More Ideas for Labor Day Events and Activities! (Part 2)

Holy moon pie! Here at Gozaic, we haven’t run out of ways to send summer packing in memorable style (Part 1). A variety of events and festivals can be found around the country, and some of our favorites are listed here. But really, can it get any better than a moon pie eating contest?!

19th Annual Labor Day Celebration and Moon Pie Eatin’ Contest
Birmingham, Alabama, Sept. 6, 2010
On Labor Day, participate in Alabama’s largest moon pie eating contest and compete for prize money at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Across the park, the United Mine Workers hold their annual Birmingham District Labor Day celebration. There’s plenty of good barbecue and some “singing and picking!”

Threshermen’s Reunion & Parade
Pontiac, Illinois, Sept. 2-5, 2010
Step back in time at the Central States Threshermen's Reunion in Pontiac, Illinois, held annually over Labor Day weekend. Come see and experience traditional events, including rock crushing, threshing, sheep shearing, tractor pulls and a variety of country music shows. To wrap up the Threshermen's Reunion, there is a parade downtown featuring all the historic tractors and steam engines, on Sunday, Sept. 5.

BBQ Train
Ely, Nevada, Sept. 4, 2010
Hop aboard the BBQ Train, one of the Nevada Northern Railway’s last four Summer Specialty Trains. Depart the East Ely Depot on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. and enjoy a Dutch oven-style barbecue dinner aboard the train. Dining aboard a historic train on a summer night is an enchanting experience you won’t want to miss!

2nd Annual Taos Mountain Music Festival
Taos, New Mexico, Sept. 5, 2010
Make the most of your Labor Day holiday and support the 2nd Annual Taos Mountain Music Festival on Sunday. Hear world-renowned recording artists and enjoy a fun-filled weekend, including festivities, great food, children’s games, and arts and crafts on Strawberry Hill. The festival features a wide spectrum of music, from blues and hip-hop to country and Latin grooves.

Harvest Festival & Alpaca Festival
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel Woods, New York, Sept. 5, 2010
Celebrate the bounty, talent and beauty of Sullivan County and surrounding areas at the 12th annual Harvest Festival at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Over the years, the event has grown from a small farmers market to a full festival featuring close to 100 vendors, along with craft village and festival food areas. Each week a different theme is complemented by special events and live performances, a children's area with enrichment activities that include arts and crafts, as well as corn and hay mazes, pony rides, "gathering of the scarecrows" and more. The Alpaca Festival is on Sept. 5.

Kerrville Wine & Music Festival
Kerrville, Texas, Sept. 3-5, 2010
Each year over Labor Day weekend, wine lovers and music enthusiasts gather at the Quiet Valley Ranch (nine miles south of Kerrville on Texas Highway 16) to celebrate the art of songwriting and winemaking at the Kerrville Wine & Music Festival. This Texas Hill Country setting is perfect for introducing the newest and best Texas wines. The festival includes performances by dozens of the world’s best songwriters.

Garlic & Herb Festival
Bennington, Vermont, Sept. 4-5, 2010
Join garlic lovers from throughout New England, as they come to sample food and crafts from 50 different vendors, all made from -- you guessed it -- garlic and herbs! Demonstrations include weed walks, planting and braiding of garlic and much more. Live entertainment and great food all day long.

Photos top to bottom:
Threshermen's Reunion. Photo courtesy of Pontiac P.R.O.U.D.
Pumpkins at the Bethel Woods Harvest Fair. Photo courtesy of Jane Axamethy.
Garlic and Herb Festival, Bennington, Vermont. Photo courtesy of town of Bennington.

Summer’s Last Gasp – Labor Day Events at Gozaic (Part 1)

If you think summer has passed you by, don’t despair! It’s not too late to get out and enjoy one last weekend worth remembering. From the excitement of buffalo wing eating to the relaxation of a jazz festival, Labor Day weekend is full of opportunities for fun. Check out these events at participating Gozaic partners. If you go, be sure to return to Gozaic and share your review and photos.

Colorado Balloon Classic
Colorado Springs, Colorado, Sept. 4-6, 2010
See nearly 100 colorful hot air balloons ascend into the blue sky at the Colorado Balloon Classic with Pikes Peak as a backdrop. Highlights include the dramatic Balloon Glo, food, merchandise, children's play area, "Balloon Mail" and a children's reading program.

Labor Day Jazz Festival
Wilmington, Delaware, Sept. 4-7, 2010
Celebrate this Labor Day weekend with cool wines and hot jazz at the Chaddsford Winery Jazz Festival. Pack a picnic or purchase gourmet delights from on-site vendors, then sample Chaddsford’s award-winning wines while you listen to two live jazz bands perform each day, Saturday through Monday.

Cane River Zydeco Festival & Poker Run
Natchitoches, Louisiana, Sept. 3-4, 2010
The Magnolia State Peace Officers Association will host the 11th annual Cane River Zydeco Festival in downtown Natchitoches. Festivities on Friday include a Zydeco Dance Contest and entertainment by D.J. “L.A.” Jones. Events on Saturday begin with a Poker Run through Natchitoches Parish, followed by evening entertainment by D.C. & The Zydeco Country Boyz and Leon Chavis & Zydeco Flames.

