What's near you?

[JBoisson]

About a half mile due east from my front door was land once occupied by Tanforan Race Track which was kind of cool when they mentioned it in the movie "Seabuscuit." In fact the shopping mall that now occupies the site sports a huge bronze statue of the famous horse. Down one of the corridors of the "S--- Alley" (my name for it) Food Court, there is an eensy-teensy tiny little plaque that you'd miss if you blinked that informs those interested that, yes, upon this site during the Second World War, Japanese-Americans were interned. For naval aviation buffs, the first airplane (American anyway) to land on a deck constructed on a ship expressly for that purpose took off from Tanforan Race Track! Other than that, nothing much of note ever happened here save for a spectacular earthquake or two a few miles to the north. Gold Rush country a couple hours away and oh yeah, all them goddamned Missions, that we had to reconstruct out of sugar-cubes with lasagna shell roofs for California history projects as school kids. Oh and, (duh) I live across the street from Golden Gate National Cemetery wherein lay the earthly remains of Admiral Chester Nimitz amongst some tens of thousands of those whose last sight of America was the bridge of the same name.
John

yo, Bluesking, "Carrickfergus," Great Song!

 

[Le Lancier]

I live only 20 minutes away from the Plains of Abraham. The plains are a battlefield where the ultimate battle between the French and British forces took place, prior to the fall of New France to the British Empire in 1759. See here:http://rtsq.grics.qc.ca/quebec/dc011.htm.

Not far away is Old Québec. Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, it is the only fortified city still in existence in North America where people still live and work.

On Cap Diamant, sits the citadel, see here:http://www.answers.com/topic/citadel-of-quebec. The Citadel is where took place the Quebec conference in 1943-44. There, Franklin D Roosevelt, William Lyon Mackenzie King and Winston Churchill discussed strategies for WWII.

10 minutes from where I live is a complete recreated Huron village with long house and all.See here:http://www.telegraphe.com/photograf/wendake/indexen.html.

PS.ALthough it may seem that way, I'm not trying to pull a puplicity stunt here,...no, really . But hey, in 2008, Quebec will be celebrating its 400th anniversary so you can imagine that the festivities will be quite a sight to see. (yeah, yeah, I know, 400 years ain't a lot compared to European History, but it's quite a bit here in North AMerica.

So there, I gave my two cents :lol:
Francis

 

[amherbert]

Salut Francis

I cross-country skied the Plains of Abraham. It's an odd thing to do in historical context...

And Québec city is a GREAT place to visit in the summer or winter!!

Andy

 

[Johnsonva]

I live 13 miles west of Richmond with dozens of Civil War sites within minutes of home. Some are major while many are obscure. I work at a privite historical park in Petersburg where the Federal forces finally broke through the Confederate works on April 2, 1865. I guess I'm lucky to be able to wander through one of the finest Civil War museums in the country any time I like.

Loren Johnson
Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier

 

[AFSOC]

Someone said about building motorways thru battlefields? What about in the US when they wanted to build some sort of amusement park on Antietam?

 

[garyjd]

Originally posted by AFSOC@Apr 6 2005, 09:27 PM
Someone said about building motorways thru battlefields? What about in the US when they wanted to build some sort of amusement park on Antietam?

Jeff, If I remember correctly Disney wanted to build an American history theme park near the 1st Bull Run battlefield at one time.~Gary

 

[garyjd]

Originally posted by Johnsonva@Apr 6 2005, 06:11 PM
I work at a privite historical park in Petersburg where the Federal forces finally broke through the Confederate works on April 2, 1865. I guess I'm lucky to be able to wander through one of the finest Civil War museums in the country any time I like.

Loren Johnson
Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier

One word, lucky. It's one of many CW sites on my "must see" list.~Gary

 

[Le Lancier]

Hi Andy,

amherbert Posted on Apr 6 2005, 03:54 PM
I cross-country skied the Plains of Abraham. It's an odd thing to do in historical context...

That's right, you can cross country ski on the plains. :lol: There's a plan for next winter. Funny that I live here and it never even crossed my mind to ski on the plains. AH well...thx for the info Andy :lol:

Francis

 

[Mike McGregor]

Andy, you mentioned London's habit of paving over sites... I don't know the last time you were here, but recently an IMAX theater was built over a Pioneer Cemetery (actually i think that most of the fair grounds was built over it), and the Talbot Block (what was left of it) was demolished to make way for an arena. Don't even get me started on the city's love of bulldozing forests...
oh, and the Native village is that of a Netural Tribe. As the tribes name implies, they tried to stay out of most conflicts between the Iroquios and the Hurons. so its not so much 'military history' per say...

Francis, I had a chance to stay in the Citadel when I was in Quebec for a post-FTAA appointment (let's just say I really don't like to run...) I spent some time on the Plains during the FTAA.

Mike

 

[Javi Mendez]

Hi.

I live by 'Waterloo' Station in London, but I think this doesnt count as a battlefield, although I have to fight every morning to get the train. :lol:

Im from a village in Spain very near from Talavera, where there was a battle between the Anglo-Spanish and French armies. There is not too much about it. The church where the Spanish army had the batteries and a monument remembering the battle in the place of a communal grave they found while building a road.

Javi

 

[Bluesking]

Further to my last , I was reminded tonight to state Carrickfergus Castle was attacked by John Paul Jones - the only place in Ireland attacked by the USA in the War of Independence ! That's before he joined Led Zepplin of course.

Yep - been on the beer again !!!!!

 

[AFSOC]

Javi:

"Im from a village in Spain very near from Talavera, where there was a battle between the Anglo-Spanish and French armies. There is not too much about it. The church where the Spanish army had the batteries and a monument remembering the battle in the place of a communal grave they found while building a road."

Not much about it? Damn, Richard Sharpe was there! There should be something about that!!

Seriously, if not for the Sharpe series, I don't think I'd know that much about the campaign in that area by Wellington.

And Bluesking: Boy, John Paul Jones sure did have a varied career, didn't he? Ships captain, guitar player.....

 

[amherbert]

...and remarkably long-lived despite the crazy lifestyle and threat of cannonballs...

I gather he does soundtrack work now.

 

[Wasshead]

I Live within walking distance of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. A graphic artist by profession, I was honored to be commissioned to produce the map set for the National Park Service book on this subject.

 

[Automata]

John Paul Jones sure did have a varied career, didn't he? Ships captain, guitar player

Actually, he played bass.

Not much around here that's interesting historically to most people. There is a picturesque civil war era camp that was an active post up until a couple of years ago, when the university took it over. It was built to keep an eye on the newly arrived settlers who had some bad feelings towards the rest of the country. It has a nice little museum which is where our local IPMS club meets.

Barry

 

[Evan August]

Originally posted by garyjd@Apr 6 2005, 10:07 PM
Jeff, If I remember correctly Disney wanted to build an American history theme park near the 1st Bull Run battlefield at one time.~Gary

What a horrible thought. Thank god it didn't happen.

 

[Tomas]

Hi all,
My fathers house was built in the Jarama Valley,a tragic name during the Spanish
Civil War,specially for US Volunteers of the Lincon Brigade.God save their souls.

Tomas