The Wandering Disciple

  The ascent of Kennesaw Mountain in the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a pilgrimage through history, culminating in a spectacular panoramic view. The journey starts on well-maintained trails that cross preserved Civil War battlefields from the 1864 Atlanta Campaign . The climb recounts the intense fighting, adding historical depth beneath the refreshing forest canopy. The true reward is the 1,808-foot summit. The breathtaking 360-degree vista sweeps across northern Georgia , with the Atlanta skyline visible on clear days. The summit, marked by monuments and observation points , offers a peaceful sense of accomplishment, where the physical effort is instantly replaced by the inspiring, expansive reward of the view.  You can see more photos from the park by clicking on the photo above. Taken: April 30, 2021 at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park ( Kennesaw, GA )

The largest of the missions near San Antonio, Mission San Jose is known as the Queen of the Missions.  Founded in 1720, the mission served to provide both a physical home and a spiritual home for Coahuiltecan Natives as well as refugees from the closed east Texan missions.   The mission served hundreds until it was closed in 1824.   It would be restored a hundred years later as part of a Works Progress Administration project and today serves not only a reminder to the past but also an active Catholic parish. Mission San Jose is one of five missions that comprise the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.  The missions stretched along the San Antonio River were like little towns in the Texas plains.  Today you can tour each of the missions and four of the five are still active church parishes.  The only mission that does not function as a church is Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as The Alamo. Taken: March 16, 2024 at Mission ...

Out of the mountains of despair, a stone of hope. This line of Dr Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech is the inspiration behind the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington DC. The giant carving of Dr King pays tribute to the civil rights giant and includes quotes from some of his famous speeches.  Today our nation pauses and pays tribute to Dr King and his fight for equality. The third Monday of January has been observed to honor Dr King and his accomplishments in the battle for civil rights.  Taken: December 26, 2022 at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial (Washington, DC)

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. As you enjoy your turkey dinner, enjoy a photo of this wild turkey found frolicking with his friends in a field at Mammoth Cave National Park.  Taken: July 3, 2022 at Mammoth Cave National Park (Brownsville, KY)

Hodgenville, Kentucky: Rural Kentucky, a landscape characterized by its picturesque rolling farmlands, holds a profound place in American history. It is here, amidst this pastoral beauty, that Abraham Lincoln, the nation's 16th president, was born. Lincoln spent his formative years in this region before his family's eventual relocation to Indiana.  Today, the significant birth history of President Lincoln is meticulously preserved and honored as part of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. This vital national park is uniquely structured into two distinct sites, each offering a glimpse into different phases of Lincoln's early life. The first is the Birthplace Unit, which commemorates the actual site of Lincoln's birth. The second is the Boyhood Unit, which focuses on the environment and experiences of his childhood, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the influences that shaped this monumental figure in American history.  The primary fo...

Enter Fort Caroline, home of the French settlement in colonial Florida. When you think of European settlement in Florida, you immediately think of the Spanish. There are Spanish influences throughout the state. But on the banks of the St Johns River near present day Jacksonville, René Goulaine de Laudonnière established a French colony in 1564. Fort Caroline was set up as a safe haven for French Huguenots trying to escape religious persecution from French Catholics. The French colony had a successful relationship with the native Timucuan tribe and they traded regularly. But the French fort was raided and seized by the Spanish in September 1565 and the the Spanish renamed the settlement San Mateo. While the exact location of the fort is not known, the National Park Service has built a replica along the St Johns River in an area believed to be in close proximity to the original settlement. (Photo: December 30, 2020)

These tabby ruins are all that remain to the slave cabins of the Kingsley Plantation. These provide a reminder to a period of history with many painful memories. These 25 cabins were home to up to 80 slaves that worked on the plantation. But unlike the antebellum slaves, these slaves were from the Spanish occupation in Florida. Today the ruins of the cabins have been preserved to help tell the story of all the early settlers of the region, from the plantation owners all the way to the plantation slaves. (Photo: December 30, 2020)

A canon overlooks the St Johns River from Fort Caroline. The French fort sat high atop St Johns Bluff a crucial defense post near the mouth of the river. The new French settlement became a safe haven for Huguenots being persecuted in French. The colony was later captured by the Spanish in 1565 and became San Mateo under Spanish rule. Today a replica of Fort Caroline operated by the National Park Service provides a visual example of what Fort Caroline would have looked like under French rule. (Photo: December 30, 2020)

