Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

1100 West Ruins Drive (Off of Highway 87/287)

Coolidge, AZ 85228

 

During this past January, I had the opportunity to visit the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge, AZ. This is one of my favorite national parks in large part due to the outstanding preservation of the ancient ruins. The site is believed to have been built by ancient Sonoran Desert people around 1350 C.E. The site is believed to have been abandoned around 1450 C.E., with the first written records of the ruins coming from Spanish explorers of Arizona in the 17th century. The true purpose of Casa Grande is one of American history's great history mysteries.

 

I highly recommend spending an Arizona fall or winter day walking along the paths that take you throughout the ancient village. Furthermore, I guarantee that you will enjoy trying to determine the purpose of the actual "big house" much like I did. The visitor center has an extremely knowledgeable staff who can guide you through the exhibits and answer questions you may have about the site.

 

Below is a link to the National Park Service site along with some photos I took during my recent visit:

 

http://www.nps.gov/cagr/learn/historyculture/index.htm

 

MW

 

Hessian Camp

Hessian Camp Marker

Route 422 and Hessian Road

Reading, PA 19602

During the American Revolution, Reading was used as a prisoner of war (POW) camp for British and German mercenary soldiers, to include Hessians. At this time, Reading was dominated by German-speaking colonists. British and German prisoners who lived in Reading at this time were able to work as laborers and go to local taverns in town. The German-speaking colonists of Reading were far more welcoming of German mercenary POWs than British POWs. Following the American Revolution, numerous German mercenaries chose to remain in the area to work as laborers and farmers. The Hessian Camp marker in Reading marks the approximate location of where numerous Hessian soldiers lived from 1781 to 1783.

Below is a link to the Explore Pennsylvania History website, along with some photos that I took during my recent visit to Reading:

http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-174

MW

Ballast Point Whaling Station

Ballast Point Whaling Station Site

Naval Base Point Loma - Ballast Point

San Diego, CA 92106

(Near Building #601)

 

Another great historic site located on Naval Base Point Loma - Ballast Point in San Diego is the site of the Ballast Point Whaling Station. Whaling operations began on Ballast Point in 1857, when the three Johnson brothers and the twin Packard brothers came to this site to survey possibilities for a station to 'try out' or extract whale oil. Their operations began the next year. In 1869 the U.S. Government acquired the property for Fort Rosecrans and in 1873 whaling operations at Ballast Point ended. Archaeological digs on the site have uncovered remnants of the two 150-gallon cast iron cauldrons and brick ovens that were used to boil whale oil.

 

Below is a link to the San Diego History Center website with more information on Ballast Point Whaling Station, along with some photos that I took during a recent visit:

 

http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/86spring/dogholes.htm

 

MW

 

Captain Joshua Huddy Park

Captain Joshua Huddy Park

Bay Ave. and Waterwitch Ave.

Highlands, NJ 07732

Captain Joshua Huddy Park is the site of the April 12, 1782 hanging of Captain Joshua Huddy. Huddy was a captain in the Monmouth County Artillery, who had been captured on March 24, 1782 by defending the Toms River blockhouse from a British attack. Huddy's death at the hands of the Tories was in retaliation for the death of a Loyalist by the name of Philip White. White had died in the custody of Patriot forces. When Huddy's body was found the day after his execution, there was a note on his hanging body that said, "Up Goes Huddy for Phillip White.”

The execution of Joshua Huddy caused outrage amongst New Jersey Patriots. These Patriots sought retribution for Huddy's death, and petitioned General George Washington. As a result of this petition, a young British officer named Charles Asgill was selected to be executed. Asgill's mother and French government officials expressed their desire that the life of Charles Asgill be spared. The American government spared the life of Asgill believing that his execution would look poorly on the new nation. Asgill returned to England in December 1782. This event became known as the Asgill Affair.

There are numerous sites in Monmouth and Ocean counties that are associated with Captain Joshua Huddy. Throughout the war he became a sort of folk hero to the Patriot cause. I have had the opportunity to travel to many sites associated with Huddy over the last couple of years. Be on the lookout for more blog posts about Joshua Huddy in the next few months.

Below are links to sites that have more information on both Joshua Huddy and Charles Asgill. I also included a few photos of Captain Joshua Huddy Park during my recent visit:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njcjhcdr/capt_huddy.html

http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/asgill-affair/

MW



General Andrew Porter

General Andrew Porter Marker

West Main & Selma Streets

Norristown, PA 19401

General Andrew Porter was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. His considered to be the founder of the United States Marine Corps. Porter built his home Selma in Norristown, PA in 1794. Porter was a surveyor who received a number of government surveyor positions following his service in America's war for independence. A number of Porter's descendants went on to hold important and influential positions in the government, military and legal fields. Porter died in Harrisburg, PA in 1813. Porter is memorialized in a number of places in Pennsylvania. A marker dedicated to Porter's memory stands at West Main and Selma Streets in Norristown. This marker is a short walk from Selma.

(http://www.mwhistoryexperience.com/2015/07/selma-mansion.html)

Below is a link to an article that featured on Philly.com with more information on General Andrew Porter. I also included a couple photos of the marker: 

http://articles.philly.com/2006-10-26/news/25418550_1_david-rittenhouse-porter-james-madison-porter-andrew-porter

MW

The Battle of Bound Brook (April 13, 1777)

The Battle of Bound Brook - South Battlefield Site

South Main St. (near Queen's Bridge)

South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

Following the battles of Trenton and Princeton, a guerilla war raged on in New Jersey between militia troops supported by the Continental Army, and British and German forces. Some historians refer to this guerilla war as the Forage War. With the main body of the Continental Army in winter quarters at Morristown, many American operations were planned and conducted out of forward outposts such as Bound Brook. British commanders took notice of this, and in March 1777 Hessian Jäger officer Johann von Ewald developed a plan to launch an attack on the American outpost of Bound Brook. This outpost was commanded by Continental Army General Benjamin Lincoln. In the April 13, 1777 battle, the Continental Army was surprised by attacking British forces. American commander Benjamin Lincoln narrowly avoided capture, along with the bulk of his 500 man garrison. British forces under the command of General Charles Cornwallis proceeded to loot and destroy the garrison. British forces were able to capture cannons, ammunition and supplies from Bound Brook before returning to New Brunswick. American forces under General Nathanael Greene were immediately sent by George Washington to reoccupy Bound Brook. Greene sent troops to harass the British rear guard as they approached Raritan Landing. American casualty reports from the battle vary from 40-120. British casualties in the battle numbered no more than ten.

Near Queen's Bridge in South Bound Brook, NJ there is a sign with two interpretive plaques commemorating the April 13, 1777 Battle of Bound Brook. If you plan on visiting this site, be advised that the best place to park is the nearby municipal parking lot. There is very little to no room to park on the side of the road near the markers and bridge. The walk from the municipal parking lot to the markers and bridge will take no more than five minutes.

Below is a link to the New Jersey Skylands website where you can read more about the Battle of Bound Brook. I also included a few photos I took of the sign and commemorative plaques during my recent visit:

http://www.njskylands.com/hsBoundBrook

MW