Elko County Fair & Horse Races
Elko, Nevada, Sept. 3-6, 2010
The Elko County Fair & Horse Races are held every year at the Elko County Fairgrounds, just minutes from downtown Elko, Nevada. Bet on the thoroughbred and quarter horse races or enjoy the fun of an old-time country fair, including traditional 4-H home arts, stock horse competitions, bull riding and hot iron branding competitions.

National Buffalo Wing Festival
Buffalo, New York, Sept. 4-5, 2010
Forty tons of chicken wings! That’s how many the National Buffalo Wing Festival went through last year! Make a pilgrimage to the Home of the Wing on Labor Day Weekend to sample wings from across the country and witness the United States Chicken Wing Eating Championship.

41st Rugby Village Pilgrimage
Historic Rugby, Tennessee, Sept. 4, 2010
One of the largest historic building tours in East Tennessee, the Rugby Village Pilgrimage encompasses more than 20 historic properties, including museums, lodgings and private historic and new period homes. Period demonstrations held throughout the day.

Traditional Craft Saturday -- Pottery with Ara Cardew
Billings Farm, Woodstock, Vermont, Sept. 4, 2010
Billings Farm & Museum, gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage, will feature Traditional Craft Saturdays each Saturday in September. Visitors are invited to explore a series of Vermont crafts – their history, process and uses, through informal learning and discovery. On Sept. 4, it’s Pottery with Ara Cardew, a third-generation potter, who will demonstrate pottery making using hand techniques and a potter’s wheel. Visitors are invited to try their hand at the wheel.

Blues, Bluegrass and Barbecue
Lexington, Virginia, Sept. 4, 2010
The Labor Day concert tradition returns, with a fun evening featuring barbecue and bluegrass music performed by Walker’s Run and Borden Grant. Located in the ruins of a 19th- century lime kiln and quarry, this Lexington theater creates a magical setting for outdoor events.

Look for more Labor Day events and activities tomorrow in Part 2 of this series.

Photos top to bottom:
Colorado Springs Colorado Balloon Classic. Photo courtesy of Colorado Springs CVB.

Labor Day Jazz Festival at the Chaddsford Winery. Photo courtesy of Greater Wilmington CVB.

Cane River Zydeco Festival & Poker Run. Photo courtesy of Natchitoches Area CVB.

Although many things have changed since the 1920s, one thing remains a constant – the hoof pounding excitement of the ponies racing down the stretch at the Elko County Fair & Horse Races. Photo courtesy of Elko CVA.

National Buffalo Wing Festival, Buffalo, New York. Photo courtesy of KC Kratt.

Gibbs residence. Photo courtesy of Historic Rugby.

Ara Cardew demonstrates pottery making at Billings Farm & Museum and lets visitors try their hand at the potter’s wheel during Traditional Craft Saturday. Photo courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum.

Walker’s Run performs at the Theater at Lime Kiln, Lexington Virginia. Photo courtesy of the Lexington and Rockbridge CVA.

Photo of the Week: Port Townsend, Washington

If you haven’t been here in person, you may have visited in your dreams. Nestled on the northeast corner of Washington’s gorgeous Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is a vision of natural beauty, causing its earliest promoters to call this the “City of Dreams.” Today, artists, historians and lovers of marine life are drawn here – to one of the finest examples of a Victorian seaport in the United States.

Founded six months before Seattle in 1851, as an outpost to guard the entrance to the sound, this bustling seaport saw 1,000 ships pass through its harbor each year by the late 1800s. Prosperity stimulated the construction of lovely Victorian commercial buildings and homes, and many of them can be seen today. Forty-two properties are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and the Uptown and Downtown Districts are designated as National Landmark Historic Districts.

This Victorian Seaport is a walkable, bikeable, hikeable, kayakable town where you can watch eagles, whales and sea otters; take historic walking tours; and visit Fort Worden State Park, with its working lighthouse, pristine wetlands and miles of sandy beaches. Imaginative year-round special events offer world-renowned music, film and literary festivals, a kinetic sculpture race and, every September, the largest wooden boat festival in the U.S. Whether you choose to sail or sketch, cycle or shop, you’ll find the Victorian Age echoing throughout this town’s many lovely buildings and reflecting off the Olympic Mountains and the Port Townsend Bay.

Have you visited Port Townsend? If so, share your reviews and photos on Gozaic.

Photo: Point Wilson Lighthouse painter, courtesy of Centrum.

Gozaic of the Week: Prescott, Arizona

Whiskey Row’s historic buildings. The world’s largest stand of ponderosa pines. One of America’s top Western art towns. And the world’s oldest rodeo. You’ll find all of these in Prescott, nestled in the mountains of Northern Arizona, at the heart of history, tradition, natural and creative beauty.

A Picturesque Link to the Past
Founded as the territorial capital in 1864, by the turn of the century the young mining and ranching town of Prescott was bolstered by its access to the railroad and was booming. Town residents built lovely new homes that reflected Victorian-era architecture styles. On July 14, 1900, when a disastrous fire leveled almost five downtown blocks of commercial buildings, citizens vowed to replace the old wooden structures with concrete, brick and stone buildings.

Today, more than 800 of these classic commercial and lovely Victorian residential properties are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Courthouse Plaza, the site of many outdoor events and festivals, is one of the American Planning Association’s 10 Great Public Spaces. And the town is an official Preserve America Community. The area’s Native American history is evident at the Hopi pueblo and the Smoki Museum, where you’ll see one of the top collections of Native American baskets.

