We are a little behind since we have been moving quickly across the country, so we are trying to get you caught up on our travels....
We spent the day at Thomas Jefferson's home - Monticello - in the beautiful mountains of Virginia. Monticello, or "small mountain", sits atop a most beautiful mountain in Central Virginia. The views were spectacular, and the grounds around the home were beautiful. Thomas Jefferson was a very interesting man. He was extremely well read, and considered an expert on any number of subjects which including weather, botany, history, and medicine. It was said that he would be reading 5-10 books at a time! One of the items at Monticello that we found fascinating was his famous entry clock. Not only did it display the time - inside and outside - but it also showed the days of the week. What made it so unique was that the entry had to be designed around the clock. Jefferson also had a large collection of Indian artifacts that he kept on display. And, most (65-70%) of the items at Monticello were original.
Since we were so close, we decided to stop in and visit the Appomattox Court House. This is where the Confederate Army surrendered to the Union Army in 1865. Our expectations were low, but we all were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed this stop. They had a great museum, and a ranger gave an informative talk about how tough things were in Appomattox towards the end of the Civil War. We were able to see the room, and the famous tables, where General Grant and General Lee negotiated the terms of the surrender....
The next day we visited the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. This World War II Memorial was constructed here in memory of the "Bedford Boys". In 1944, the city of Bedford sent 35 boys to engage in the D-Day Invasion, and 21 were killed - the most per capita killed in Normandy on June 6th, 1944. Matthew and Kevin really enjoyed looking at the bronze statue that represented Valor, Fidelity and Sacrifice. There was a staged replica of what the beach must have looked like the day of the invasion. There were simulated explosions, tank barricades and an AMTRAC transporter. It was incredible! This tribute to our soldiers was another reminder of the sacrifice that many have made for our freedom.
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