Explore Virginia Through Pictures!

Well, friends, there comes a time in every bloggers' life when other responsibilities supercede the ability to post a new blog. Sadly that time has come for me of late. I will be back to my regularly scheduled posts soon, however, just to keep your appetite whet to explore Virginia while I am on hiatus, I am posting additional pictures that I took at the Virginia Safari Park. These pictures were not included in my original post dated 10/24/11. I hope you enjoy them!

Cindy at explorevirginia.blogspot.com

The Old City Cemetery: Where History Lives On

When I drive by a cemetery, I usually look away.  I am not superstitious.  I do not worry about the dead haunting the place because I know, from the Bible, that those who have passed are asleep in death (Ecc. 9:5,10).  They await a resurrection and can no more harm me than could a bad dream.  Still I look away.  Cemeteries conjure up the memories of those I’ve lost and miss so dearly and leave me melancholic.  So, of course, I normally would not think of spending the afternoon in a cemetery.  And yet that is just what I did recently.  Only, it was not just any cemetery.  It was the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, VA.

I used to live next door to a nice lady named Geneva who retired from a local hospital and subsequently spent a lot of time volunteering at the Old City Cemetery.  She talked about it often, especially when all of the roses were in bloom, and continually encouraged me to go.  I didn’t.  Despite her enthusiasm, I never understood the fascination.  Still, I decided to visit for the first time this week and I began to understand. 

Cobblestone Street

As I passed through the brick and iron entrance gates, I was transported back in time.  Asphalt was replaced by cobblestones and cement by old brick paved sidewalks.  The afternoon was well along and except for the occasional buzz and hum of a lawn mower, there were no other sounds to be heard.  No other person in sight.  Just graves all around.  Thousands of them.  Nearly 20,000, to be more precise, and  containing the remains of “political, religious, social and cultural leaders, the city’s indigent and ‘strangers’, veterans of every major American war and conflict from the Revolution to Vietnam, and over 2,200 Confederate soldiers from fourteen states.  Three quarters of those buried here are African American, both free and enslaved.  More than one-third are infants and children under the age of four.”

Barrel Vaulted Brick Tomb

The grave markers are as varied as those who have passed.  There are obelisks, tabletop monuments, old colonial bedboard headstones, marble cubes, a wooden marker that still exists, barrel vaulted brick tombs, even a life-size cut tree trunk carved in limestone.  Since the cemetery was established in 1806 and most of the dead were buried before 1925, many of the names and inscriptions are worn beyond recognition; however, the cemetery has a guide pointing out some of the most notable occupants and points of historical interest.   

It should be recognized that the Old City Cemetery is one of the oldest public cemeteries in the United States that has been in continuous use since its founding.  In addition to the burial sites, there are also Scatter Gardens for the cremated remains of loved ones—human and animal.

The land, which the cemetery occupies, was donated by John Lynch, founder of Lynchburg.  On the grounds, there are a number of other buildings of historical significance. 

The Pest House Museum

·         In The Pest House there is now a medical museum.  The Pest House was originally used as a quarantine hospital for residents who contracted such diseases as smallpox or measles and later for quarantined Confederate soldiers. 

Station House Museum

·         The Quartermaster’s Glanders Stable held quarantined Confederate Army horses that contracted the deadly and contagious Glanders respiratory disease so research could be done to determine the cause. 

The Station House Museum was formerly Stapleton Station located near  Galt's Mill in Amherst County and was used by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Station.  In 1999-2001, the Station was dismantled and reconstructed on its' current site to interpret the importance of railroads in Lynchburg's history.

The cemetery also hosts events throughout the year and most center on the local flora and fauna including butterflies, birds, shrubs, trees, and all manner of flowers, including sixty varieties of roses.  Mid-May is the peak time to view the myriad of roses planted along both sides of the Old Brick Wall. 

For hours, events, and information on the best times to view the various flowers, trees, herbs, and birds, please check out www.gravegarden.org.  And remember to tell the hosts and curators, that Cindy at explorevirginia.blogspot.com sent you!

  

Note: Much of the information contained in this post was gleaned from brochures obtained at the Old City Cemetery and most appear to have been researched, written, or edited by Jane Baber White.  Additional information was obtained from the official website (referenced above) and the historical marker found just outside the cemetary gate.  Thank you to all who contributed to preserving this bit of history.

