Road Trip Day 2 - Richmond, Luray Caverns and Antietam

Today was such an amazing day. We saw so many beautiful things. We were able to spend the morning with my brother before his family flew back to Utah. we went to Richmond, Virginia, which is a beautiful city. 

We headed down Monument Avenue. I wish we had the time to walk down this street. The homes were so amazing. The monuments were also striking. I am not a fan of honoring Confederate soldiers, but I hope they don't tear down any of these monuments. They are beautiful and they are part of our history. I didn't take any pictures, but it's worth a Google. You'll also find some interesting protest pictures.

We next made a trip to the Confederate White House.

We were a little surprised at its location because it's in the middle of a bunch of buildings. 

The side away from the street, facing a courtyard was the prettier side. 

Next to the building is the anchor of the first ironclad warship, CSS Virginia, which fought the USS Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, is prominently displayed in front of the Museum.

Horse head hitching post outside of the Confederate White House. 

Next we headed to Maymont. There were a lot of different carriages. This one was called a Bailey.

This one is a hearse. 

The kids got to pet a horse.

 

The house was beautiful, but we decided not to tour it. The only thing I really wanted to see on the inside was the swan bed. 

The gardens are beautiful. There is an Italian garden and a Japanese one.

 

Italian Gardens 

 Waterfall between Italian and Japanese Garden.

Gateway to the Japanese garden.

Meditating? 

Bamboo

American Ninja Warrior! 

After Maymont, my brother's family headed to the airport and we headed on to the Luray Caverns by way of the Shenandoah Valley.

By plane or van, my kids are great travelers.

The Shenandoah Valley was so pretty. I loved all the farm houses and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was lovely. I will have to watch the Jimmy Stewart movie again when I get home.

Shenandoah River

I love long rows of mailboxes like this. 

I especially like them in black and white. 

Our next stop was the Luray Caverns. Wow!! Pictures can't even begin to show what this place is like. It has to be seen in person to truly appreciate the vastness and intricacy of the caverns. Baylie overheard a woman in the gift shop say that it wasn't all she had been expecting. I have no idea what she hoped for because it was one of the coolest places I have ever been. 

 

Mirror Lake looks like there are formations on the top and bottom. But all the bottom ones are just reflections on water. It's hard to tell what is real and what is reflection.

Pluto's Ghost

Some of these sheet formations are only 1/8th of an inch thick. They are so delicate. 

Called the tomtem poles. 

They have connected an organ to formations throughout the caves so that it has the pitch of an actual organ. 

 This instrument strikes the stalagmite to make the tone. I think this was set up in the 50's.

Looking up.

Wishing Pool - crystal clear water. They donate all the coins to charity and have raised over a million dollars. 

David throwing in his coin a la Trevi Fountain. 

 Look at all those coins!

It was a little slippery in places - I loved the visual.

These used to look like fried eggs, but because people touched them so much, they rubbed off all the yellow and now they look like oysters on the half shell. 

We scored some t-shirts on sale in the gift shop so we decided to go matchy-matchy. (Look for these shirts in tomorrow's pictures...) 

It was getting late, but we hoped to make it to Antietam before dark so we could drive through the park. The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in United States history, with a combined tally of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing. (Gettysburg was bloodier, but took place over three days.)

"Bloody Lane" where soldiers fired at each other at point blank range for three hours. The historical photos of bodies piled up in this lane are horrifying.

We braved a little rain and climbed to the top of the observation tower, built in 1897 to serve as an outdoor classroom to study the battle. 

Bloody Lane from above. It was very humbling to be in this place and to try and explain to our children that we weren't on a "side." That the men who fought here were all Americans. That it was brothers fighting brothers and fathers fighting sons. I had never before realized how close the South was to winning. Washington, D.C. is only 60 miles away from this tower. Growing up in the west, I never comprehended how close all these places were to one another.

Deer on the battlefield. So strange to think of cattle, horses, deer, etc. being there at the time of the battle.

We left Antietam and headed for Harper's Ferry. I am sooo glad we are spending the night here because this little gem deserves further exploration. I can't wait to see the town tomorrow. After that we head to Gettysburg and then on to see some LDS Church history sites. Baylie has informed me that after this trip she will be "historied out." I don't think that's possible!

I have been especially grateful that our GPS has been taking us down country roads and through quaint towns rather than on major freeways. It has been a beautiful drive. We live in an amazing country.

Oh! And another bonus - I got to add a new state to my list of places I've been since it's my first time to West Virginia.