Forgotten Founder and Savannah - March 21, 2015


March 21, 2015

Forgotten Founder and Savannah!!!!!

Yesterday Carl and I had stopped off at the Charles Pinckney house to check it out. We wanted to see if it was worth it to go in the morning. The kids are very excited about the Junior Ranger program with the National Parks and they are eager to get as many as possible. I do not mind because they are learning and do not even know it. I have learned so much from the program too. I end up helping the little ones (and big ones) find the answers. It has been a wonderful time for all of us. Since the Pinckney house was only 15 minutes from where we were camping, we decided to wake up early and go.

We learned so much about this forgotten founding father. He helped write parts of the constitution and signed it when South Carolina ratified it in 1787. He was governor of South Carolina several times and was in the House of Representatives too. He was also the one who helped form the Missouri Compromise. Oh my. I am sorry. History buff here. Let us just say that he was one of the early leaders of our country. The historic site in his honor was a plantation that he owned, the Snee farm. We got to look in the small house that housed the exhibits and film and then explore the grounds. We got to see the foundations of the slave quarters that had been uncovered by archeologists and that started great conversation about what slavery was and how it has affected our country.

While at that section of the park we saw something slithering through the grass. It was a glass lizard. Of course that caused all 8 children (and one very excited dad) to go scurrying after it. After it lost its tail in the fight, it was caught and examined and then let go (less a tail – which was still squirming on the ground). We then walked the nature trail and saw evidence of an old tree house, a tree blown down by a hurricane and an example of a rice trunk. Along the way we caught a green tree frog, which was later released back into the woods, and multiple other lizards. The kids had a blast even though it was very muddy. We got to talk to the rangers as it was not that busy. The one ranger remembered us from Fort Sumter. We later found out that there are only 7 rangers to work 4 sites – Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Liberty Square, and the Charles Pinckney house. Wow! I told William that he would make a great ranger someday.

After the Charles Pinckney house we went back to the Air Force base where we had been staying the past two nights. Let me just say that the Air Force knows how to treat its soldiers. It was a very nice campground. Anyone who is in the military knows that it is almost like a fraternity. Most of the people staying there were retired but they were so nice and accommodating. It was right next to a air field that ran planes all day and night. It was not so bad. The kids lived watching the planes take off while they were playing at the playground. My mom can attest to how loud they were. While I was talking to her on the phone about my dad two fighter jets took off one right after the other. Both had afterburners on. It was quite loud.

After we hooked up we headed down the road to Savannah. We were able to get one of the last sites at Hunter Army Air Field. It was definitely…different from Joint Base Charleston. It was rustic but again the people were nice and it had full hook ups. We ate a quick dinner and went for a walk. I have been wearing my fitbit every day and I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. I was not quite at my goal last night so we went exploring. I had a wonderful walk with Daniel, Caleb, Tirzah and Carl. We plan on going to Fort Pulaski tomorrow. I hear it was one of the last brick forts built and you can see the damage from a Civil War battle on the outside. I am excited.

I am so enjoying learning all these things with my kids. What better way to learn history than to actually walk in the footsteps of the people who actually lived it. The kids are getting more and more excited about the Junior Ranger programs and can’t wait to get to the next site. I am too as I am a history lover and have learned so much this trip. The older kids are enjoying it too even though they will never admit it. I started making them do the Junior Ranger Program too. I told them it was either that or write a one page paper for every place we visit. The Junior Ranger Program became very popular after that.  It really is a great program and I am learning so much. The older ones are even enjoying when they have to help their siblings. They are learning so much and it is not just history. They are actually looking forward to the next place we visit.

Junior Ranger


Perfection - God's wonderful creatioin


Glass Lizard


Foundation for slave quarters

Evidence of an old treehouse

Wow!


Junior Ranger Badges

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