Athens cemetery added to national register

A historic cemetery in Athens is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Jackson Street Cemetery, on the University of Georgia's campus, was added Oct. 2. The 2.5-acre cemetery has an estimated 800 graves, UGA said.

“Getting this honorary designation reinforces the importance of the site on a broader level,” Janine Duncan, a UGA campus planning coordinator in the grounds department, said in a news release. Starting as a graduate student, Duncan headed a preservation project to have the cemetery listed on the register.

The cemetery was primarily used between 1810 and 1856. At that time, the Oconee Hill Cemetery, which is located behind Sanford Stadium, opened.

“The recognition is a great gesture in noting the significance of the cemetery,” Dexter Adams, director of the UGA grounds department. “Our research and investigation into conditions at the cemetery have confirmed that there are many, many more burials there than are represented by the surviving markers and monuments. The National Register listing is at least a noteworthy and honorable means of recognizing those otherwise anonymous individuals.”

A number of famous Athenians are buried in the cemetery, including two UGA presidents.

“Cemeteries are some of the hardest sites to get on the register because you have to prove the historic integrity is still there,” Duncan said in the release. “Cemeteries are hallowed spaces. They are also artistic spaces. The designs in the headstones and monuments speak to the period in which they are created.”

'America's Most Amazing Mile'

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – When the Incline Railway was built in 1895, the idea was to complete a cheap means for traveling to the top of Lookout Mountain.

It worked , but it outlasted its intended purpose. This one-of-a-kind railroad helped make Lookout Mountain a popular summer vacation destination and continues to attract visitors by the thousands more than a century later.

Known as “America’s Most Amazing Mile,” the Incline Railway is one of the more unique offerings, not just in Chattanooga, but anywhere. The railroad whisks adventure-seekers up the side of Lookout Mountain, and its 72.7 percent grade near the top of the mountain makes it the steepest railroad in the world.

The viewing platform at Lookout Mountain station offers a great view of the city, the surrounding region and also of the Great Smoky Mountains roughly 100 miles away. At the Lookout Mountain station, visitors can tour the railroad’s machine room to see the gears and cables that are the railroad’s backbone.

The Incline Railway has been designated as a National Historic Site and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

Take the 'Last Train to Clarksville': Clarksville or not?

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Clarksville’s name will forever be linked with railroads, thanks to The Monkees, who recorded “Last Train to Clarksville” in 1966.

“Take the last train to Clarksville, and I'll meet you at the station,” they sang. On the surface, it might seem as though the group was singing about the decline of the city’s railroad transportation. But the song is a Vietnam War protest song and the Clarksville mentioned in the song may not even be Clarksville, even though the city is located near Fort Campbell, Ky., and the song is from the vantage point of a soldier who has just been drafted.

“We were just looking for a name that sounded good,” Bobby Hart, who co-wrote the song with Tommy Boyce, said, according to songfacts.com. “There’s a little town in Northern Arizona I used to go through in the summer on the way to Oak Creek Canyon called Clarksdale. We were throwing out names, and when we got to Clarksdale, we thought Clarksville sounded even better.

“We didn't know it at the time, (but) there is an (Army) base near the town of Clarksville, Tennessee – which would have fit the bill fine for the story line,” Hart added, according to the Web site. “We couldn’t be too direct with The Monkees. We couldn't really make a protest song out of it – we kind of snuck it in.”

Take the ‘Last Train to Clarksville’

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Standing on 10th Street in downtown Clarksville, it’s hard to imagine this area was once a bustling transportation hub around the turn of the 20th century.

Passenger trains no longer pass through the city, although freights trains still pass through the area.

The old depot, known by locals as the L&N Station, still stands, but it no longer serves weary travelers stepping off a train from Louisville, or passenger ready to go on a trip. The historic structure dates to September 1881 when workers broke ground, but it has been refurbished a number of times over the years, according to the Montgomery County Historical Society.

The city of Clarksville grew up around the Cumberland River as much as it did around the railroad. Tracks were first laid through Clarksville and Montgomery County on the eve of the Civil War, but fell into disarray during the conflict. They were revitalized after the war, but again fell into disarray in the latter half of the 20th century. Time and time again the tracks were rebuilt.

As they did elsewhere in the nation, railroads fell into disfavor in the 1950s. Passenger service declined, as automobiles became the favored mode of transportation by millions of Americans. The “last train to Clarksville” operated on Feb. 28, 1968.