Art and Adventure
The Prescott area’s striking granite boulders and red rock formations, calm blue waters of Lake Watson, dense woods of Prescott National Forest and a mild year-round climate inspire both artists and athletes. Whether you prefer biking, hiking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, golfing or birdwatching, Prescott offers parks, lakes and more than 450 miles of trails. The town is also the starting point for the Grand Canyon Scenic Circle Byway Tour.

Although you missed the days when Whiskey Row was home to 26 saloons, you’re sure to enjoy wandering through the historic buildings’ art galleries, bookstores, museums and restaurants, including The Palace, one of the state’s oldest restaurants and bars. And a trip to the Phippen Museum of Western Art, named after sculptor, painter and co-founder of Cowboy Artists of America George Phippen, gives you a look at the best in American Western art.

Prescott will be an active participant in the Arizona State Centennial celebrations from September 2011 through 2012. However, any year you visit you’ll find Territorial Days, Frontier Days and the rodeo, Prescott Indian Market, the Sharlot Hall Museum Folk Arts Fair and the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering. And once you get here, you’ll sure as shootin’ want to come back.

Have you visited Prescott, Arizona? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Gozaic (go-ZAY-ik). Noun. 1) The name of a website, Gozaic.com. 2) The fusion of “go,” for travel and the mosaic of heritage and culture. 3) The mosaic of images to illustrate the dimensions of a featured heritage or cultural destination.

Sundae Best: Gozaic Shares Favorite Ice Cream Shops

Looks like summer brings out the ice cream lover in all of us! In this, our third installment of great ice cream parlors, (Part 1 and Part 2) we took an informal survey of our colleagues at Gozaic and National Trust Tours, which yielded a treasure trove of favorite spots for sampling frozen delights. Break out your sampling spoon and indulge in a sweet treat when you’re in town – and don’t worry about the calories – after all, summer only comes around once a year!

Camden Cone
Camden, Maine
With a name like Treat, Hilary Treat’s suggestion in Maine is guaranteed to be a winner! Her family “has had a summer place right north of Camden for the better part of 20 years, and we are frequent visitors to the Camden Cone. It’s a bitty place with no seating, and the décor is very Maine oriented; there is a mural of the Camden hills in the back. The current state senator from Knox County, Christopher Rector, will often serve you ice cream. They also use Round Top ice cream, which is locally made in Damariscotta, Maine.”

Kate’s Seafood
Brewster, Massachusetts
While the Bubbling Brook remains my sentimental favorite, our annual vacation always involves several visits to Kate’s Seafood, a roadside shack off Route 6A (Old King’s Highway) in Brewster, Massachusetts. Don’t let the name fool you – the ice cream is even better than the food!

This is old Cape Cod at its best – window service, no bathrooms and lots of fried seafood in addition to the ice cream. New flavors pop up each summer, but the classics remain. Cape Cod is chock full of ice cream shops – ask a seasoned visitor or a native, and each will have his or her own recommendation and frankly, you can’t really go wrong with any of them. However, in my opinion, none can match Kate’s location. Grab your ice cream and head up the road to Paine’s Creek, hands down the best spot on the Cape for watching the sunset. Mocha chip and Mother Nature -- together they are a tough act to beat!

The Dairy Lodge
Traverse City, Michigan
Mary Billingsley visits family in Northern Michigan and shares the Dairy Lodge in Traverse City. This traditional, seasonal soft-serve ice cream shop has toppings galore – including a favorite cherry hard-shell dip. Another favorite is the cherry sundae. After all, Traverse City is home to the National Cherry Festival.

Uncle Eddy's Frozen Custard and 18-Hole Mini Golf
Buxton, North Carolina
Harriet Meyers and family have been visiting this North Carolina favorite for years. This quirky local landmark, Uncle Eddy’s, serves up the finest frozen custard on Cape Hatteras – and offers a side serving of mini golf! Flavor selections are constantly changing, so it’s the perfect spot to sample something new.

The Jigger Shop
Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania
The Jigger Shop is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that's been around since 1895. Stephanie Ostroff fondly recalls, “My family was on vacation in the area, and there is a lake open to the public for swimming that we stopped at near Mount Gretna. The brightly colored, striped awning above the outdoor seating area is the first thing that comes to my mind, when I think of The Jigger Shop. It really draws your attention.” While Stephanie doesn’t recall exactly what flavor she last enjoyed, “it was probably some kind of sundae!”

The Strasburg Creamery
Strasburg, Pennsylvania
The Strasburg Creamery HAS to be good – it has two fans on our staff! Lisa Turgeon-Williams remembers, “This store is located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. I have an uncle and aunt who live about a block from this ice cream shop, so I have been enjoying this tasty treat for many years. The shop is always packed in the summer with a blend of tourists and locals.” While Lisa recommends the peanut butter ripple or mint chocolate chip, Stephanie Ostroff prefers a “dusty road sundae” – your choice of ice cream topped with hot fudge and malt powder.

