Saturday, November 12, 2005

A Day Trip Into History

"First, first you must travel a long and difficult road. A road fraught with peril. You shall see things, wonderful to tell...I cannot tell you how long this road shall be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for Fate has vouch safed your reward, though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall you follow the road, even unto your salvation." -- From "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Last weekend, I took a short trip out and about and I took some photos of the sights in and around the general area of the town in which I live. I started just about 5 doors down from my front door.
This is a sign on the street that points down a walkway to a small niche where you can see the clear spring this town is named for. I have heard that some company bottles the water for drinking purposes but I've never seen it sold anywhere. (click to enlarge)

This is the walkway and the niche:
The sign on the wall reads, "Water unsafe for drinking"

After that, I drove about 8 miles down the road, to Williamsport, Maryland. I saw a flag on top of a hill so I investigated and took photos. This is what I found when I got to the top. It is in an old cemetery.General Abner Doubleday, best known as the inventor of Baseball, once occupied this spot. Next to this marker were three cannon, overlooking the Potomac river.

Here are more pics from River View Cemetery:The inscription on this memorial reads, "Dedicated to the memory of Gen, Otho Holland Williams--Founder of Williamsport in 1787--Died in 1794--Aged 45 years--Beloved, Honored, and Deplored". His tomb is right next to the obelisk.

After the cemetery, I wandered over to River Bottom Park, near where the C&O (Chesapeake & Ohio) Canal ran. I thought this was funny:Here is a shot of the aqueduct, which carried the canal over and across the Conococheaque Creek: It carried water over water until part of it collapsed one day and dumped a canal boat into the creek. There were no injuries, but they never rebuilt the wall that collapsed. Originally, there was a wall holding the water in but it isn't there anymore so now it's just a bridge.

As I left, I took a few more Photos of some nice scenery:If you look real close you can see a canoeist.

On my way home, I took a detour to the top of Fairview Mountain, and took this shot from the summit, a rather panoramic view of the Appalachians:

I then headed home into Blair's valley, where Clear Spring is situated, and supposed home of the infamous "Blair Witch" of cinematic fame. :Sunset in the "Valley of the Witch"

This last photo is flawed. My son, who is taking a class in Photography in high school, tells me it is because the chemicals weren't mixed properly but it looks like fingerprints to me.

I hope you enjoyed the pics. Have a good weekend.

10 comments:

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Those were good pictures, Mark.

Interesting how the general's tomb is fenced in. It's not like a vandal couldn't just climb over that fence.

The detour signs were funny.

rich bachelor said...

Really good shots. You live in a beautiful and surreal part of the country: "beloved" and "deplored" in the same sentence? The detours to nowhere? The clear spring that is unsafe to drink?
Anyway, really good shots, as I say.

Dana said...

The pictures are beautiful. I especially like the "Detour" picture.

Anonymous said...

I'm so envious of the beautiful and historical place you live!

I, too, thought the detour signs were hysterical. Kind of how life is sometimes, though! :)

Mark said...

Ok. I have a confession to make. Those detour signs were all together like that because that's where the city apparently keeps them, I suppose, in case they need them for any reason. They are portatble. There was no actual detour.

tugboatcapn said...

Mark, those pictures are gorgeous!

Did you take them with another Cheapie Throwaway camera from Mal-Wart?

I think you have discovered a real talent. You should pursue this.

In my travels, I have seen actual detours that were just that ridiculous. That is a really funny picture.

I might file it away on my hard drive in case I ever need it for anything. Is that okay with you? (If I ever use it, I will give you credit for it.

Pamela Reece said...

Great job on the pix!! You've inspired me to some day get out and take some shots of my own quaint town in all its glory.

Thanks for sharing your neck of the woods!

Mark said...

Yes that is a cheap disposable camera from Walmart but with higher speed film than the other one.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter that the city stores the signs there, it still makes a funny pic! :)

Erudite Redneck said...

Nice pics, dude.

--ER