Virginia is for Friends and History Lovers

Linda Crews, Mary Elese Pugh and I celebrated our 70th birthdays early last weekend.

Linda and Bill are both turning 70 this year.  They have been sweethearts since elementary school. 

While visiting them we toured Fort Monroe  where Bill worked for 34 years.  My camera battery was low so Linda became my photographer.  She took some wonderful pictures inside the Casemate Museum at the Fort but alas I cannot seem to be able to upload them here.  This image is from their website. Go here for more info: www.nps.gov/fomr 
This fort is the only one in the USA with a real moat around it.  Known as the Gibraltar of the Chesapeake, Fort Monroe is the largest stone fortification built in the US with walls stretching 1.3 miles and enclosing 63 acres of land.

Jefferson Davis was held prisoner here after he was captured during the Civil War.  Edgar Allen Poe served here, resigned from the Army and then entered West Point where he was ultimately dismissed. 

Lincoln stayed here for a short period during the Civil War as he met with his Generals to plan battle strategies.  The fort was named for President James Monroe and construction began in 1819.  It is positioned at the entry to the Hampton Roads waterways to protect the Tidewater area from an enemy naval attack.

This large and lovely Fort was decommissioned last year and is now owned by the city of Hampton, Virginia.  They are selling the officers homes, which are truly large and lovely.  The Fort was much like a self contained city prior to this.  It had its own YMCA, hospital, elementary school.

Have you ever visited Fort Monroe or do you know anyone who was stationed there?