Merrymead Farm
Worcester Township, Pennsylvania
Sarah Gabriele “grew up going to Merrymead Farm (simply called “the Dairy” by locals) almost every weekend with my parents to buy milk (in a bag!) and sometimes during the week after horseback riding lessons. Every visit included an ice cream cone and a visit to the farm’s animals and whatever seasonal display the dairy had set up (pumpkin patch, corn maze, greenhouse, etc). Merrymead is one of Pennsylvania’s Century Farms and has been in the same family for more than 100 years. There are more than 30 hand-dipped flavors of ice cream to enjoy, including soft-serve!” Sarah’s favorite – a classic soft-serve chocolate and vanilla swirl in a cone with rainbow jimmies.

Amy Verdin is a Gozaic consultant and just returned from Cape Cod, where she again sampled ice cream at Kate’s.

Photos top to bottom: Camden Cone by Hilary Treat. The Dairy Lodge courtesy of Gene Turner.

Cycling the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

Cycling and history enthusiast, and Gozaic’s Cycling Through History Circle manager, Bob Robinson, has written a wonderful post about cycling the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (FKOHT), which originates at the southernmost point of the continental United States, in Key West, Florida. The trail extends 106 miles north to Key Largo, as it links the scenic islands to the mainland. Currently, 61 miles of the route follow a multi-use paved trail, with that number increasing each year.

Bob’s journey begins in Key West, Florida, exploring its rich history that dates back to Ponce de Leon's visit in 1513, and then continues as he embarks on the Heritage Trail, exploring Bahia Honda State Park, with picturesque beachfront campsites and the old railroad bridge across the Bahia Honda Channel. Bob states that for a railroad history buff, this alone is worth the trip, explaining that this bridge is a remnant of the Henry Flagler Railroad. The FKOHT incorporates 23 of the remaining Flagler Railroad bridges on its route, including one that is seven miles long, appropriately named Seven Mile Bridge.

Bob’s journey continues past memorials and open air markets, terminating at Key Largo, where any cycling and history enthusiast will find an array of accommodations, great seafood restaurants and the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

What a great way to combine passions for cycling and history in one fun adventure. Join the Cycling Through History Circle and take part in the conversation about cycling adventures with a heritage travel twist.

Photo courtesy of Bob Robinson.

Photo of the Week: Fort Ross State Historic Park in Jenner, California

Located on the rugged Sonoma Coast of California, Fort Ross State Historic Park is full of surprises. The park preserves the Fort Ross Settlement, where Russians and native Alaskans created a surprising place in California history. In 1812, the Russian American Company, a commercial hunting and trading venture chartered by the tsarist government, established Settlement Ross. For 30 years, the fort was a successful agricultural base, sending supplies to Russian settlements in Alaska.

The inhabitants of Settlement Ross initiated a surprising number of important “firsts,” including: first to establish a widely-used commercial trade port in California and first shipbuilders on the West Coast of North America; recorders of some of the first weather statistics in Northern California; among the first to record California’s cultural and natural history; and builders of California’s first windmills. The Russians also had the first vineyard north of San Francisco, and they established the first marine mammal conservation laws in the Pacific.

Finally, there are a surprising number of historical and environmental activities available to park visitors. The Fort Ross Visitors Center Museum is one of the most complete Russian, Alaskan and Kashaya cultural museums north of San Francisco. The structure of most historical interest is the Rotchev House, renovated about 1836 for Alexander Rotchev, the last manager of the fort. Several reconstructed buildings include the first Russian Orthodox chapel south of Alaska, the stockade, the Kuskov House, the officials’ barracks and two corner blockhouses. There are free interpretive presentations, history events and educational programs available, as well as many opportunities for hiking, picnicking, camping, wildlife viewing and relaxing on Sandy Cove beach.

Have you visited Fort Ross State Historic Park? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Fort Ross State Historic Park is a Gozaic partner.

Photo: Russian Orthodox Chapel Fort Ross State Historic Park, courtesy of California State Parks.

Five Things to Do in: Pasadena, California

Refusing to be overshadowed by its star-studded neighbor, Los Angeles, Pasadena is an enticing combination of urban allure and culture. The city is alive with remarkable art collections, architecture, literature and entertainment, with 14 museums and 11 performing arts organizations. See works by renowned artists, enjoy a performance at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, visit hundreds of historic homes and shop in historic districts.

With so many options to choose from, it’s tough to pare down to a list of just five activities in Pasadena. Despite that, we’ve rounded up a short selection of must-do’s with the cultural and heritage traveler especially in mind.

Stroll through Old Pasadena
The Old Pasadena Historic Area is a National Historical Landmark dating back to the 1870s. Spanning 22 blocks, visitors can stroll down quaint alleyways or airy European-style piazzas teeming with 200 one-of-a-kind outdoor cafes, restaurants, art galleries, boutiques and specialty shops.

Let Cuisine Be Your Guide. Experience the charming history, architecture and folklore of Old Pasadena while feasting upon culinary delights from neighborhood eateries with this three-hour walking tour. Colorful alleys and secret thru-ways spice up the path as spectacular ethnic eateries and sweets havens are sought out for tastings, including an authentic Mexican tortas cafe, a rare Nepalese-Tibetan restaurant and an exquisite chocolate shop. You’ll also experience a handmade soap kitchen.

Visit Gamble House.
Designed by Pasadena architects Charles and Henry Greene, the Gamble House is considered to be one of the finest examples of architecture from the early 20th century Arts & Crafts Movement. The home was built in 1908 for David and Mary Gamble of Procter and Gamble soap and toothpaste fame. The house, a National Historic Landmark, is owned by the City of Pasadena and operated by the University of Southern California and is open for public tours.