This little saloon in downtown Washington DC was the spot where one of the nations darkest moments began.  April 14, 1865 would start like any other day for Peter Taltavull as he worked at his Star Saloon next to one of DC's prominent theaters.  He served patrons including a famous actor but little did he know, the nation would change in just a few short hours.  After finishing his whiskey, John Wilkes Booth went next door to assassinate President Lincoln. Following the shooting, the saloon was the first choice to bring the ailing president but they chose the Peterson House across the street instead.  The saloon never recovered from the events surrounding the President's death and it closed.  Today it is part of the Ford's Theatere National Historic District.  (Photo: February 14, 2009)

While most people think of his "I Have a Dream" speech on the National Mall in Washington DC as his most notable works, Dr King's Letter from Birmingham Jail is my favorite piece that he has written.  From a tiny jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr King wrote one of the most important pieces of the civil rights movement.  In the letter, Dr King urged the peaceful protesters to take action by breaking the unjust laws rather than wait for the courts to deem these laws unjust.  In the letter Dr King wrote that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." You can learn more about Dr King and his impacts on the civil right movement by visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

At 6,053 feet above sea level, you are at the highest point along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The Richland Balsam Overlook in North Carolina is the highest point along the 469 mile scenic highway that stretches from Roanoke, Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina.  (Photo: June 14, 2017)

A brightly colored Rhododendron flower provides a splash of color on a dreary day along the Blue Ridge Parkway.   Mother Nature paints a colorful picture each summer when the Rhododendron come into full bloom.  (Photo: June 13, 2017)

“We will know one day that God made us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth of every man. This is why we must fight segregation with all of our nonviolent might. Segregation is not only inconvenient—that isn’t what makes it wrong. Segregation is not only sociologically untenable—that isn’t what makes it wrong. Segregation is not only politically and economically unsound—that is not what makes it wrong. Ultimately, segregation is morally wrong and sinful.” It is from this pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the Sweet Auburn community of Atlanta where Dr Martin Luther King Jr delivered powerful sermons like the “American Dream” sermon in which the above passage comes from. From this tight knit congregation, Dr King spread messages of equality and a nation where all men, woman and children would be equal.

Today the National Park Service celebrates its 100th year anniversary. On August 25, 1916, President Ulysses Grant signed the National Park Service Organic Act which gave birth to the Department of the Interior and our park system. Since then, the nation has grown to 59 national parks and over 413 locations governed by the National Park Service. Pictured here is rhe most visited park in the system, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Photo: June 8, 2016)

Within the walls of this popular DC theater, the history of our nation would change forever following the assassination of President Lincoln at the hands of John Wilkes Booth.  The First Family was enjoying a night at the theater when Booth stormed the box, shooting Lincoln.  Today the theater and the nearby Peterson House are preserved in memory of the fallen leader.  (Photo: February 14, 2009)

Located on the north side of the Department of Commerce building just a few blocks from the White House is the White House Visitor's Center. The museum operated by the National Parks Service provides a glimpse inside life inside the White House. For years, it was as close as you could get to being inside the White House without being part of a group tour. That changed a few years ago when the President opened up the White House to individual self-guided tours which can be arranged through your congressional representative. (Photo: February 13, 2009)

This peak in the Great Smoky Mountains is known as Chimney Tops. While this view comes from Newfound Gap Road, the Chimney Tops hiking trail is one of the most popular in the park. The rather steep trail leads to spectacular views from the top of the peaks. (Photo: June 8, 2016)

The tranquil sounds of cascading water can be found throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  There are creeks throughout much of the park as water makes its way from the mountain tops down to lower elevations.  They make for stunning views and great places to relax on your hiking adventures through the park.  (Photo: June 8, 2016)  

The sun rises over the peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  With breathtaking views around every corner, it is only fitting that the park would also boast spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  (Photo: June 10, 2016)

Those who push through the tough climb to Clingmans Dome are rewarded with an amazing bird's eye view of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the tallest peak in the park and the third tallest east of the Mississippi River.  A 7-mile drive followed by a .5-mile hike takes visitors to the peak where they can climb a 54 foot observation tower to truly be above it all.  (Photo: June 8, 2016)