Poplar Forest: Thomas Jefferson's Retreat

Summer may be over but the weather is still quite pleasant so now is a great time to plan a trip.  But, you may ask, where?  Well, do you like history?  How about architecture?  Or perhaps horticulture and agriculture pique your interest.  Maybe you fancy yourself an amateur archaeologist.  And maybe you appreciate ingenious designs.  Or maybe you like all of the above.  If so, then your vacation destination must be Poplar Forest. 

Nestled between housing subdivisions in Forest, VA and on over 600 acres, you will find the retreat of Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States.  Similar in design to his more famous residence, Monticello, located in Charlottesville, VA, Poplar Forest is a wonderful example of the octagonal brick villa architecture that Jefferson favored.  The home also contains many examples of Jefferson’s inventiveness.  The polygraph device he created to simultaneously make copies of the letters he penned is just one example.

Jefferson began construction of Poplar Forest in 1806 and began making regular visits to his retreat in 1809.  He made several trips a year for the next fourteen years.  While at Poplar Forest, Jefferson dedicated much time to his varied interests, including the study of math, natural sciences, farming, history, and Native American culture. 

Upon Jefferson’s death in 1826, the home was passed to his grandson, Francis Eppes, who sold it two years later.  The home then remained privately owned by various families until 1984 when it was sold to the nonprofit Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.  It became open for visitors in 1986. 

It’s hard to imagine that a home of such historical significance was privately owned and occupied for so long.  Thankfully though, it was this constant occupancy that kept Poplar Forest so well preserved.  Nevertheless one can’t help wondering if the prior owners ever installed green shag carpeting in the parlor during the 1970’s!  Well, perhaps not, but still the home did undergo many changes over the years that historians and preservationists have been painstakingly seeking to undo.  And that’s what makes Poplar Forest such a fascinating place to visit.  With on-going restoration and excavation projects, there is always something new to see and learn!

As you plan your trip, keep in mind that Poplar Forest is open to the public seven days a week from March 15 through December 15 but is closed on November 24.  Check out the Poplar Forest website at www.poplarforest.org for more information on hours, admission fees, tours, volunteer opportunities, and special events. 

I hope you enjoy your trip through history and, as always, tell them Cindy at explorevirginia.blogspot.com sent you!

Virginia Safari Park: Llamas and Zebras and Elk, Oh My!

Have you ever wanted to go on safari in Africa but, like me, couldn’t afford to?  Thankfully, you don’t have to cross an ocean to experience a variety of wonderful animals up close!  The Virginia Safari Park is a real treasure in Central Virginia where anyone, for a reasonably priced admission fee, can have the adventure of a lifetime!

The Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge occupies 180-acres and is home to over 1,000 exotic animals from six continents.  Winding through the park is 3 miles of road that you can drive in your vehicle or, if you prefer, you can take a hay ride.  Along the way you will see an amazing menagerie of animals ranging from llamas, ostrich, emus, antelope, bison, deer, elk, zebras, camels, water buffalos, wildebeest, yaks and more.  Even Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs! 

And the best part?  You can feed the animals by purchasing buckets of food.  Hold on tight though!  Some of the animals are greedy and strong so they can easily pull the feed bucket from your hands.  This has happened to me a couple of times but I buy extra buckets just in case.  Caution:  The animals are messy eaters and you will inevitably get feed on you and in your car so be prepared to have your car vacuumed afterwards.

Once you get done with your drive or hayride, walk through the Safari Village to see monkeys, giraffe, birds, reptiles, tigers and more.  And yes, there is a gift shop too.

Our family has been to the Virginia Safari Park several times and we never tire of it!  The pictures featured are just a few that I took from our car on one of our excursions through the park.  It’s amazing how close we were able to get to all of those beautiful animals! 

The Virginia Safari Park is a “must see” for you and your family and it’s not too late.  The season ends November 27, 2011.  Check out the Virginia Safari Park website at www.virginiasafaripark.com for details on hours, cost, and more about the animals.  When you go, as I know you will, tell them Cindy from explorevirginia.blogspot.com sent you!