Sunnyside - Home of author Washington Irving
Nestled along the Hudson River and was quite peaceful until the state of New York ran a train track through his front yard right along the riverbank! Is no one safe from progress?!? No photos were allowed inside, but it was
very lovely and well preservered with lots of Irving family momento
It dawned on me yesterday as I was sorting through some photos shot this summer that I never completed my postings on my June East Coast adventures. I went on and on about New York City but never about Boston. Hoping to correct that oversight, I thought about my post and then I learned yesterday that the Boston area has only had 3 sunny days since Memorial Weekend. Well, Gretchen and I caught 2 of them. The sunshine was gorgeous while we were there. So here is my adventure part TWO!
On our way out of NYC (June 5) we threaded a path through the Hudson River Valley and stopped in the tiny town of Tarrytown, home of author Washington Irving. Now most think of him only as the guy who wrote the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip vanWinkle", myself included. We learned that he was a diplomat, a man who compiled the first detailed life account of Abraham Lincoln, and that he remained a bachelor all his life while supporting his mildly impoverished relatives. We visited his estate along the Hudson River called "Sunnyside" and it was quite the place. We had a private tour and it was delightful. Just about everything in the house is original to the family and I highly recommend any literary buffs to see it!
The next day, June 6th, found us zipping up into Massachusetts in our rental car. We asked the Tomtom to plot us a scenic route as we were in no huge rush and also decided to avoid toll roads. We decided to loop a path that would take us through the historic city of Concord, home of many famous authors and birthplace of the American Revolution.
What a unique city, or rather still a town. We roamed streets once the paths of the ilk of Emerson, Alcott, Hawthorne, and Thoreau and imagined ourselves seeing them around just about every turn. Our luncheon spot was the historic Concord Inn, a dining spot on a crossroads that's been in continuous operation since 1715. (That's about as a far back and old as you can find things in America!)The lobster rolls there are delicious and hit the spot!We visited the historic Old North Bridge where the "shots heard round the world" were fired by the Minutemen and we found the homes and burials sites of all the aforementioned authors.
The Colonial Inn... serving travelers continuously since 1715!
Me relaxing on the idyllic Old North Bridge... it's quite scenic and peaceful - very unlike it was the night Paul Revere made his famous ride! I was surprised how secluded the spot was for such an historic moment!
Here's the bridge in its entirety, the statue in the distance is of a Minuteman. Here is where the opening shots of what would become the American Revolution were fired.
Okay, this is NOT a famous rock wall, but instead more of a typical New England rock wall. I envision myself using it from here on out every time I teach Frost's poem "Mending Wall" to my students. You know it... "something there is that doesn't love a wall".... and "good fences make good neighbors..".
Orchard House, home of the Alcotts... Louisa May and her sisters! I got to walk all the way round it. It looks like one of the "Little Women" could pop out the green front door at any moment! And their nearby neighbors, the Hawthornes would have them in for tea... I just know it!
Louisa and all her family are buried in Sleepy Hollow cemetery... not the Irving version, the Concord version. Story has it that these authors had a spot in the cemetery grounds where they would meet to talk and discuss ideas and that later, they arranged for all of them to be buried in the spot. Within 10 yards of each other you have the Alcotts, the Emersons, the Thoreaus, and some of the Hawthornes! Amazing to think of them all here in the "hotbed town" for literary greatness! Louisa's stone struck me for its total simplicity, not a tall marker or elaborate carved sculpture, just a white stone in the ground near to her mom and dad and sisters.
Here's Henry David Thoreau's final spot in his family group area. Just his first name on his stone, the family marker is adjacent to it. People leave him tokens here... and I found the Obama button to be a delight. I think Henry would approve of it right along with the karma beads, the pens, and the pine cones!
It was a wonderful day full of literature and history. The crowning point for me was our final spot... Walden Pond. Long a fan of Henry David Thoreau, I just had to see it. Believe it or not, there's a public swimming beach there now and on this sunny day in Massachusetts it was being well used!
This is a replica of Thoreau's Walden Pond cottage. It's built to the exact specifications set out in his book but not quite on the exact location of the original. It's smaller than a one car garage but quite cozy. The bronze of him nearby sets you to wondering how better off we'd all be if we had a cottage to run away to and the luxury of jobs that would enable you to do it!
And at last, Walden Pond, it was much larger than I expected. Really, in Missouri, it would be Walden LAKE! Very pretty and tranquil for the most part... if you count out the public bathing beach immediately to the side of where I was standing as I shot this. I will leave out a shot of that, it's more inspiring with out the tourists in the shot!
Tomorrow's post: Boston!
Ash is all business while working in the water area!
The whole Harrmann gang interacts with an exhibit
Rhylah is absolutely entranced by the fish...she'd have stayed right here all morning if we'd let her.
Ash tried out his car repair skills.....
... and his cobbler skills! I think he has potential in all three!
The boys climb off the 3 story tall beanstalk, high five their mom, and head for lunch!
