Sayler's Creek Battlefield

We left Richmond and began to follow Lee's retreat to Appomattox.  The first stop on our adventure was Sayler's Creek Battlefield.

We headed to the visitor/interpreter center at the battlefield and learned more about the conflict that took place on April 6, 1865.

Little Man insisted on using his spending money for a Johnny Reb hat and a musket.  He was ready to re-enact the battle!

We drove along the battlefield and stopped to listen to the story at various overlooks.  We tuned our radio to the station on the signs for the interpretive drive.  Of course, we got out of the car and allowed Little Man to 'join' in the battle.  He had a blast.

The kids enjoyed seeing this piece of history.

American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia

I wanted the children to see real artifacts from the American Civil War that we had studied.  The American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia next door to the Confederate White House was the perfect combination.

We browsed the museum and they pointed out things they recognized from our studies.  Little Man loved looking at the swords, guns, and other military items.  Egee was busy taking it all in.  My mom was enthralled with every aspect.

I love being able to take the kids to see what we have studied.  The connections they make to historical events is worth it. 

(This trip was in the summer of 2013.)

The Confederate White House - Richmond, Virginia

Our first stop on our trip of Lee's Retreat, we found ourselves at the Confederate White House in Richmond, Virginia.  The kids were excited to get to see the actual place we had been studying in our Civil War unit.

Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and told us many stories about the house and its occupants.  The children especially liked the stories of the Davis' children.

What a marvelous way to start our adventure of Lee's Retreat!

(We took this trip the Summer of 2013)
 

Henricus - The Second Successful Settlement in the New World

We had not planned to visit Henricus.  We actually just discovered it on our way to Richmond.  I am pleased that we decided to take a detour to this treasure!

Henricus was the second successful settlement in the New World, after Jamestown.  In fact, Henricus was a much better settlement than Jamestown.  It sat high upon bluffs that overlooked the river and wasn't swampy like Jamestown.  Settlers set out around the city and began to farm land.

There were not many visitors when we arrived.  We had the individual attention of each reenact-or.
 

The children learned about the importance of maintaining weapons.  They were shown how to load a musket and fire it.  Of course, Little Man loved this!

The blacksmith told us what his role comprised in the settlement.  We learned about the difficulty and time consuming work of making nails.  Nails were a very precious commodity.  Most buildings were built without using nails.  If a structure was built using nails and the family decided to move, the structure was typically burned and the nails gathered to use again.

We traveled to Rocke Hall, the home of Reverend Alexander Williamson.  Here we learned about Pocahontas.  Henricus was where Pocahontas was taken and where she learned the ways of the English and the Christian religion.  The Reverend was influential on Pocahontas' learning and conversion to Christianity.  Here she met John Rolfe, a friend of the Reverend, and later married him.

Next, we ventured into the Mount Malady, the first hospital in the New World.  We learned about the medical treatments of the 1600s.  Thank goodness medical advancements have been made!  Mount Malady was used as a guest house and a recovery house for new arrivals to the settlement.  Travelers typically arrived exhausted and weak from their journey across the ocean and needed time to recover from the grueling trip.

We learned about the Proctor Plantation and the farming techniques used.  The chief crop was tobacco to be sent back to England.  We also learned about the Indian attack on Alice Proctor and her servants at the house.

We made our way to several other buildings and then to the Native American village.  Long-houses were nicely recreated and decorated.  We saw a canoe making area and learned the process Native Americans used to build canoes.

The trip to Henricus allowed us to witness what we had been studying in our history books.  It was well worth the detour on our trip to Richmond.

(We took this trip the summer of 2012. That is why the kids look so little!)

Skidaway Island and The University of Georgia's Marine Education Center and Aquarium

When we were in Savannah, Georgia we visited The University of Georgia's Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island.  It was well worth the drive!

The scenery was beautiful with the large living oaks and Spanish moss hanging from their branches.  The coastal pine trees were tall and gallant as we drove down the road to the center.  It was a bit confusing to locate the correct building to enter the aquarium, but we found it!

Inside there were tanks filled with marine life.  Little Man darted here and there looking at the different fish and invertebrates.

We went outside and walked the nature trail.  It was nicely kept and the landscaping was picture perfect.  The view of the waterway was very relaxing.

We made our way to the pier and looked for alligators, turtles, and fish.  We spotted a racoon at the water's edge washing his dinner of crab.  This of course delighted all the children on the pier.

As we finished the walk on the nature trail, we found a few old cabins that provided the history of the area.

If we are ever back in the area, we will visit again.