Surround Yourself with Art, Books and Gardens.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is located on the 207-acre estate that was built in 1911 for the late Henry Huntington. Originally Huntington’s residence, the Huntington Art Gallery features original 18th and 19th British and French masterpieces, including the “Pinkie” and “Blue Boy” paintings. The Library includes works from American and British literature, including an original Gutenberg Bible and Ellesmere’s manuscript of Canterbury Tales. The botanical gardens feature 14,000 varieties of plants on more than 150 acres. The 12 principal gardens include the new Chinese Garden (Garden of Flowing Fragrance), Rose Garden, Desert Garden, Zen Garden and Children’s Garden.

View European and Asian Masterpieces at the Norton Simon Museum. This extraordinary museum features seven centuries of European art and one of the country’s largest collections of Asian sculpture that spans 2,000 years. It is home to an extensive Impressionist collection, which features masterpieces by Degas, Van Gogh, Manet, Monet and Pissaro. The museum also displays works by Picasso, Rembrandt, Cézanne and more.

Have you visited Pasadena, California? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Pasadena, California is a Gozaic partner.

Gozaic of the Week: Historic Cold Spring Village in Cape May, New Jersey

At Historic Cold Spring Village, you have the chance to live the life of the homespun era. Become a resident of this South Jersey village as it existed in colonial times, when people sewed their own clothes, wove their own linens and carved their own furniture. Experience what early-American life was all about at this open-air living-history museum, with its 26 restored buildings filled with costumed craftspeople and entertaining interpreters.

New Experiences with Old Customs
Basketry, woodworking, broom making, tinsmithing, weaving, spinning, blacksmithing, framing, printing, bookbinding and cooking over an open hearth. You can experience each of these tasks up close, as you stroll through the 30 acres of shaded lanes at Cold Spring Village. Children can try on period costumes, make crafts and play old-time games.

Items created by the village artisans are available for purchase at the Village Country Store, which is stocked with pottery, brooms, horseshoes and hooks, books, craft kits, jams and jellies, heritage foodstuffs, housewares, toys and candy. And unlike the village’s original inhabitants, visitors have the luxury of purchasing tasty treats at the bakery or ice cream parlor.

Don’t Miss These Special Events
Historic Cold Spring Village is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. through Labor Day, and weekends until mid-September. Upcoming special event weekends include:

Seafarers’ Weekend, Aug. 28 - 29
Celebrate the maritime culture and history of the Jersey Cape with pirate shows, decoy carving and a parade.

Revolutionary War Encampment, Sept. 4 - 5
Watch costumed members of Morgan’s Rifle Corps and Lamb’s Artillery demonstrate camp life and infantry tactics and hear the story of Old Glory.

Civil War Weekend, Sept. 11 - 12
See battle re-enactments and participate in a memorial service at Old Brick Church.

Have you visited Historic Cold Spring Village? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Gozaic (go-ZAY-ik). Noun. 1) The name of a website, Gozaic.com. 2) The fusion of “go,” for travel and the mosaic of heritage and culture. 3) The mosaic of images to illustrate the dimensions of a featured heritage or cultural destination.

Taste of America: The Bobbie, Pork Tenderloin and Schnitzel

Today, we continue our gastronomic journey across America with these tasty selections from Gozaic partners in Wilmington, Delaware; Hamilton County, Indiana; and Castroville, Texas.

Wilmington, Delaware
Delaware’s signature sandwich is the mouth-watering Bobbie®, which originated at Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, a Wilmington institution. The Bobbie features a combination of fresh-roasted pulled turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayonnaise served on a 9-, 12- or 20-inch hoagie roll. While it can now be enjoyed in 10 states, the Bobbie will always be a true Delaware delight!

Hamilton County, Indiana
Chow down in ChowTown, Hamilton County’s tastiest town. Check out the Tenderloin Trail, a listing of 20 restaurants offering pork tenderloin, an Indiana tradition. Fried, grilled or served without a bun – this Hoosier delight is sure to satisfy.

Nickel Plate Bar & Grill in Fishers: Located in old town Fishers, next to the former Nickel Plate Railroad, this restaurant’s menu has something for everyone. Do not miss the pork tenderloin sandwich, named Indiana’s best by Indy Men’s Magazine.

Woody’s Library Restaurant in Carmel: Located in Carmel's Arts & Design District, Woody’s is housed in a renovated Carnegie Library that was originally built in 1913. The varied menu offers everything from appetizers and comfort foods to upscale dinner selections and of course, the breaded tenderloin.

Castroville, Texas
Castroville, Texas, is known as the “Little Alsace of Texas” because of its ties to the Alsace Region of France. The city’s Alsatian heritage and history include delicious traditional foods found at several restaurants in the area including:

The Alsatian Restaurant: Alsatian specialties, such as schnitzel, the popular Alsatian sausage and jagerschnitzel are on the menu at this fine-dining Alsatian restaurant.

The Old Alsatian Steakhouse & Ristorante: Located in one of the oldest structures in Castroville, this historic house was built around 1853 by one of the founding families of the Castro Colony. The restaurant features a wide variety of Alsatian and Italian fare, including nouilles Alsacienne, Alsatian quiche and the popular Alsatian sausage.