Impressive furnace a link to former town

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – In the years leading up to the Civil War, the town of Etowah was an important industrial center. But, following the War Between the States, the town quietly faded into the annals of history and eventually to the bottom of a manmade lake.

Jacob Stroup established the works in the 1830s and later sold his business to a politician named Mark Anthony Cooper. In 1847, three years after Cooper bought into the ironworks, Cooper obtained a charter for a railroad he planned to build, before the Western & Atlantic Railroad was built through the region.

More than a decade later, in 1858-59, Cooper built the Etowah Railroad, a roughly five-mile line that connected the ironworks with the Western & Atlantic Railroad, which ran between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn. There were two stops on the Etowah Railroad – one at the town of Etowah and a second at the junction with the Western & Atlantic Railroad.

Among the locomotives that operated on the Etowah Railroad was the Yonah, which played an important role in the Andrews Raid of 1862. The locomotive was the first steam engine used by the men who pursued the Union “engine thieves.”

Cooper sold the iron works to the Confederate States of America in 1863.

On May 22, 1864, federal soldiers destroyed the ironworks and mill, bringing about an end to the city’s livelihood and for all practical purposes the Etowah railroad. Following the Civil War, the railroad was not rebuilt and the town never again returned to its antebellum prominence. A smokestack is all that remains of the ironworks.

“After the Federal occupation the town dwindled to nothing, and the site is now known principally as an attractive picnic ground,” according to “Georgia: a guide to its towns and countryside,” a WPA book published in 1940, years before Lake Allatoona was built by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Decapod pays homage to Winder’s railroad roots

WINDER, Ga. – The small town of about 10,000 owes a lot to the railroad. Its name, for starters.

In 1893, the town of Jug Tavern, as Winder was once known, changed its name to Winder to honor John H. Winder, a general manager with Seaboard Air Line.

The town’s railroad past is on display next to its historic depot on Porter Street: Gainesville Midland No. 208. Built by Pennsylvania-based Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930, the decapod – as the locomotive is known because of its 10 drive wheels – originally operated as No. 530 on the Seaboard Air Line.

The Gainesville Midland purchased the steamer during the 1950s. The locomotives operated until 1959, according to George H. Drury's Guide to North American Steam Locomotives.

After its retirement, No. 208 was given to the city of Winder. No. 208 was originally displayed near Athens Street and was moved to its current location in 1981.

Air Force Museum shows evolution of aircraft

DAYTON, Ohio – “Necessity is the mother of all invention.”

It’s a common theme throughout history, and nowhere is that more apparent than with the Air Force; as warfare evolved over the decades, so too did the aircraft used in the many battles. The evolution of America’s Air Force from its beginnings in 1907 to the most modern aircraft to ever take to the skies are on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The museum, located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base is the oldest – and largest – museum of military aircraft. The museum features more than 400 aircraft and 17 acres of indoor exhibit space.

The museum’s exhibits include aircraft from every era in the 20th century, starting with the earliest aircraft from the earliest 20th century. The museum also claims to have the only permanent public exhibit of a B-2 stealth bomber in the world.

The museum traces its origins to 1923, when it was founded at McCook Field. Four years later, it moved to then-named Wright Field.

One of the museum’s highlights is Bockscar, the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, on Aug. 9, 1945.

Perhaps the most interesting gallery is the Missile and Space Gallery, which features Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and satellite boosters. The exhibit also highlights a collection dedicated to space and includes the Apollo 15 capsule.

Other collections highlight presidential aircraft, the Cold War and test aircraft.

IF YOU GO: The museum is located six miles northeast of Dayton, accessed easily off Interstate 70 and 75 to Interstate 675, exit 15, which is the Colonel Glenn Highway exit.

Kennesaw Mountain Cannon Demo

Small locomotive highlights area’s railroad roots

MARIETTA, Ga. – The little locomotive sitting in a fenced in area under a canopy is dwarfed by the locomotives that pass by no more than 50 feet away.

Locomotive No. 81421 was built in 1916 by Marietta’s own Glover Machine works. The 2-6-0 narrow gauge steam engine operated as Coulbourn Brothers No. 4 starting the following year. In 1921, the locomotive returned to Glover Machine Works.

Glover Machine Works dates to the early 1890s and was an important steam locomotive builder, although it was less known than many of the other, larger builders. The company built 200 locomotives between May 6, 1902, and April 19, 1930, according to the Southern Locomotive of Civil War and Locomotive History.

