Oklahoma Railway Museum USA

 

The Oklahoma Railway Museum is a working museum.

Getting an old loco in shape

You can buy tickets for a ride but it was closed when I visited.

There are signs providing educational information about America's railroads.

For example, a sample of tools used by the crew.

And information about the tracks

I wandered about the yard and took these photos.

Link to the museum website

The museum is free

Purchase a ticket for a train ride

See the website for hours and days of operation

Link to a Google Map

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LIttle Rock Nine Arkansas

 In the last few years, I've been reading more about the African experience in the United States. One book, Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock, spurred my interest in visiting Little Rock, Arkansas.

First, I stopped at the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

It's a small museum across the road from the attractive campus of Central High School where students still attend.

The museum contains storyboards, which tell the story of America's segregated schools.

In 1954, the U S Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, ruled that racial segregation was unconstitutional.

In 1957, nine Black students prepared to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. But they were barred by the Arkansas National Guard.

The black students faced fierce opposition from the crowd. The classic photo reveals a sea of hostile and otherwise unfriendly white faces.

These black  students stayed away from school until federal troops could safely escort them into the High School.

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Next, I went to the capitol building to locate the sculpture, Testament. It is a powerful image of the Little Rock Nine attempting to go to school. They face the capitol building, a symbol of government opposition to desegregation in many states.

See the short video of this visit.

Please check out my website   www.suttong.com

  

and see my books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Related book

Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock

Also, consider connecting with me on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

Join me on YouTube SuttonTravels

Government website link

Google Map Link to the National Historic Site

World War II Remembered Understanding WWII by Travel

 

World War II Remembered

Understanding WWII by Travel

Each September I am remined of the Second World War. The war began 1 September 1939 and ended 2 September 1945 thus it lasted 6 years and 1 day.

This page contains links to places that tell the story of World War II. I will update the page as I visit other locations around the world.

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I was born in London, England. For me, World War II is personal because my parents, grandparents, and most of my family lived through the war in London or wherever they were sent to defend my homeland. And World War II partly explains why I live in America and not England.

We lived in a house where my mother was trapped in a closet beneath the stairs when a nearby German bomb blast shattered windows and buckled the floor. During my childhood, World War II was an historic family marker—family events were told in terms of “before the war” or “after the war.”

After the US entered the war, an American soldier and one of my mother’s sisters fell in love. They married at a London church near in England.  My aunt joined him in America and, a decade later, my American uncle sponsored us when my parents decided to emigrate.

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United Kingdom

Imperial War Museum, London England World War II commands considerable space in the history of British wars.

Imperial War Museum North - Manchester

HMS Belfast, River Thames, London, England

Churchill War Rooms, London, England

Bletchley Park, England Discover the role of British and allied intelligence efforts to break enemy codes.

Castletown D-Day Centre, Portland, England - Interactive Museum of the Dockyard where Americans embarked for Normandy

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge England

Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, England See stories of the British Navy at war.

Royal Army Museum, London, England Learn the history of the British Army.

Royal Air Force Museum, London, England See the planes that fought in the Battle of Britain and note the tribute to the United States Air Force.

European Continent

D-Day Overview and Timeline

France  

Pegasus Bridge, Benouville, Normandy, France

Utah Beach Normandy, France

Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France

Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France

The Battle of Merville Gun Battery

Grand Bunker Museum, Ouistreham, Normandy, France

Hungary: Shoes on the Danube Memorial, Budapest

 

United States

The United States officially entered World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. The US led the allies in defeating the Axis of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

World War II Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.

This massive complex tells the story of America at War in Europe and the Pacific in large buildings full of artefacts and audio-visual presentations.

           The Road to Berlin

           The Road to Tokyo

           D-Day at the World War II Museum

           Boeing Center at the World War II Museum

World War II Memorial, Washington, DC

Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC

Truman Library and Museum, Independence Missouri

 See my website www.suttong.com

Check out my YouTube travel Channel

 

Lake Superior Railroad Museum Duluth MN

The highlight of the museum is the 1862 William Crooks engine within a fine collection of restored engines, cars, and railroad items.

The museum is within the Union Depot providing a context for Duluth in 1910. On the way down the steps is an immigrant waiting room.

The engines and cars are on several tracks within the enclosed museum.

There are several opportunities to either walk inside the engines or cars or at least have a look from the steps.

Panorama Inside

Dining Car

US Mail Car

Additional locomotives and cars are outside.

Log Loader

Slag Car (steel)

Other items are on the platforms.

Storyboards and videos add to the educational value of the visit.

1861 The Williams Crooks Engine

There is a small model railroad exhibit, which children can operate.

Model Railroad room

Notes

There is paid parking nearby and a fee to enter the museum.

The setting is an old downtown train depot.

Train rides are available at select times --see the website for more.

There is a gift shop.

There are a few places to sit.

The restrooms were clean and stocked.

Overall, I consider it a worthwhile stop--would love to take my grandson.

Please check out my website suttong.com

And my YouTube Travel Channel SuttonTravels for videos from around the world-- including trains.

Photos taken with my Pixel 4 Google Phone.

See more places in Minnesota

Prehistoric Museum- Utah State University Eastern in Price

 This unique museum is located near some great finds including dinosaurs as well as finds from ancient local cultures.

Notes

There is a fee for entry -see the website for hours and fees

Informative website

The restrooms were clean and well maintained when we were there.

Friendly staff

Location- 155 East Main, Price Utah 84501

Tel 435-613-5060

Monticello Virginia

 We visited Monticello on Friday 2 October, 2020.

The visit was modified because of Covid-19 adjustments. We reserved a house tour online and arrived early. There's a brief film at the visitor's centre. 

We decided to walk up to the house, which was a surprising climb. We sat for a brief introduction then entered the house in small groups. Photography was allowed so I will include some photos.

Jefferson as a man of science

Georgian Silver

Outside, an actor provided an impressive talk as Thomas Jefferson. He answered all questions posed to him by the attentive and challenging audience.

There are a few cabins where slaves lived and locations marked where they worked. Jefferson enslaved more than 600 people during his life.

Here's a look inside a cabin representing the home of Sally Hemings (1773-1835) known as Jefferson's concubine. She was a half-sister to Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles (1746-1782). According to the tradition, Sally and Martha had the same father, John Wayles.

There's also a furnished kitchen close to the main house.

It is not hard to detect which headstone is for Thomas Jefferson in the family cemetery.

Books about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello

Thomas Jefferson eBooks

Visitor notes

I suspect things are subject to change so I advise checking the website for current information.

Monticello.org

There is an app, which provides an audio guide to the rooms and text with additional information. There is WiFi in the home.

The website has an extended section on  slavery at Monticello.

I did not see people of colour among the guides and staff who interacted with us.

There is a gift shop, but we did not purchase anything.

There is a small museum at the visitor centre.

You can purchase food onsite, but we went back to our vehicle and ate lunch there. At the time we were there, you could take a water bottle with you to the house and grounds.

There are toilets and a place to refill water bottles.

Links to Connections

My Page    www.suttong.com

  

My Books  AMAZON          and             GOOGLE STORE

 

FOLLOW   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

 

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Articles: Academia   Geoff W Sutton   ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton