Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 173
July 12, 2017
A Mecca for Music Lovers
By Linda Tancs
The National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, is a menagerie of melodious merriment. Carved crocodile zithers. Goldfish-shaped harmonicas. Strutting stringed peacocks. It’s all there, in addition to the oldest known harpsichord, rare Adolphe Sax-made saxophones, the rarest European pianos and other treasures. Lauded as one of the largest and most important collections of historical instruments in the world, the museum publicly displays 1,200 of its 15,000-strong collection, representing American, European and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods. Open year round, state residents enjoy free admission on federal holidays and summer Sundays.
July 11, 2017
Prehistoric Life in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Just minutes from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a National Historic Landmark—the site of the oldest human habitation in North
America. Known today as Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, artifacts unearthed there have confirmed a campsite for prehistoric hunters and gatherers that existed 16,000 years ago. Excavations have revealed 10,000 artifacts as well as more than 950,000 animal bones and more than 1.4 million plant remains. An enclosed observation area provides visitors with a unique, never-before-seen perspective into the oldest and deepest parts of this internationally-renowned archeological excavation. The site is open May through October.
July 10, 2017
The Hudson River School
By Linda Tancs
The Hudson River School was an American art movement of the 19th century, a group of New York City-based landscape painters that emerged about 1850 under the influence of the English émigré Thomas Cole. Cole’s artistry was inspired by the Catskill region, a place he visited for the first time in 1825 on a sketching trip. His home, Cedar Grove, is a National Historic Site located in the beautiful Hudson Valley in the Village of Catskill, New York, right near the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Open May through October, his home and studios offer sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains.
July 6, 2017
Silver Capital of the World
By Linda Tancs
More than 1 billion ounces of silver were mined in 100 years in the historic mining town of Wallace, Idaho. No wonder it’s called the Silver Capital of the World. And they’re not resting on their laurels; silver production is still a part of the economy. So is skiing and other outdoor recreation. But this time of year it’s the blues festival that draws crowds downtown, where every building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
July 5, 2017
Wimbledon of the West
By Linda Tancs
Southwest of Charles City, Iowa, is a patch of bent grass called the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club. If that term sounds vaguely familiar, then you’re probably thinking of the All England Club—that venerable institution in London hosting Wimbledon each year. Affectionately referred to as the Wimbledon of the West, the Iowan equivalent was conceived by Iowa farmer and tennis lover Mark Kuhn, who developed a faithful replication of Centre Court at the All England Club. Unlike its British counterpart, you don’t even have to be a pro to play. Just make a free reservation. The grounds are open from Memorial Day through September.
July 4, 2017
Rendezvous in Canada
By Linda Tancs
On July 1, 1867, Canada was born when the British North America Act of 1867 put into effect a union of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada (comprising Québec and Ontario). This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Confederation, prompting a yearlong, countrywide celebration. For instance, more than 40 tall ships will be sailing Canadian waters to mark the occasion during Rendez-vous 2017, which began on June 30 and ends on August 20, 2017. They’re scheduled to stop at host ports in Ontario, Québec and the Maritimes, including a grand celebration at the Port of Québec from July 18 to July 23.
July 3, 2017
Food and Drink in Brooklyn
By Linda Tancs
Ever consider the art—and science—of food and drink? You’ll find thought-provoking answers and engaging exhibits at the Museum of Food and Drink in Brooklyn, New York. At the facility’s inaugural design studio and gallery space located in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, you can participate in cooking classes, guided tastings, hands-on workshops, science demonstrations, discussions and seminars. Now there’s plenty of food for thought.
June 29, 2017
Early Vermont Heritage
By Linda Tancs
Native American, French colonial and early Vermont heritage converge at Chimney Point on Lake Champlain in Vermont. One of the earliest, most intensely settled and most strategic sites in the Champlain Valley, human habitation dates back to Indian encampments over 9,000 years ago. In 1731, a French fort was built there, followed 10 years later by a French settlement to support the soldiers across the lake at Fort St. Frederic. When the British encroached, the story goes that everything was burned to the ground, leaving only chimneys (hence, the name). The original two-story tavern was built after the Revolutionary War. Now a museum open during the summer season, it offers archaeological discoveries, the earliest surviving tavern tap room on the lake and a 1905 post office. Visitors can cross the nearby Lake Champlain Bridge on foot and enjoy the interpretive trail on both sides.
June 28, 2017
A Glacial Feast
By Linda Tancs
The largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, protects 4,200 square miles of glaciers, geothermal springs and lakes representing mostly untouched alpine wilderness. The park’s tiny hamlet of Jasper is connected to Lake Louise in nearby Banff National Park by the Icefields Parkway, a 140-mile-long stretch that parallels the Continental Divide. Considered one of the most scenic roads in the world, the parkway includes along its route the Athabasca Glacier (part of the Columbia Icefield), the most visited glacier on the North American continent. Its ice is in continuous motion, spilling from the icefield (a surviving remnant of the thick ice mass that once covered most of western Canada’s mountains) over three giant bedrock steps. The Discovery Centre (a visitor’s center opposite the icefield) is open seasonally between May and October.
June 27, 2017
The Pearl of Dorset
By Linda Tancs
At the heart of England’s Jurassic Coast is the historic town of Lyme Regis. Locally known as Lyme, the designation Regis owes to its first Royal Charter given by King Edward I in 1284. Founded during the Saxon period, the pretty seaside town boasts narrow streets and Georgian architecture to complement its pastel-colored beach huts and rental cottages. Affectionately known as the “Pearl of Dorset,” it’s the site of curiosities like Granny’s Teeth (the stone steps along the Cobb harbor wall) and an endurance walk stretching from Lyme to nearby Seaton marked by the Undercliffs. Created by a series of landslips, the Undercliffs are only accessible on foot and lead to a jungle-like area of thick vegetation, one of the great wilderness areas of southern England.
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