In addition to Glover Machine Works, railroads have played an important role in Marietta’s history. It was here on April 12, 1862, that James Andrews and 19 raiders boarded a Western & Atlantic train bound for Chattanooga. The plan was to burn bridges, tear up track and cut telegraph lines between Marietta and Chattanooga to disrupt one of the Confederate’s most important rail lines.

AP: Hiroshima, Nagasaki bidding on Olympics

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities subjected to atomic bombings at the end of World War II, are working together to bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics, according to The Associated Press.

"The Olympics symbolize the abolition of nuclear arms and world peace, and we want to work to realize our plan to host the games," Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba said, according to the news wire.

The announcement comes of the heels of Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Brazil's Rio de Janeiro won the games.

It was in Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, during the closing weeks of World War II, that the first atomic bomb was dropped on a city. The blast produced a mushroom cloud and killed 140,000 people and left thousands more homeless. Three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki, which killed an estimated 80,000 people, closing the chapter on the Second World War.

Hearst Castle: La Cuesta Enchantada

By Todd DeFeo

SAN SIMEON, Calif. – Hearst named his mansion La Cuesta Enchantada (or The Enchanted Hill), but it is commonly referred to as Hearst Castle.

The Casa Grande that stands atop the hillside, the symbol of the mansion, features two towers were inspired by the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Mayor in Ronda, Spain.

The Castle is filled with Hearst’s collection of treasures from around the world, ranging from medieval tapestries to Renaissance furniture to 19th century sculptures. But, perhaps the most intriguing element of the mansion is Neptune Pool , which features the façade of an ancient Roman temple as its centerpiece.

“The relationship between the gardens and the land symbolizes the remarkable collaboration between Julia Morgan and W.R. Hearst,” Victoria Kastner said in a news release. Kastner released a book, “Hearst’s San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land,” this year.

“We really cannot understand the Castle without understanding the location,” Kastner added. “In essence, I have been writing this story for the past 30 years, and it wasn’t until lecturing internationally that I realized the importance and relationship of the gardens and the land – the most significant components driving the collaborative efforts of Julia Morgan and W.R. Hearst. It is this spirit of the Hearst family and their attachment to the outdoors that the photographer, Victoria Garagliano, captured so exquisitely.”

Over the years a number of celebrities and politicians have visited Hearst Castle, including Charlie Chaplin, Charles Lindbergh, President Calvin Coolidge and Winston Churchill. It’s been said that Hearst Castle was the inspiration for Xanadu in Orson Well’s “Citizen Cane,” which itself was supposedly inspired by Hearst himself.

The Hearst Corp. donated the site to the state of California, which operates the facility as a state park. Hearst Castle has been on the National Register of Historical Places since 1972.

More people riding the rails

ATLANTA -- Amtrak in 2009 saw its second-highest ridership since its inception 38 years ago, the railroad announced.

During Fiscal Year 2009, which ended Sept. 30, nearly 27.2 million people rode Amtrak. Fiscal Year 2008 still remains a record for the railroad, with 28.7 million riding the rails, however, 2009's numbers represented a ridership increase of 5.1 percent over 2007.

"In a difficult year for the economy -- particularly in the travel industry -- Amtrak ridership has remained strong albeit with some regional variation," Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman said in a news release. "In particular, reduced business travel along the Northeast Corridor prevented us from reaching the ridership we achieved last year."

Total ticket revenue for the Fiscal Year 2009 reached $1.6 billion.

While ridership may not have increased in 2009, on-time performance did -- from 71 percent in 2008 to 80 percent in 2009, the railroad said.

In the news release, Boardman said 2009's figures were consistent with the railroad's annual growth it has experienced since 2002. At the same time, he noted, the railroad is rehabilitating rolling stock so it can increase passenger capacity.

Hearst Castle: 'Something ... a little more comfortable'

By Todd DeFeo

SAN SIMEON, Calif. – William Randolph Hearst’s fondness for San Simeon developed during the many family camping trips he took to the area.

After spending five minutes here, it’s easy to see why Hearst loved the area so much – the land, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, provides dramatic views of the landscape below.

Hearst’s father, George, purchased the land in 1865. In 1919, the younger Hearst interested the property from his mother, which by then included 250,000 acres and 14 miles of coastline. That same year Hearst approached architect Julia Morgan with an idea to develop the site.

“I would like to build something upon the hill at San Simeon,” Hearst supposedly told Morgan during their first meeting in April 1919. “I get tired of going up there and camping in tents. I’m getting a little too old for that. I’d like to get something that would be a little more comfortable.”

