is a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. who held rallies at the church and led the historic Selma to Montgomery March. Located on the other side of the Pettus Bridge, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute showcases marchers’ testimonials and artifacts including voting records and clothing of those beaten. The “Footprints Hall of Fame” has activists’ actual cast footprints. Other exhibits include a jail cell and voting booth, while another highlights women’s suffrage. The museum’s sister institution, the Ancient Africa, Enslavement and Civil War Museum delves into a historical view of slavery in America. Away from the Civil Rights Trail, Birmingham’s other points of interest include Sloss Furnaces, a former industrial site with its tangle of rusted pipes, smokestacks, and tanks that remain intact today after first producing pig iron in 1882. A National Historic Landmark, Sloss Furnaces is the country’s only preserved
blast furnace that’s now a museum. Birmingham’s Negro Southern League Museum has the largest collection of original baseball league artifacts in the country, including players’ uniforms, trophies, and the impressive display of 1500 original signed baseballs. And at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, some of the museum’s 1600 motorcycle collection stack up several levels high within the central atrium’s grid-like display. Opposite the State Capitol in Montgomery, the two-story First White House of the Confederacy features an ornate roof trim in Italianate architectural design. Jefferson Davis and his family lived in the home in 1861 for less than four months, leaving when the Confederate capital was moved to Richmond. The house contains some original family furniture and Civil War relics. Fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald novels and short stories might want to visit the Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in what is the actual Montgomery house where the couple lived in 1931-1932. Zelda Sayre grew up in Montgomery, and the museum’s former living areas include original family furnishings, books, and other belongings. While in the home they wrote parts of their novels, respectively— Zelda’s Save Me the Waltz and F. Scott’s Tender is the
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor here at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church from 1954 to 1960.
A bus similar to the one Rosa Parks rode is housed in the Rosa Parks Museum.
Night. The Hank Williams Museum showcases the country music legend’s short but successful career with his actual guitars, Steinway piano, suits, and hats, sterling and platinum record albums, photographs, and more. Also a Montgomery native, the hard-driving musician died suddenly at 29 years old from a heart attack while traveling to a gig on New Year’s Day in the museum’s centerpiece, Williams’ 1952 Baby Blue Cadillac. Selma’s Sturdivant Hall Museum is a stately antebellum home with Corinthian columns in Greek revival architectural style and includes a balcony with cast iron railings. Tours inside reveal the mansion’s high ceilings, grand stairwell, and ornate moldings. The home dates back to 1852, and those interested in the paranormal might be intrigued to hear about its reported ghostly presence.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice memorializes victims of lynching and racial terror.
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The Rosa Parks Museum collects, preserves, and exhibits artifacts relevant to the life and lessons of Rosa Parks.
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TWO GREEN THUMBS UP Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm
The highlight of the Water Garden at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens is a 9-foot tall cascade waterfall.
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On clear days, sky reflections on the lake are amazing.
attract interest from Dr. David Fairchild, a prominent botanist who explored plants internationally. Fairchild’s friend, Barbour Lathrop, purchased the Miller farm and leased it to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a $1 fee. During ensuing years, the garden site became a USDA Plant Introduction Station. Botanic samples from all over the globe were transported back to Savannah. USDA scientists observed plant growth patterns and researched industrial application potentials. East Asian bamboo was one of many plants studied. Along with yucca and plum yew, its cancer treatment capabilities were tested. In 1983, the expanded 51-acre parcel became a plant research and education center run by the University of Georgia (UGA). A regional botanical garden was established in 2010 and by 2012, the site was officially named Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. Today’s CGBG is under the auspices of the University’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension. Dr. Tim Davis, Director of CGBG and County Extension Agent, is a man with a bright vision for the gardens’ future. Presently, CGBG hosts 100,000 visitors each year. Its
A decorative gazebo is the centerpiece of the Cottage Garden.
TWO GREEN THUMBS UP Story and photos by Paula Loehr
If it takes a proverbial green thumb to tend a garden and make it flourish, there must be a treasure trove of green thumbs on hand at Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens (CGBG). Located 10 miles southwest of downtown Savannah, CGBG’s 51-acre paradise is easy to reach from Interstate 95 (exit 94), Abercorn Expressway (204) or Atlantic Coastal Highway (Ogeechee Road). The well- planned series of color-drenched gardens occupies and beautifies a historic piece of property known locally as the old bamboo farm. Historically speaking, Georgia’s Coastal Gardens celebrated its first 100 years in 2019. The humble origins of today’s expansive gardens can be traced back to 1890 when Mrs. H.L. Miller, a farmer, was gifted with three timber bamboo plants. Her benefactor was a neighbor who had traveled to Japan. Miller planted the bamboo stalks near her farmhouse. By 1900, her homegrown bamboo grove was large and impressive enough to
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Pink camellias are some of the standout florals on the Judge Arthur Soloman Camellia Trail. Photo Credit: Howard Hackney
Florals in each of the distinct gardens cover an astounding range of textures and colors.
mission focuses on community education and applied research in the fields of horticulture and environmental science. A wide range of practical programs are offered, serving everyone from school-aged children to golden- aged gardening enthusiasts. Orchid shows, camellia festivals, a springtime “Birds, Bees and Blooms” event and the annual holiday exhibit, “Bright Lights, Botanical Nights,” are also on the gardens’ calendar. But the flower gardens themselves are always the main attractions. They combine the fascinating elements of colorful open-air museums, engaging science projects in progress, and peaceful paths back to nature. At the entrance to the gardens, an elegant white Visitor & Education Center looks like an updated Georgian plantation home. This point of entry and exit for guests contains a well-furnished reception area, sparkling restrooms and a sunlit, garden-themed gift shop. Just outside the center, plants in each of CGBG’s individual gardens cover an astounding range of textures and colors, levels, shapes, and sizes that provide visual complements and contrasts. Specialty gardens feature brilliant displays of daylilies, delicate purple irises, yellow sunflowers, classic roses, and fragrant lavender spikes that lighten the landscape. Crape myrtle trees boast abundant seasonal blossoms, towering pines
provide blessed shade, and a nine-foot-tall cascade splashes into a cool water garden pool. The stylized Formal Garden may be viewed clearly from the Visitor Center’s elevated back patio. Geometrically shaped, carefully manicured yaupon holly hedges are lined up in precise rows, bordered by fringy palms, crape myrtles, and olive trees. The White Garden’s lush green lawn is accented with contrasting white pergolas and coordinating floral touches. Blue lake glimpses, iceberg roses, perky asters, daffodils, and saw palmettos enhance the idyllic scene. In the Woodland Shade Garden, trees and flowering bushes of variable heights provide several stages of shady comfort. Leafy ferns and wildflowers add visual interest. On sunny days, crystal clear reflections of the sky on the lake are amazing. The Historic Georgia Trustees Garden commemorates a famous Savannah plot established by James Oglethorpe in 1734. Today’s scaled down replica includes authentic examples of crops planted by the earliest colonists in Georgia—grapes for winemaking, sour oranges, figs, and mulberries that attract worms for silk production. Cottage gardens spring from British traditions that date
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