Concord Monument Square Civil War Monument

Location: Monument Square, Concord, Massachusetts

Features: Granite obelisk

History:  Monument honoring those residents of Concord lost in the American Civil War.  It was dedicated in 1867.

Traveler's Notes: Photographed October 2013.

Resources: http://ctmonuments.net/2010/05/monument-square-concord-mass/

USS Constitution

Location: Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts

Features: USS Constitution is open for self-tours of the deck and guided tours of the lower decks.  USS Constitution museum contains excellent exhibits, demonstrations, model ship building, films, library and gift shop.

History: The USS Constitution or "Old Ironsides" is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat, launched in 1797.  She is most famous for her actions against the British during the War of 1812.  Since that time the ship has been used in a variety of roles including life as a training ship during the American Civil War, as a ship of state and as a museum ship.  After numerous repairs over the past 200 years, the Constitution is now restored to her appearance during the 1812 period in celebration of the war's bicentennial.

Traveler's Notes: Standing on the deck of a 200 year old frigate is as close to the experience of entering a time machine as one can get.  The ship is more than just a piece of history, it is a piece of the past that has to be kept alive by the knowledge of her craftsman and skill of her crew.  This spirit of tradition permeates the Constitution and allows you to experience a different age as it was lived. Without the continued dedication of these preservationists this will all be lost to us.

Resources: http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/index.html, http://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/

Charlestown Navy Yard

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Features: Historic United States Navy shipyard, dry dock, Visitor Center, USS Constitution, USS Cassin Young, USS Constitution Museum

History:  The Charlestown Navy Yard served the US Navy from 1800-1974.  Warships from all of the United States' conflicts were built, maintained and supplied from these docks.  Full tours are available for the USS Constitution, the Navy's oldest heavy frigate, and the USS Cassin Young, World War II era destroyer.  The entire complex offers an array of interpretive displays relating the history of the location and the warships.

Traveler's Notes:  For anyone taken with the romance of the Age of the Fighting Sail, this is one place not to miss.  I greatly underestimated the amount of time a comprehensive visit would take at this amazing National Park.  If you have an interest in the US Navy, particularly the naval aspects of the War of 1812, plan a reasonable amount of time to take it all in.

Resources: http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/cny.htm; http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/ussconstitution.asp;http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/usscassinyoung.htm

Memorial Circle Augusta's Vietnam War Dead Marker

Location: Augusta, Maine

Features: Marker

History: Unknown

Traveler's Notes: Photographed October 2013

Resources: http://www.markeroni.com/catalog

Rebel Raiders of the High Seas

The first game of the new year was a test run of Rebel Raiders of the High Seas with Vance.  A quick and fun little game; a quasi CDG with some simple, if at times quirky, mechanics.  Most of our action took place with the blockade on the high seas.  We didn't see as much movement on the rivers, mostly due to some fumbling with the rules on our part.  Now that we have some of the bumps worked out I would like to try it again.