Hearst started small, building three guest cottages on the 250,000-acre site in 1919. But he didn’t stop there.

By “a little more comfortable,” Hearst apparently meant building a house with 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms and 127 acres of additional leisure space that included pools, gardens and the world’s largest private zoo. The remains are still evidenced by the zebras and other out-of-place animals that roam the grounds to this day.

Replica ship provides glimpse into Columbus' voyage

COLUMBUS, Ohio – On first glance, Christopher Columbus might seem like the consummate adventurer, a captain setting sail into the great unknown.

His story is well known; with three ships – the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria – and about 90 men, he set sail from Europe in search of a “western route to the Orient.” He never made it. Instead, he “discovered” America” 517 years ago today.

What many may not realize is that the Santa Maria never made the return voyage to Spain. On Dec. 24, 1492, it crashed off the coast of what is today Haiti.

“… It being a dead calm, and the sea perfectly motionless, as in a cup, the whole crew, seeing the Admiral had retired, went off to sleep, leaving the ship in the care of (a) boy … when the current carried her imperceptibly toward the shoals in the neighborhood, upon which she struck with a noise that might be heard a league off,” Columbus wrote in his journal of the crash.

Columbus left the Santa Maria and its crew of 39 men behind. Using timbers from the vessel, the men built La Navivdad, the first Spanish settlement in the new world. When Columbus returned about a year later, he found the settlement destroyed and his men killed.

The Santa Maria replica in Columbus, Ohio, is a full-size replica of Columbus’ ship. Built for the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ journey, the ship is 98 feet long and 89 feet tall and is the most-authentic replica of the Santa Maria.

For more information, log onto www.santamaria.org.

A visit to the ‘Apple Capital of Georgia’

By Todd DeFeo

ELLIJAY, Ga. – I wasn’t sure what to expect as we pulled off the road and headed toward the apple megastore.

“If you’re buying apples, you’re going to need one of these,” a man walking out of the store said, referring to his cart filled to the brim with assorted varietals. Boy, he wasn’t kidding.

Gilmer County, located about 80 miles north of Atlanta, is known as the “Apple Capital of Georgia.” The county produces 600,000 bushels of apples every year. In celebration of its heritage, the area holds the Georgia Apple Festival every October.

The festival is complete with everything one would expect from a festival – from inflatable festival toys to arts and crafts to funnel cakes. Of course, there are also a number of apple delicacies, ranging from apple dumplings to fried apple pies.

The 38th Annual Georgia Apple Festival runs Oct. 11, 17 and 18. Admission is $5 for anyone over 5 years old. For more information, log onto www.georgiaapplefestival.org.

Gilmer County Ga. the Apple Capital of Georgia

Analysis: Billions goes to 'low priority' airport projects

More than 3,100 airport construction and rehabilitation projects received nearly $2 billion in funding between 2005 and 2009, even though they didn’t meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s criteria, according to Subsidyscope, an initiative of the Pew Economic Policy Group.

The money was given in the form of grants under the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The grants, which are primarily funded through ticket and fuel surcharges, have a number of purposes, including improving safety. The AIP funding is supposed to be reserved for projects ranking higher in the National Priority Ratings.

“With expenditures running into the billions, these findings show the benefit of making spending data more accessible. The public deserves to know the criteria used for determining how and when to spend taxpayer dollars,” Marcus Peacock, director of Subsidyscope, said in a news release. “So far, these data raise more questions than they answer.”

The study found that 27 percent of the $1 billion in federal stimulus AIP grants awarded between March 16 and Sept. 18 went to 90 total projects that did not meet the criteria for funding.

For stimulus grants, “we raised the bar from what it would normally be,” the Wall Street Journal quoted an FAA spokeswoman as saying. “Just because something came in under (the threshold) doesn’t mean it’s disqualified.”

According to the Subsidyscope, the three airports with the highest AIP funding per paying passenger:

• Fall River Mills Airport, Calif., $271,825
• Cecil Field, Fla., $270,063
• Marana Regional, Ariz., $235,306

House passes 'Travel Promotion Act'

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would create a public-private partnership aimed at promoting the United States as a top international travel destination.

The “Travel Promotion Act” now returns to the Senate, which previously passed the bill. The House voted 358-66 in favor of the bill.

“The need for travel promotion has never been greater," Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a news release. “As the recent vote of the International Olympic Committee demonstrated, the United States must invest in better explaining its security policies and attracting foreign travelers. The Travel Promotion Act is a 'win-win' for our economic and diplomatic efforts.”

