Lake O’ the Pines, Texas

Corps of Engineers (COE) Parks are a great place to camp whether for one night or longer.  COE parks usually consist of several parks within them.  Lake O’ the Pines Recreation Area in Jefferson, TX has three parks for RV camping.   They have cement pads, water and electric hook-ups and a dump station.  Tent sites available.  Hiking and biking and fishing are popular.  Pets welcome.  Bathrooms and showers are clean and well-maintained.  Sites can be reserved ahead of time by just contacting them at www.lakeothepines.org  or  call   877-444-6777.

ALLEY CREEK CAMP– Jefferson, TX  

When we arrived we found out many camp sites were flooded.  Actually, half the park that we stayed at was closed due to flooding.

Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines

Fire rings under water

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Level cement pads for your RV

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Biking, hiking or just relaxing, Lake of the Pines is the place to do it.  The scent of the pine trees is in itself relaxing.

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Bonfire rings provided at campsites.

Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines
Lake of the Pines

Beautiful sunset

We will definitely came back to the Lake of the Pines.

 

© 2016-2024 ArchBooks, Inc.

 

Vicksburg, MS

Another Civil War site we stopped to visit was Vicksburg, MS in April 2016.    The Civil war always intrigued me (Gypsy), and to visit the sites gave me a better understanding of it.

Union Army
Union Army
Confederate Army
Confederate Army
Cemetery at Vicksburg
Cemetery at Vicksburg
Cemetery at Vicksburg
Cemetery at Vicksburg
Vicksburg National Cemetery
Vicksburg National Cemetery

The Vicksburg National Cemetery was established in 1866.   There are 17,000 union soldiers buried there.

Shirley House
Shirley House
The Shirley House Restored
The Shirley House Restored

The Shirley House was restored to original and is the only remaining wartime building inside the military park.

Ironclad
Ironclad

Ironclad ships from the Civil War.

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The last of its kind
The last of its kind

On site there was the last of its kind.  The damage it sustained during the war is evident.

The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind
The last of its kind

I cannot imagine what that must have sounded like to hear cannon shells hitting the metal of the ship.  It had to be deafening.

The last of its kind
The last of its kind

The USS Cairo was sank on Dec 12, 1862.

If you ever get near the Vicksburg area, you have to take the time to visit the National Cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

© 2016-2024 ArchBooks, Inc.

Andersonville

Andersonville was on of the most notorious prison camps during the civil war.

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Replica of the prison camp
Replica of the prison camp
Interesting statue
Interesting statue

The caption on the bottom of this statue reads:

“Turn you to the strongholds ye prisoners of hope”

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Dog Tags had not yet been invented, so came the grave of the Unknown Soldier.

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Sections of the original stockade still stand.  It was exciting walking back into history.

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The Expanded Stockade
The Expanded Stockade

I was not aware of all the different types of cannons that were used in the Civil War.

 

Weapons of the Civil War
Weapons of the Civil War
Ready, Aim, Fire
Ready, Aim, Fire
Massive Monuments
Massive Monuments

The above monument built for the prisoners of war who died at Andersonville.  Twelve of these monuments stand in the cemetery and eleven at the prison site.

State memorials

Iowa Memorial
Iowa Memorial
Indiana Memorial
Indiana Memorial
Wisconsin Memorial
Wisconsin Memorial

The Civil War has always drawn my interest and the visit to Andersonville was a highlight of our adventures.

 

 

© 2016-2024 ArchBooks, Inc.