No Appomattox For Us (Day 2)

We woke up this morning to some severe rain. Decided that Appomattox Court House, which was out of the way to N.C. and more of an outdoor activity, wasn't in the cards. It was too bad, as today was Palm Sunday, and Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered 143 Palm Sundays ago (1865).

Drove down to Richmond and visited The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, a must see in my opinion. Based on the old Tredegar Iron Works, it's now a National Historic Landmark site. There's an incredible history to Richmond, including and especially it's surrender to Union forces in April 1865. Soon thereafter, Abraham Lincoln toured the city, including the 'White House of the Confederacy', with his son Tad. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House a week later.


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first day on the road trip (day 1)

My brother, Ivan, and I had no clue what we wanted to do and see on this first day. The only thing we could agree on was that we were NOT going to drive all the way to Charlotte, NC. We both are tired from our work week and didn't want to rush around. Also, pretty much in agreement that it was I-95 until past Washington, D.C.. Then we stopped at 3 different tourism centers to take almost every brochure offered to us.

We decided to bypass many Civil War sites (Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksberg) to focus on getting an Econolodge just north of Richmond. The capital of the Confederacy, Richmond is a little more than halfway to our destination. If we stick to the plan, we'll get up and, after breakfast at Aunt Sarah's Pancake House, head west to Appomattox Court House, where Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. After geeking out there for a while, it's further south for us, via the Blue Ridge Parkway.

McLean house, April 1865.

Photographed by Timothy H. O'Sullivan.



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