Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (1863 AD) The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle ever fought on American soil, and one of the largest to take place anywhere outside of Europe during the 19th century. Fought over three days in the summer of 1863, Gettysburg marked the farthest point that Confederate armies ever advanced into northern territory, and was for all intents and … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM (ANTIETAM BATTLEFIELD)
Sharpsburg, Maryland (1862 AD) The Battle of Antietam was arguably the greatest yet indecisive battles of the American Civil War. Fought in September 1862, it was the culmination of Robert E. Lee’s first major attempt to invade the north. Although the Confederate army was significantly outnumbered, they managed to fight the Federal army to a draw. However, in the end they … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF YORKTOWN (YORKTOWN BATTLEFIELD)
Yorktown, Virginia (1781 AD) The Siege of Yorktown in the Autumn of 1781 was the last stand of the main British army in the colonies during the American Revolutionary War. The American and French army at the battle was the largest assembled during the war, and the joint land and naval force effort was one of the greatest of the Colonial era. It was also one of the greatest … [Read more...]
AMERICAN COASTAL FORTS (MCHENRY, PULASKI, SUMTER)
Baltimore, MD; Savannah, GA; Charleston, SC The United States of America came into existence just in time for the last few decades of fixed stone fortifications. With the advent of more powerful cannons, walled forts and castles were already largely an outdated luxury. Nevertheless America did erect a few major fortresses in the early years of the 19th century, primarily to … [Read more...]
RANKIN & BASS LEGACY
Zelienople, Pennsylvania The 1960s and 1970s was a golden age of sorts for Christmas television specials. From animated classics such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas to horrendously funny variety shows like The Star Wars Holiday Special, this was the era when Christmas pop culture truly evolved; and no one made a bigger permanent mark during this period than Arthur Rankin … [Read more...]
TOYS FOR TOTS FOUNDATION
Triangle, Virginia Because toys have become such an integral part of Christmas, it is not surprising that many charitable organizations are involved in the collection and distribution of toys throughout the holiday season. The greatest and best known of these is the Toys for Tots Foundation, whose mission is to “collect unwrapped toys… and distribute those toys as Christmas … [Read more...]
NATIONAL CHRISTMAS CENTER
Paradise, Pennsylvania The National Christmas Center is a unique Christmas attraction: a year-round museum dedicated to the holiday itself. More specifically, the museum and its surprisingly large collection of Christmas memorabilia offers a look back on centuries of holiday traditions in an effort to evoke Norman Rockwell images of Christmas past, a mission in which it is … [Read more...]
PNC BANK HEADQUARTERS
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania When one thinks of the traditional classic Christmas carol The Twelve Days of Christmas, one naturally thinks of… the economics department of the PNC Financial Services Group. This venerable institution, which traces its roots back to the mid-19th century, is home to the Christmas Price Index. Something of a running gag since 1984, The Christmas … [Read more...]
CHURCHES OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
Oak Park, Illinois; Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; Milwaukee, Wisconsin Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably the greatest architect in American history and one of the pivotal figures of the modern architecture movement, made his impact on modern church design as much as he impacted everything else (homes, commercial buildings, hotels and so on). Over the course of his career Wright … [Read more...]
CHRISTIAN HERITAGE MUSEUM
Hagerstown, Maryland The United States has many museums and exhibit spaces featuring the history, culture and art of the Christian faith. The vast majority of these are tied to colleges and universities, large churches or religious institutions. There are relatively few independent Christian exhibition spaces, and one of the hidden gems is the privately run Christian … [Read more...]
