three on thursday...historical spots I want to return to soon

So, not a real inventive topic, but, with our California vacation coming up, I thought I'd share a few places I want to return to in the near future. These are historical sites--historical meaning they are on the National Register of Historic Places--that I've been to in the past and that I've been longing to spend more time at in the future. Here goes:

1. Gettysburg, PA
I've been here twice, once as a kid and another just a few summers ago. As a kid, I had neither the patience nor the interest to fully enjoy the incredible sense of history oozing from every pore of this place--but I still remember being entertained. As an adult, I enjoyed it so much Becki and I went back a second time during the few days we were staying with my sister in Washington, DC. If you're planning on going, make absolutely sure to take the auto-tour (for sale at the visitor center). This is simply a CD you pop into your car's stereo system and follow the directions. Easy stuff--but chock full of information. And I can't recommend enough to get off of the "beaten path" and away from the crowds. The second day there we did this and ended up meeting a "re creative actor" who shared what it must have been like for soldiers who were there. It was really moving stuff. Next time through, I'd love to actually stay in town (there are, as you might imagine, quite a few old Bed and Breakfasts) and really dig into the history of the place...

2. Bodie, CA
This is actually what sparked my idea for this post ('cause we're heading that direction in a few weeks). You can check out everything you need to know about this 19th century ghost town at the site here. It's literally out in the middle of nowhere--the last 10 miles or so in are on a gravel road across winding hills--and is an incredible picture of western life in the 1800s. Although most of the buildings are gone, a good few still remain and paint a picture of life from that era. We spent several hours a couple of summers ago wandering through what's left of the town and had a blast. I'd love to go back and spend more time with the park rangers (several of whom live on site year-round), asking questions not only about life back then in Bodie, but also what it's like for them now. I really get into that stuff...

3. Mesa Verde, CO
Honestly, I don't remember a lot from this National Park, as I was probably 7 or so the first time round, but it definitely made an impression on me even then. So you know it would be completely worth the effort to check out now. There are literally thousands of archaeological sites, the most spectacular of which are the ancient cliff dwellings which the Pueblo people used as their homes. I do remember climbing down ladders into these places, and thinking how cool it was to actually be standing in a place that had been built by human hands thousands of years ago. Check out the site for more information...