Today, the only time you’re likely to see a zeppelin is when it’s hovering over a football game or a parade, advertising Goodyear, for instance, or MetLife. But not that long ago, zeppelins were being touted as the next big thing in travel. A little disaster called the Hindenburg almost single-handedly sent that idea up in smoke. Zeppelins continued to be of great importance to the military, however, and the Tillamook Air Museum in Oregon provides a fascinating look at a massive World War II blimp hangar and what it meant to the defense of the United States during the war. Read more >
Category Archives: History
The Ghost at Symonds Street Cemetery in Auckland, New Zealand
Halloween does not necessarily hold a monopoly on eerie ghost stories; something creepy can happen any day of the year. For me, it was early evening on an ordinary day in November, when I was wandering around the oldest cemetery in Auckland, New Zealand — a fairly neglected and lonesome graveyard that hasn’t seen a new burial in about a century and is littered with decaying tombstones. Throw in a man who appears out of nowhere and disappears just as suddenly, and I was ready to outdo Stephen King. Read more >
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Beauty and History in Montgomery’s Best Buildings
Named for Richard Montgomery, an Irish-born soldier who became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Alabama’s second-largest city has earned numerous national accolades, including being cited as an All-America City by the National Civic League and the Best Historic City by USA Today in 2014. It was the first U.S. city to install city-wide electric streetcars, the setting for parts of the Academy Award–nominated movie Selma, and the birthplace of Nat King Cole, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Hank Williams, Sr. Walking around this historically rich city, I could feel its legacy oozing from its built environment, whether it was the Baptist church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor, or the executive residence of Jefferson Davis at the start of the Civil War. These are my top five buildings in Montgomery. Read more >
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Five Buildings of Distinction in Pierre, South Dakota
Halfway between lovely Sioux Falls in the eastern part of South Dakota and the gorgeous Black Hills in the west, Pierre seemed a good resting spot for a couple of days as I traversed the state. And when I first arrived here, I knew immediately that “resting” would be the operative word in this very small city of 14,000 of the friendliest people you’re ever likely to meet. But the city’s size — it’s the second-smallest capital in the United States (after tiny and charming Montpelier, Vermont) — also offers a good opportunity to really get to know and admire some of its outstanding architecture. These are my top five buildings in Pierre. Read more >
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Traveling the Mission Trail in San Antonio, Texas
Four missions along a 12-mile road in San Antonio provide an intimate, hands-on glimpse into the era of Spanish colonialism in Texas. These self-contained communities from the 1700s are historic, beautiful, and serene, and you can easily understand and appreciate their original purpose, made self-evident by their buildings and layout alone. And they’re all better than the Alamo. Read more >
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Five U.S. Historic Districts That Make You Yearn for Yesteryear
Designated historic districts in cities throughout the United States provide a tangible glimpse into their past as well as the opportunity to experience a unique urban environment. Long before the era of modern, uninspired skyscrapers and insipid glass-and-steel boxes that increasingly make cities less distinguishable from one another, these places developed as areas not to be mistaken for any other. Thanks to historic preservation movements and landmark commissions, they survive today to entertain, educate and enchant us. These are my top five historic districts in the United States. Read more >
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Vicksburg’s Baer House Inn: Refinement and Comfort — and an Irresistible History
My interest in the past is always piqued whenever I travel in the Deep South, where everything seems to drip with history like Spanish moss off a Southern live oak tree. So when I chose to stay at the Baer House Inn in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I knew I would be lodged in refined and comfortable accommodations in the heart of a city brimming with all kinds of references to yore, from its rough-and-tumble era with rampant gambling and prostitution that would ultimately give birth to the term “kangaroo court” to its pivotal role in the Civil War. What I didn’t expect, however, was the utterly engrossing story of the Baer House itself and how one very spirited daughter of Jewish immigrants got her ultimate revenge on her wealthy, controlling mother. Read more >
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A Danish Royal Palace for — and of — the Ages
For nearly a millennium, the center of Danish government — whether it was headed by an autocratic monarch or a multi-party Parliament — has been located in the same spot in Copenhagen, but most definitely not in the same building. Through centuries of fires, demolition, and construction, Christiansborg Slot has risen, fallen, and returned multiple times. Now in its fifth incarnation, the castle offers a comprehensive look at the way the government of Denmark operates within its lush interior, as well as how the Danes manage to keep such a tremendous place shipshape, despite the 500,000 visitors who pass through it every year. Read more >
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Five Churches in Ireland That Require Your Attendance
With thousands of churches all over the Emerald Isle, you never have to go very far to find a house of worship. Their styles span nearly a millennium, their denominations vary — and going to church has never been more interesting. Combining fascinating history, spectacular architecture, and centuries of spirituality and tradition, they have become irreplaceable components of both the cities in which they stand and the typically green countryside that they adorn. These are my top five churches in Ireland. Read more >
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My Own Private Estonia
After three days in the captivating capital of Estonia, it was time to escape from the almost inescapable clusters of day-tripping tourists from massive cruise ships who have inadvertently edged Tallinn toward becoming a Disney-esque caricature of itself. So I hit the road with Martin, a local university student majoring in social sciences, for a private look at the Estonia that wasn’t overflowing with medieval-themed restaurants and countless amber shops. Read more >
Stephen Travels 