The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 would be funded through “private sector contributions” and $10 “user fees” paid by international visitors. The bill does not rely on American taxpayer dollars and would result in a $400 million Travel Promotion Fund, its sponsors say.

“The Travel Promotion Act will not only boost travel and create jobs in the tourism industry, it will enhance America’s image around the world,” U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt, D-Mass., said in a news release. “Over the past eight years, the United States’ share of the world travel market has decreased by nearly 20 percent, costing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue. We need to reverse that trend and create more jobs here at home.”

Opponents say the legislation could actually hurt tourism because of the increased costs to visit the country.

Who should I call?

A rarity along the highways of America these days!

'Christmas Carol' train rolls into ATL

ATLANTA – Disney’s “A Christmas Carol Train Tour” is rolling into Atlanta tomorrow, stopping at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth.

The train – featuring a 3-D sneak peek of the upcoming movie “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” – is on a 40-city train tour. “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” which stars Jim Carrey and is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, hits theatres Nov. 6 in Disney Digital 3D and in IMAX 3D.

“From Los Angeles to New York, and all points in between, guests are going to have a fabulous time discovering things about the making of this extraordinary film, participating in their own festive fantasies, and getting into the holiday spirit all year round,” Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, said in a news release. “‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’ is great entertainment for moviegoers of all ages, and this is the perfect introduction to a fun and exciting new holiday classic.”

In addition to the “Christmas Carol” train, Georgia Operation Lifesaver will be at the museum with its Mobile Educational Exhibit – which teaches about railroad safety through interactive computerized quizzes, safety videos and an explanation of railroad signs and signals. A locomotive control simulator lets guests see what it’s like to drive a train from the perspective of an engineer.

“We are thrilled and honored to be able to highlight railroad safety in conjunction with this once-in-a-lifetime family event,” Georgia Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator Jennie Glasgow said in a news release. “We are grateful to the SERM members who have been longtime supporters of our public education efforts for this opportunity.”

For more information about Disney’s A Christmas Carol, visit www.christmascaroltraintour.com. For more information about the Southeast Railway Museum, visit www.srmduluth.org. For more information about Georgia Operation Lifesaver, visit http://georgiaol.org.

Meriwether Lewis' life to be honored in Tenn.

Special to The Travel Trolley

On Oct. 7, Meriwether Lewis, the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, will be honored for the first time with a national memorial service.

In commemoration of the bicentennial of Lewis' death and to respect his memory, Hohenwald, Tenn., will pay tribute to Meriwether Lewis with a ceremony worthy of this true American hero.

The commemorative event will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Meriwether Lewis grave and monument at milepost 385.9 on the Natchez Trace Parkway and just off Tennessee Hwy. 20 in Hohenwald. The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, headquartered in Montana, will host the bicentennial commemoration through its Tennessee Meriwether Lewis chapter.

The ceremony will be part of the Foundation's annual meeting.

Descendants of both Lewis and Clark, government officials, tribal chiefs, representatives from Monticello, re-enactors from the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial and people from across the country will assemble at Meriwether Lewis' grave "to mourn the tragedy of his short life and to honor his achievements."

Three Lion Cubs Born at Columbus Zoo

Special to The Travel Trolley

Three African lion cubs were born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Sept. 22.

The first arrived about 1:30 p.m., the second a half-hour later, and the third cub was born about 8:30 p.m. Lion cubs have not been born at the Columbus Zoo since 1985.

These cubs are the first for mother Asali and father Tomo. The pairing of Asali and Tomo was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan (SSP) for African lions. The AZA, of which the Columbus Zoo is an accredited member, strives to maintain a sustainable population of lions in North America.

Currently there are 349 African lions in 98 institutions in North America. Of those 349 animals only 176 are "pedigreed" meaning lions with known ancestry. The Columbus Zoo lions are one of only 31 pairs of pedigreed lions recommended for breeding by the SSP to maintain genetic diversity.

What a fantastic walk

What a fantastic walk. I'm glad I participated!

Finished!

A better picture of Oakland

Oakland

Sherman?

Inman Park

Little Five Points

MLK Birth Home

Ebenezer Baptist Church

Another view from the 2-Day

View from the 2-Day

The Black Crowes - Darling of the Underground Press

From the show I saw last night (I didn't take the video):

Crowes in concert

Greetings From Asheville N.C.

Ready for The Black Crowes!