Looking for more great local and regional food and restaurants? Read about more of them in our “Taste of America” series: “Sanddabs, Meat Pies, Bourbon and More” and “Chile, Oysters, Shoofly Pie and More.”

Readers: We’re looking for your favorite local restaurants (both fine dining and holes-in-the-wall), favorite foods unique to a region and treats to take back to co-workers (they are getting sick of salt water taffy!). Share your recommendations in the comments section below.

Photos top to bottom: Nickel Plate Bar & Grill and Woody's Library Restaurant courtesy of Hamilton CVB. The Alsatian Restaurant and Old Alsatian Steakhouse & Restaurant courtesy of Sula Combs.

Events Featuring Contemporary Artists

Members of the Gozaic online community have the opportunity to explore and share travel passions with others through “circles of interest.” Johanna McBrien, moderator of the Discovering Antiques and Art Circle and editor-in-chief of Antiques and Fine Art Magazine, recently blogged about various contemporary art exhibitions happening throughout the country in the coming months.

Johanna has recommended an array of art events featuring many different mediums including sculpture exhibitions, an exhibition focusing on the built environment and a mixed media exhibition. She also mentions a few regional juried exhibitions, one covering the Hudson River Valley and another focusing on a wide range of work from artists who live and work along Interstate 95, from Florida to Maine.

Can you suggest a contemporary art exhibit that might be of interest to the Gozaic community? If so, share your thoughts by commenting on this blog. And, if you enjoy antiques and art travel, make sure to join the circle!

Credit: Pino Pascali (Italian, 1935-1968)
Bridge. 1968
Braided steel wool. 26' 3" x 39 3/8" x 35 7/16" (800 x 100 x 90 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Scott Burton Fund and Committee on Painting and Sculpture Funds
Photograph: Jason Mandella

Photo of the Week: Wabash & Erie Canal Park in Delphi, Indiana

A ride on the Delphi, the replica 19th century canal boat that cruises through Wabash & Erie Canal Park, is a relaxing way to take in the scenery of west central Indiana and learn about the history of this American waterway. The 35-minute tours, which take place weekends until October 24, feature interpreters who share stories of everyday life on the canal 150 years ago.

The Wabash & Erie Canal stretched 468-feet, from Toledo to Evansville, making it the largest fabricated structure in the United States. Irish immigrants began working on the canal in 1832 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, using shovels, picks, wheelbarrows and the horse-drawn slip-scoop. In 1840 the canal came to Delphi. Boats were soon floating through the canal, sometimes carrying passengers and often transporting goods. Limestone was a major natural resource in Carroll County, and after it was quarried and processed, boats shipped it down the canal to New York City and New Orleans. The Wabash & Erie Canal promoted trade and commerce but was no match for the railroad boom, which brought an end to the canal era by the 1870s.

Besides offering boat tours, the Wabash & Erie Canal Park is home to the Interpretive Center, with interactive exhibits on the canal’s history, and the Pioneer Village and Reed Case House, which offers tours by appointment. Trails run through the park and past sites on the National Register of Historic Places, and hikers and bikers can retrace the towpath once traveled by mules and horses pulling canal boats.

Have you visited Wabash & Erie Canal Park? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Wabash & Erie Canal Park is a Gozaic partner.

Photo: Boat Ride Under The Red Bridge, Constructed 1874, courtesy of Tawnya Patterson.

Heading to the Coast? Stop at a Civil War Site Along the Way

A vacation to the coast can be easily combined with a visit to a Civil War site or battlefield. Gozaic’s Civil War Buffs Circle steers you in the right direction.

Gozaic’s “circles of interest” allow experts in specifics fields share insight and tips. Today, we take a look at a recent blog post in the Civil War Buffs Circle. Moderator Rob Shenk with the Civil War Preservation Trust shares a short list of Civil War sites and battlefields to give you a break from the beach!

From the pre-Civil War Fort Pulaski in Savannah to Fort Sumter in Charleston which witnessed the Civil War’s beginning and Fort Fisher in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the Union navy and army unleashed a massive bombardment and assault, Rob offers a handful of Civil War sites and battlefields to add to your vacation itinerary.

Have you visited any Civil War sites this summer? If so, share your experience in the comments section below. Whether you are a novice or a battlefield aficionado, join the Civil War Buffs Circle today!

Photos top to bottom: Fort Sumter and Fort Pulaski by Carol M. Highsmith; Fort Fisher by Ron Cogswell.

Gozaic of the Week: Old Town Bluffton, South Carolina

Want to slow down the hectic pace of your life? Take a little time to sit under graceful live oaks and enjoy the breezes from a lovely, lazy river? Visit antebellum homes, checkout art galleries and antique shops and eat the freshest seafood? If the answer is yes -- y’all should come on down to Old Town Bluffton, South Carolina.

Historic Lowcountry Living
Bluffton is in Beaufort County, the southernmost coastal county in South Carolina, just 12 miles west of Hilton Head Island and 20 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia. The beautiful small town sits on a high bluff, overlooking the pristine May River.

Even during the antebellum period, this coastal community was popular as an escape from the harsh inland plantation conditions in the hot summer months. Strong southerly breezes from the river kept infectious mosquitoes, carrying malaria and yellow fever, at bay. Today, it offers an escape for visitors who seek the Bluffton “state of mind” – there’s even a State of Mind Street – characterized by creativity, friendliness and a relaxed sense of fun.

