Dolos, Crescent City California

Dolos, Crescent City California
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Dolos in Crescent City line the huge concrete breakwater and guard the Crescent City harbor from the catastrophe of a Tsunami or major storm. The Dolos weight up to 40 tons each, and are designed to maximize the dispersion of wave energy.

When you visit Crescent City California don't miss the County Museum which has some great Maritime artifacts from this California coastal city, and of course you'll want to take in Redwood National Park, one of the few World Heritage Sites in North America. Redwood trails and parkland in the State Parks and National parks extend along the California Coast for over 100 miles in Northern California.

Crescent City Lighthouse, California

Crescent City Lighthouse, California
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Crescent City California is one of the few American Cities to have experienced a Tsunami/Tidal Wave. 1964 brought a major sea surge to Crescent City which inundated the downtown area and killed four people.

The huge cement breakwater from which this picture was taken was built after 1964 in an effort to make subsequent destruction unlikely. It also offers great views of the lighthouse, huge waves, and giant cement dolos which help disperse the energy of the mighty pacific waves.

For more about this area see our Northern California travel pages.

Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Betsy Ross House, Philly
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Betsy Ross was a Quaker revolutionary who was commissioned by George Washington to create and produce a new flag for the US war of independence - an American Flag.

Ross' house still stands in downtown Philadelphia. During summer months actors perform and interact with tourists throughout the downtown area. Active walkers can take in the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross House, Ben Franklin Square, and many more amazing sights from American's Revolutionary past.

Tip: Go early to the National History Center to get tickets for Liberty Bell and Independence Hall tours, and then build your day around them.

History of California

The history of California stands in great contrast to the history of the USA's Eastern lands. There was some Spanish Mission activity dating back for several hundred years, but Native Americans representing hundreds of different tribes and several language groups dominated the California scene until about 1849 when the Gold Rush to California's Gold Country near Sacramento changed California's future quickly and dramatically.

Few California miners ever struck it rich or even stayed in the West, but the huge influx of miners along with businesses to serve the mining communities turned forts into towns and towns into larger cities. Soon, California was a key destination for American's westward migration.


California History

California's Gold Country

California Travel

The California Kids Guide has some good California history links.

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

The USS Arizona Memorial rests dramatically above the wreckage of the sunken battleship at Pearl Harbor. Inside is a memorial to the sailors lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7th, 1944 which began the US War with Japan. Germany declared war on the USA four days later.

The only access to the USS Arizona Memorial is by boat. Free tickets are available at the Pearl Harbor Museum which generally have you returning later in the day for the boat trip. Consider going early in the day to pick up your tickets and if there is a long wait for your boat you can take a shuttle to visit the USS Missouri which offers an excellent tour of the ship on which the US accepted the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. As of December 2007 admission to the USS Missouri is $16 and a guided tour is an extra $7. The USS Missouri is well worth the price and the money goes to preserve the ship and provide interpretive services. You may want to eat lunch in the working galley.

Travel and History

Here at Online Highways / US History our mission is to bring travel and history information together. Our US History editors have assembled one of the best online resources for U.S. History anywhere. Our travel information is strongest for the Pacific Northwest but we feature city by city information for all of the USA, several countries in Europe, and even Uzbekistan, thanks to the contributions of our friend Marat who publishes that region's top travel magazine.

Travel and History are a natural combination, and for most cities the history of the community features prominently in their appeal. Here in the Pacific Northwest we enjoy the historical and cultural benefits of the rich and colorful Native American experience in the region as well as the powerfully American traditions of early miners, loggers, and seafarers.

There are stories of heroism, tragedy, hardship, and triumph, and we hope to share some of those with you in the coming months. Also, we'd love to hear from you with any historical notes of interest to tourists and travelers. Post them in the comments or email me personally at this address: jhunkins@gmail.com

Happy travels, and Happy history!

Virginia Frontier Fort circa 1755

Virginia Frontier Fort circa 1755
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

The Hupp Homestead, near Harrisonburg Virginia, was built about 1755. Stone houses like this have held up pretty well in the Shenandoah Valley over some 250 years of use during both the Revolutionary War and the US Civil War.

For more US History visit our main site U-S-History.com