Patriotism. Flag waving. Patriotic stories. Am I patriotic? Are YOU patriotic? Dictionary.com defines patriotism as “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty”. All good things. But patriotism is more than just that. Love, support, and defense of one’s country should include knowledge of our country’s history (the good and the bad) and appreciating those who have gone before us.
Can’t beat being there
Sometimes you just can’t beat being there. Let me give you an example. In 2002, we had plans to go to Pennsylvania. One of our planned stops was Gettysburg. I have read about Gettysburg in history books, so I had an idea about this moment in history. As I explained in a previous blog, we like to watch movies that pertain to the place we will visit. This time we watched, “Gettysburg“. It’s a 4 hour movie, but the nice thing is that it was filmed at Gettysburg National Military Park. What surprised me was that as we stood on the battlegrounds such as “Little Round Top” and “Pickett’s Charge”, I had a feeling of deja-vu. When at these places, I could close my eyes and remember the scenes in the movie and then open my eyes and I was there! I appreciated it more since I was there.
5 Patriotic Places
Here’s a list of good places to start your patriotic explorations. Places that are important in the history of our country.
Gettysburg
I partially explained why I chose Gettysburg in a previous paragraph. Another reason is I’m a fan of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who commanded the Union troops defending “Little Round Top” at the Gettysburg Battlefield. While there, we stood atop “Little Round Top” and surveyed all that was around us. It was quite a moment. If you read about the historical event and watch the movie, you will understand that this was a pivotal moment in the battle that was also the turning point of the Civil War.
Arlington Cemetery
If there’s ever a solemn place, it’s Arlington Cemetery. Most consider Arlington the most famous of all of the military cemeteries. The national cemetery was established during the Civil War on the former estate of the wife of Confederate General Robert E. Lee . There are strict eligibility rules for burial in Arlington. President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite, with the eternal flame, is the most notable burial site on the grounds. President William Taft, Senators Robert Kennedy and Edward Kennedy, General of the Armies John J Pershing, and 396 Medal of Honor recipients are also buried there.
There are a number of Memorials at Arlington. The most widely known is the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”. Visitors observe the “changing of the guard” in silent reverence as designated members of the armed forces carry out the ceremony in exact precision. Other memorials are the USS Maine Mast Memorial and Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial.
National Civil Rights Museum (Memphis)
In planning a vacation to New Orleans, we stopped in Memphis for a couple of days to visit the normal Graceland, Beale Street, and BBQ touristy type places. We had scheduled a couple of hours for the National Civil Rights Museum. We discovered that was not enough time, as we ended up spending the entire afternoon adding to our knowledge and understanding of the Civil Rights Movement. Perhaps most moving was seeing the room in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his last day.
With the museum closing in 30 minutes, we crossed the street to the annex. This is the building where James Earl Ray had been hiding. From there, you can look out a window that was next to the room where the fatal rifle shot was fired. It was pretty surreal to see the line of sight directly to the balcony where Martin Luther King was standing when he was shot.
911 Memorial and Museum (New York City)
September 11th, 2001 is a defining moment in the history of our country. It is one of those events that you remember exactly what you were doing when you heard the news. Unlike other defining moments in our history, this one unfolded before our very eyes — live! TV reports of this event grabbed our attention for days and weeks.
The 911 Memorial and Museum in New York City is a must see. We were there four hours and it wasn’t enough. To get the full experience, I recommend twice that much time. After walking through the inside of the museum, taking some quiet time in the park is a good thing. It was an emotional day and those powerful feelings of that day will most likely resurface. The memorial pools, in the footprints of the Twin Towers, are solemn reminders of all who lost their lives on this tragic day.
Together with this museum, we recommend going to the 911 Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA.
Sixth Floor Museum (Dallas)
To the older generation, November 22, 1963 is another one of those defining days in U.S. history. It did not cost the lives of thousands, but only of one; the President of the United States. This was a critical time in our country. The Cold War was going strong and the Civil Rights Movement was making an impact. To lose the President at this time to an assassin’s bullet was a huge test to our country and form of government.
The Sixth Floor Museum is on the site where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots. The museum shows the life of John F. Kennedy. It looks at the times of the late 50’s and early 60’s. The displays examine Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby, “players in this drama, lives. The presentations include the controversies and conspiracy theories with the investigation.
You can view Oswald’s sniper nest through plexiglass. You can see the boxes stacked up next to the window while he waited for the motorcade. Standing at the adjacent window and looking down to the street below, you can imagine the motorcade as it drove past the building. As I looked, I thought to myself, “it’s not that far away”.
Sometimes you just have to be there.
