Stopped off in Chancellorsville but the visitor center was closed due to funding cuts but saw the memorial to Stonewall Jackson who died from a wound, accidently inflicted by one of his own men.  Robert E. Lee (and the Confederate cause) never recovered from the loss of Jackson.

 Gettysburg had a huge visitor center and was really crowded.  Had forgotten about the Boy Scout Jamboree at New River Gorge being held that week and I think they were all there.  There’s a great film on Pickett’s Charge, the battle where the loss of Jackson was really felt.  Lee thought that one more victory would seal the war for the South but he miscalculated and the victory went to the Union. Following the film there’s an immense 360 degree cyclorama – more than the length of a football field and 4 stories high. The battle is portrayed with lots of cannon fire and explosions.  Have been to many sites and the description of “who was where” is little hard for me to follow.  This wasn’t.

Over the top of Maryland to Winterthur, the DuPont home (turned museum) in northern Deleware. Henry the Fourth, was put in charge of the family “farm”.  Actually, 5 farms of cows, fields, orchards, and more.  He fell in love with early American furniture and accessories and each of the rooms is done in a different period and region dating from 1630 - 1860.  For example, the former gymnasium has 4, floor to ceiling depictions of different entry facades.  Took his wife and children on a trip to Europe and when they returned, they were surprised with a beautiful new staircase.  A little misty that day but it didn’t stop the volunteer from driving me around the gardens in the tram. The original 2500 acres are now reduced to about 1000 with the 60 acre garden designed by Henry. Not the easiest person to deal with as he was a real stickler for detail in whatever he directed.  Wandered down the western side of the Chesapeake on the Maryland side and crossed over at Annapolis and then on to Washington.

After an extended search for the George Washington Parkway (which took me past Embassy Row and thru Georgetown) I drove down to Mt. Vernon and met up with my Boy Scout friends again. Also spent some time sitting on the back porch (after the house tour) talking to an employee of the National Park Service Heritage Areas.  She told me about the partnerships the Parks have made to assist local communities interested in historical preservation.

Stayed with a gracious and very interesting couple in Arlington. They were in the State Department’s Foreign Service, and lived in several Middle Eastern countries.  What started out as a drive-by of the lighted Washington Monument, turned into a stroll thru the MLK and FDR Memorials.  They lived within walking distance of the metro so took it both days and

hop-skipped around the sights.  My first was a tour of the Capital.  They’ve got quite a process of moving people from the theater to rotunda to statuary hall.  The guide for our group was terrific – pointing out the interesting features and demonstrating the exceptional acoustics.  From there I wandered over to a Tea Party demonstration.  Someone asked me what they were demonstrating against – I said “everything”. 

Over to the National Art Gallery and a beautiful exhibit on the Ballet Russes.  The director, Diaghilev, found he wasn’t much of a performer but an expert at organizing.  Although I know little about ballet you couldn’t help but be fascinated.  Began under Czar Nicholas and when things began to fall apart, moved to Paris. Incredible collection of talent of the time - dancers – Nijinsky & Pavloa, music from Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Debussy, costumes by Matisse, Picasso, & Coco Chanel.  Lots of film clips of the various performances.  Spent a couple of hours there before hiking down the mall to the Aerospace Museum and a show at the planetarium. Beastly hot in DC but museum hopping kept me cool. 

Next day I’m back on the train, this time starting at the White House and moving over to the Vietnam War and Lincoln Memorials. Had lunch at the American Indian Museum – terrific regional food – and listened to a presentation on the variety of ceremonial drum cadences.  Turns out the beat we usually associate with Indians isn’t used by any of them - a Hollywood invention.  As a C-Span junkie, I decided to visit to the Newseum.  It’s a comprehensive history of the news media with headlines, articles, cartoons and film clips.  The feature that day was a film on JFK’s “Thousand Days” plus a panel discussion on the First Amendment.  A survey had just completed, asking Americans about the Bill of Rights.  Turns out very few know the five.  I’ll quiz you later.  Also guests in the audience were high school teachers who commented on the lack of attention to citizenship given in schools. 

Left Washington to head for Williamsburg, stopping off briefly in Richmond to see Monument Drive.  Huge memorials to the Confederate Civil War leaders capped off by a tribute to home town celebrity, Arthur Ashe.