History is made up of people, places, events—and objects. Among the latter Washington’s Marquee (his campaign tent) stands out, if only for its arc of American history.

The tent, 1911

I first saw the tent at Valley Forge National Historical Park. That the canvas quarters of the great general still existed amazed me, but the inscription in front astonished me. It indicated the tent had been…

Canada at Vimy Ridge

… a defining moment for Canada, when the country emerged from under the shadow of Britain and felt capable of greatness.

Tim Cook, Canadian War Museum

Canadian soldiers atop Vimy Ridge looking down at Vimy, France

Last Tuesday, as I prepared this post, was the 102nd anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a well planned, brilliantly executed operation in which all four divisions of the Canadian…

Jamestown Settlement, Reconstruction of the Godspeed

Did you know there are two Jamestowns to visit? It is a bit disconcerting when you follow the Colonial Parkway and come to signs pointing in two directions. We went straight, toward Historic Jamestowne and skipped The Jamestown Settlement. What is the difference you might ask? Their web addresses may give you a clue.

The first is…

On the Banks of the Nile, by Corrodi,1905

Relaxing, slow, refreshing… What words do you think of when you hear the word cruise? River cruises have become particularly attractive, and in spite of worldwide unrest. How about challenging and adventurous? That would depend on which river and when you sailed. Nile cruises continue to fire the imagination and draw visitors, and the Nile could be both.

Candles Light Up Our Lives

What is Christmas—or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa—without candles flickering in the night? Light is, after all, the midwinter wish of mankind. Those of us who celebrate Advent begin with candles as a symbol of hope. Candles in the window to welcome weary travelers are my own favorite holiday decoration. Menorahs light many homes for eight nights. Recent years have brought us the scented candle, filling…

Chapel windows (Photo by the author)

“It isn’t a realchapel.” I heard that twice last week; both speakers referred to the Saint Francis Chapel at The Mission Inn in Riverside, California, and both put the emphasis on “real.” It isn’t? The place has Tiffany stained glass windows on a variety of biblical subjects, carved choir stalls, and a gilt altarpiece made for a private chapel in Mexico in the…

The Cleghorns, Gardens, and a Princess

From Letter Carrier’s Directory for 1840-41, with permission from Peter Stubbs

Writers often wander down some winding roads; many call it “the research rabbit hole.” This past week I got lost in one when I began by asking about public gardens that may have existed in Edinburgh in 1840 and ended up learning about the Sheraton Kaiulani Hotel on Waikiki. Along the way I found a park for my novella…

Malacca and the World in 1511

Malacca 1630

The wide reach of history weighs on me since my visit to Malacca last month when one date in particular sparked my curiosity: 1511. The ruins of a Portuguese fort in that UNESCO World Heritage site display a tablet indicating work on the fort began that year. Having endured a 20 hour-plus flight and a four-hour bus ride up from Singapore in 2018, the sheer audacity of travel to the…