Educators' Tour of Civil War Sites

I went with a group of upstate educators as the tour coordinator.  We started out in Spartanburg early one morning in June 2011.

The first stop was in Union, SC to see the table upon which the Ordinance of Secession was signed. It is in the Union County Museum.

We then headed to Columbia to see a few things there.

Then on to the SC State House

Stopped at First Prebyterian Church

First Baptist Columbia where secession was signed.

Next stop was Charleston where it all began.

Fort Sumter

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Stopped by graves of Hunley crews.

(Side note - I attended the funeral for this crew.)

From Charleston we headed to Richmond, VA.

We visited sites in the city and battlefields in the surrounding area.

The Lee's House in Richmond

 Jefferson Davis' grave at Hollywood Cemetery

Following pictures are from

Manassas or Bull Run, Frederiscksburg Battlefield

Where it ended - Appomattox Court House

We also made a visit to Gettysburg

Site of Lincoln's speech

Last stop before heading home was Washington, DC

Arlington Cemetery - Tomb of Unknown Confederate Soldiers

2111 of them in here.

Arlington House

Arlington House - Lee's desk where he resigned his comission in

the US Army to go fight for the CSA

 

Actual furniture from the McLean house where Lee and Grant

signed the document to end the war.

Lee's chair on left - Grant's on the right.

These are in the Smithsonian's Museum of American History

Ford's Theater

Confederate Soldier's grave in Arlington.

John Meig's grave in Arlington

 

Last stop was HOME.

This was a fun trip and was packed full of Civil War history!

Next time the plan is to travel to GA for sites there.

Disney World - Our trips

WDW is a fun place. I love to go there.

All four times I have gone with family we always went on the Deluxe Magic Plan. We actually saved money using this plan. It included three meals a day in sit down restaurants. It also included recreation options and tours.  ( I also went three times to the parks with school groups when I worked as a tour manager for GNT. We did not stay on property.)

The nephews loved to rent the sprint boats to run across the lake. (This was included in the plan.)  One day we all went out on a pontoon boat on the lake at EPCOT/Disney Studios.

Mom, Dad, and I took the behind the scenes of the Magic Kingdom. This park is actually built one level above ground. We got to go into the tunnels under the park and see all the stuff there that makes the park run.  We also go to go into things like the Haunted Mansion without going through the lines and saw behind the scenes at these places too. It was an excellent day. (Yes it took about 7 hours to see all that we did and it was included in the DM Plan.)

Each time we went we tried to get involved in as much as we could.  In the studio park - it was MGM when we went - Mom and I were in the Cheers TV scene.  I was in a Three Stooges Movie and they hit me in the face with a pie.  My sister and I did the sound effects in the Sound Effects show.  Dad was called up on stage at the western dinner show. The nephews were in the "boat and water" show at the studios.  I was a contestant in the "Lets Make a Deal" show.  They dressed us as a character. I did not get selected to make a deal but it was still fun.

One year we were some of the first non employees to ride Splash Mountain. We could see them running it for two days but it was not open - only to employees.  The nephews asked the hotel staff each day when they could ride it. One morning on the way out one of the desk staff called us over and said we should be at the ride at 10:30. He said nothing more. We were there and they had the unofficial opening and we were in the first car. Love that ride.

Another year I was able to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster on the first day it was open with friends. It was a fun ride - dark so you could not see the flips and dips ahead of time.

EPCOT

MAGIC KINGDOM

ANIMAL KINGDOM

MOVIE STUDIO