Old Town Flavor
Historic buildings and churches, stunning old homes, art galleries and antique shops mingle seamlessly with modern amenities in Old Town Bluffton. The entire historic district is easy to navigate on foot, because it’s all located within one-square-mile.

Here’s a small sample of what you’ll see as you wander the wide sidewalks:

The Bluffton Oyster Factory. One of South Carolina's top 10 oldest, continuously operating businesses and the oldest cannery factory still in operation in the state.

The Church of the Cross. The construction of this handsome Gothic cruciform building was begun in 1854 to replace an earlier and much smaller Chapel of the Cross. The church was completed in 1857, at a cost of $5,000.

Heyward House Historic Center. The official welcome center for Bluffton is located in a home built as a summer residence for John James Cole, a local plantation owner. Believed to be built by Cole's slaves, it is both a fine and well-preserved example of the Carolina farmhouse style of architecture; a style brought to the colonies by planters from the British West Indies.

Southern Hospitality
Seafood and art. What a great combination! You’ll find the best of both at the annual Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival from Oct. 17 - 24. This eight-day festival showcases local seafood, Lowcountry signature cuisine and the unique arts and history of Old Town Bluffton.

Whenever you visit, you can partake of mouthwatering Lowcountry dishes and fine dining opportunities in historic and charming settings. Stop in at the Old Town Distillery Dispensary, established in 1893; the popular Captain Woody’s for fresh seafood at great prices; Pepper’s Porch for Southern fare in a historic building; or the many other friendly and delicious dining options in town.

Whether you’re looking for a memorable Southern souvenir, or want to bring home some art, crafts or antiques, a day of shopping in Old Town Bluffton will entice you. Many of the town’s 19th-century homes have been transformed into galleries and antique shops, where visitors are given a warm Southern welcome just for stopping in.

Have you visited Old Town Bluffton, South Carolina? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Gozaic (go-ZAY-ik). Noun. 1) The name of a website, Gozaic.com. 2) The fusion of “go,” for travel and the mosaic of heritage and culture. 3) The mosaic of images to illustrate the dimensions of a featured heritage or cultural destination.

Tips on Photographing Children by Carol M. Highsmith (Part 2)

Today, Gozaic continues its series of photography tips from Carol M. Highsmigh. Yesterday, we featured Part 1, Tips on Photographing Children.

Here are more great tips from Carol with examples she captured on the road in Alabama:

I'm traveling across America with the goal of photographing every state over the next 16 years for a project called 21st Century America. All of the images will be donated copyright-free to the Library of Congress.

Young children help their grandmother with a quilt in Gees Bend, Alabama.

It was a great opportunity to catch quilt making in Gees Bend. It was really great when the children arrived and wanted to help. What makes this image engaging is that the little boy looked at me with his beautiful eyes. Any time you can engage children in an image, it will be a success.

Easter time at the Three Georges Nut Shop in Mobile, Alabama.

This is another example of a child looking at me. The image needs to be taken just at the right moment. Chat with the child and keep clicking. If you take 30 images of the same scene, it might only be one that turns out, but that one could be an award winner. I wanted to show this historic interior, but did not want it to be just the stools and the counter. This baby doll showed up just in time!

Two darling children pose for me in a rural area in Jasper, Alabama. Laugh and talk to your subjects. Children especially need to be pulled into the scene. As I continued to push the shutter, I giggled and made faces. Look how much fun they had. I ended up with just the shot I wanted!

To Kill A Mockingbird Play in Monroeville, Alabama.

Every once in a while I get a very special opportunity. I was allowed to photograph the entire production of “To Kill A Mockingbird.” My finger never left the shutter the entire play. Because I had so much to choose from, I was able to capture this scene. I was so excited! What an experience.

Young baby girl at a fair in Monroe County, Alabama.

So go out and have fun taking photographs of children. Make sure to get a model release from their parents if you have any thoughts of using them online.

Join me next month for more news from my 21st Century America project. I’m working in Washington, D.C. next.

Carol M. Highsmith is a professional photographer who travels America to record everything she sees so that her collection can be archived in the Library of Congress. This is the first in a series of photography tips from Carol for the Gozaic blog.

How to Photograph Children by Carol M. Highsmith (Part 1)

My name is Carol M. Highsmith and I have enjoyed photographing America for the past 30 years. I am planning to donate my collection of images to the Library of Congress copyright-free.

As you see I am featured in the top six collections along side of Civil War Photographer Mathew Brady and WPA Photographer Dorothea Lange. I am very honored to be listed among such famous photographers. I feel the reason I am included on this list is because I am showcasing America – 21st Century America as we look right now. One hundred years from now people will view these images and find them fascinating. By then cars may be gone and people may be wearing Star Trek outfits!

I plan to contribute my thoughts about how I go about taking images each month in the Gozaic blog. I love this site and the National Trust for Historic Preservation so this is a wonderful place for me to share my thoughts with you about my photography.

I recently started a project to go across the country and photograph every state over the next sixteen years. This project is called 21st Century America and all of the images will be donated copyright-free to the Library of Congress. Each state will be photographed as funds are raised for me to travel. I just finished the state of Alabama and I loved every minute of the journey. I thought some of these images might be a good start for my photo blog on Gozaic.

