Gettysburg and Mount Vernon

I have always had a passion for history and have enjoyed taking my children to learn and experience some of our nation's history. We were able to experience many things on our trip to Gettysburg, D.C., and Mount Vernon; but I will not be able to express how amazing it was for me to stand in the same room in Mount Vernon that George Washington stood when he found out he would be the first President of The United States of America.

While walking through the mansion, there are a number of original pieces that you can view - from George and Martha Washington's bed where George laid as he past away from the highly debated, epiglottitis, to George Washington's Presidential Chair and the iron key that was given to Mr. Washington as a gift from Marquis de Lafayette as a symbol of freedom and liberty that still hangs on the wall where Mr. Washington mounted it over 200 years ago. One of mine and my childrens' favorite things at Mount Vernon was the staircase. With its original banister, you go upstairs holding the same banister that not only George Washington and his family would have used daily but all the important men that would have used the railing while visiting the Washington's, such as John Adams and Henry Lee.

Needless to say Mount Vernon was a beautiful plantation filled with artifacts and historical moments. Mount Vernon is a must see!

Walking the grounds of Gettysburg National Military Park, where the turning point in the Civil War took place, was exciting for me and my husband. Going along the paths of the fields and reading the monuments of which battle took place there and how many were lost or wounded was an awakening experience. It is hard to imagine what took place there and the many men that fought there and lost their lives. We eventually made our way to the Gettysburg National Cemetery and visited where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address and where 3,500 union soldiers were laid to rest. Such an amazing moment in our history and to be able to stand there where such things took place is hard to express in words. If I had ever made a bucket list for myself prior to this, this would be something I would be able to cross off.

While on our history vacation we touched many places in D.C. Many that we hadn't gotten to on our trip in 2010. I finally got to tour the Ford's Theatre and it was well worth the wait! If you are anything like me, when you get to visit such historical places, you often set yourself into that era and experience it as if you were there in that said date and time.

Not only did we walk Ford's Theatre, we also walked through the Petersen's house across the street where Lincoln was taken after he had been shot and eventually died.