Although I am known as an architectural photographer, I love to photograph just about anything. I recently photographed some children on the road in Alabama. I’ve described how I set these images up and how the children greatly added to each scene.

Very serious looking children at a Civil War Reenactment in Bridgeport, Alabama.
Way back in time when the Civil War was active, Mathew Brady and his assistants would travel out across the battlefields to document the battles and the soldiers in their camps. They used large cumbersome cameras and glass plates to capture each image. When the images were taken, the subject had to hold still so they usually did not smile or move. You can see in this image, the children understood how they needed to look in order to pretend like the photograph was taken in 1865. Not easy to get children to sit still, but I think their father had trained them how to pose.

Chasing a goat during a goat chase at a picnic in Monroe County, Alabama.

How much fun it is to see children play a game? The point of this event was to catch the poor goat. I blurred some of the children and captured the boy in yellow perfectly sharp. The best way to do this is to set your camera on a slower speed. It helps show the action in a still image.

Birds fly around young boys playing in the surf of Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama.
How did I attract the birds? Always bring nuts! I was enjoying some Alabama pecans when I happened upon these young boys with their grandparents enjoying the beach. I grabbed my nuts and told them to play in the surf and caught the action. In this case I wanted to make sure everything in the image was sharp. It helped that it was a sunny day.

Tomorrow in Part 2, I'll share more tips on photographing children.

Photo Journal: Favorite Places

Cultural and heritage travel encompasses a wide variety of places and experiences. Earlier this week, Gozaic sponsored a mini-photo contest through an advertisement in HARO. We asked people to share photos of their favorite cultural and heritage sites, destinations or events. Our favorites show the diversity and include regal buildings, an iconic bridge, a small-town historic hotel, the stunning beauty of New Mexico and more.

Do you have photos of great cultural and heritage sites, destinations and events? Please share them on Gozaic or Facebook.

I love the mix of architecture in Chicago. My favorite building is the Art Deco one in front of this group - it's the Carbide and Carbon Building on Michigan Avenue (now houses the Hard Rock Hotel.) Photo by Sheila Scarborough.

Magic is afoot and in the air -- I come here to talk to the ravens. I'm an artist and writer in New Mexico and draw in the Bisti badlands not far from Chaco Canyon. Photo courtesy of Beth Surdut.

The iconic Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most majestic structures in NYC-- and is one I never tire of seeing! Photo Courtesy of Lauren Jonik, ShootLikeAGirlPhotography.com.

Classic Hood River Hotel in Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1913 as an annex to the Mt. Hood Hotel. After a long period of decline, it was restored in the 1990s. It's a beauty. Photo courtesy of Stuart Watson.

The Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio serves as the forum for the understanding and appreciation of Texas and Texans. The Institute is a component of the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Smithsonian affiliate. Photo courtesy of James M. Benavides.

Thanks to each of the photographers for sharing these images and captions with Gozaic.

Five Fun Facts: Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee

At age 22, Elvis had just wrapped up one of the wildest years of his life: he had recently shot to superstardom, taking part in historic network television appearances and record-breaking live performances, with armloads of gold awards and the beginnings of a film career to show for himself. It was just at this crossroads, in 1957, that he decided to purchase the 500-acre Graceland property for $100,000.

There were few things Elvis took more pride in than Graceland, the place that became a retreat for him from the glare of the public eye, his home base in-between time on the road and short stays in other locations. Elvis liked to show off his home to friends and colleagues, and occasionally some lucky fans – making everyone feel welcome. Visitors today will find that same tradition of warmth and hospitality lives on.

Armed with these five facts about Graceland and Elvis, you’ll be that much more in-tune with the King and his life when you visit the mansion and its grounds:

An Exotic Interior. The “Jungle Room” is a room addition Elvis referred to as the den. Originally a screened-in back patio, the room became part of the main house and was decorated with exotic plants, animal print and floor-to ceiling shag carpeting. With the opening of Graceland in 1982, a travel writer came through and gave it the nickname, the “Jungle Room.”

The Wall. Elvis had the Alabama fieldstone fence and famous gates installed at the front of Graceland Mansion grounds soon after purchasing the home in 1957. Fans and the general public have been writing on the wall ever since. The front wall at Graceland has become a unique cultural and sociological phenomenon all its own, displaying a wide array of personal expression from people from all walks of life from all parts of the world.

Concert with a Cause. Elvis Presley’s Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite concert was broadcasted live on January 14, 1973, and was the most-watched broadcast by an individual entertainer in television history. Audience tickets for the January 14 concert and its January 12 pre-broadcast rehearsal show carried no price. Each audience member was asked to pay whatever he or she could afford. The performance and concert merchandise sales raised $75,000 for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii.

Gospel Grammys. Elvis received 14 Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He only won three out of the 14 nominations and all three were for gospel recordings.

The King’s Logo. Elvis’ TCB logo, formed with the three letters and a lightning bolt, stands for, “Taking Care of Business.” The phrase was popular in the 1960s and 70s. Elvis and the guys in his entourage used it frequently, and the logo was used in Elvis’ personal and professional life by placing it on custom items like his gun collection, stationary, jewelry, wardrobe, the wall of the Graceland TV room, the tail of his planes and even his tombstone.

Have you visited Graceland? Write a review or share photos on Gozaic.

Graceland is a Gozaic partner.

Photos: (c)Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (c) EPE, Reg. U.S. Pat & TM Off.