Ancestor Tracking - Charlottesville to Richmond, VA - 26 May 2001

From Donna's Vagabond Journal of 26 May 2001:
Raining all night at the Charlottesville KOA campground, but I was nice and dry. Got up at 8:30 am and noticed the four tent sites next to me were either vacant or the occupants were in the process of leaving. I wonder if they are going to a dry motel, or further into the Shenandoah Mountains?   The camp bathroom was humming with activity, so rather than be seen heating coffee water in the bathroom, I was prompted to use my own resources to get hot water. I tested my Power Supply Battery to heat up water in my hot pot, but it took 400 watts, so just tried my hot coil, and at 100 watts it worked perfectly. Since I slept later than expected, I didn't pull out of the camp until about 11am.

I drove north in the direction of Orange, VA. On the way I stopped to view the Barbour Mansion Ruins, home of James Barbour an early governor of Virginia that burned in 1884. It was designed by Thomas Jefferson, and now has a popular vineyard and winery. Further on Hwy 20  I finally came to Montpelier, home of the 5th President of the US, James Madison and his wife Dolly. It is out of the way, and not highly publicized, but definitely an enjoyable estate to walk around. With a "AcoustiGuide" tape player you can hear about all the places you walk through.

Barbour Mansion Ruins

Montpelier

James Madison & model of Montpelier

View from the house to Montpelier grounds

Ready for dinner with James Madison and friends at Montpelier

The big house is full of history:  from the early 1800's through it's expansion when James Madison inherited it, with the entertaining done by Dolly Madison, and after Madison's death, with the sale of the estate and later purchase by a black sheep of the wealthy DuPont family of Delaware. If you go there be prepared to spend several hours enjoying the historic plantation.  The graves of James and Dolly Madison are on the grounds of Montpelier.

Graves of James and Dolly Madison

The two lane highways of Virginia, while picturesque, are narrow enough to make me hold my breath when oncoming trucks pass by. I headed back southeast and in an hour arrived at Richmond, VA. I reluctantly came to this city, but with the 3-day Memorial Day weekend, I figured a lot of the people had left the city and gone to the mountains, so I would get a motel room, use the internet, and be able to visit some of the Civil War battle sites that I had missed before. I got a room at Best Western for two nights, got a sandwich at Arby's and settled in for some serious internet exchange.  Although I had ancestors in Virginia, I wasn't sure just where they had lived.

Ancestor Tracking - around Charlottesville, VA - 25 May 2001

25 May 2001 Charlottesville, VA area  - KOA Campground

I slept late and well, then took off to find the Walton’s Mountain of the Walton’s TV show. Unfortunately I turned out of the campground in the wrong direction because I was thinking the campground was on the south side of the road – it wasn’t. So despite my very detailed map, I couldn’t find the right highway. I stopped at a rock quarry to ask directions, but the guy had to run and answer a phone. Finally I took out my GPS and it knew exactly where I was, and it agreed with the maps, despite my thinking the maps were wrong- sure. Heading in the right direction I drove through some really beautiful land. Very hilly and green, lots of trees. Beautiful, old, backwoods type area. I took some very rural roads, holding my breath each time I approached another vehicle on the narrow, nearly one-lane road. I haven’t gotten comfortable with the van width yet.

Walton  Mt Museum at Schuyler

 The home of Earl Hamner, the original “John-Boy Walton” of the TV show was raised in Schuyler, VA.  I was surprised his house was actually in the tiny town, and not up by itself on the way to Walton’s Mountain.  The town had prospered due to a soapstone quarry and works in the town.  Earl’s father worked there.  There were several old churches.  “Ike Godsey’s” store, has now burned down.  The school is now made into a community center and museum for the Waltons.  Several rooms are made up to appear as the Walton’s home on TV looked. 

"Ike Godsey's Store"

"Walton's Living Room"

I watched a video and was amazed at how similar all the Walton kids looked like the real Hamner kids.  Earl Hamner helped with the original casting, and even chose Richard Thomas to play himself.  Ate next door at the Schuyler Family Restaurant, and enjoyed the lunch and down-home service.

Real and TV "John Boy" Walton / Hamner

The real Walton / Hamner home

Heading back to Charlottesville I took the tiny Rockfish River Road – quiet and isolated, each turn a picture of peacefulness.. The rain came again as I was getting back into Thomas Jefferson’s neighborhood. Reminded me of two years ago during Hurricane Dennis (?) how I slogged through the downpour to visit Monticello. Today I would visit Ashlawn-Highlands, the home of James Monroe, 5th President of the US, and good friend of Jefferson. Last time I only got as far as the parking lot, then due to a ticking clock, pulled back out to be able to get back to Ft Bragg, NC in time for work at the hospital. Well, no work schedule for me today.

Rockfish Road

Ash Highlands - home of James Monroe

A very modest home for ex-president Monroe back in the early 1800’s. He wasn’t of the new aristocracy as were Washington and Jefferson. The home, slave quarters, and overseer’s house were nicely kept, and maintained by the College of William & Mary. Next on the agenda, driving past Monticello, was a stop at Michie’s Tavern. Built in the late 1700’s as a home, it became a tavern and lodging place for travelers. The tour was different in that it wasn’t a regular home, and included a well, an outhouse or “necessary”, a spring house, curing shed, and grist mill. There is also no lack of souvenirs for the tourists to buy, but I was able to resist these, as my van won’t hold much.

Michie's Tavern

Room at historic Michie's Tavern

Back at the campground, there was a bustling of activity, as the Memorial Day Weekend has begun. All spots were filled except a couple tent sites. It’s kind of nice to see the kids playing and all the activity. I was happy in my van. It was still raining lightly. For dinner I finished the potato salad left from Walton’s Mt, and the remainder of the asparagus, plus some triscuits (my daughter’s favorite) with Apple Chutney (OK I couldn’t resist buying that). Used the van battery for a half hour of news on the TV and 45 minutes of reading lights. The test will be if the van battery starts in the morning. ??

23 May 2001 Wed: Harper’s Ferry, WV – Harrisonburg, VA

After three rainy days in the Harper's Ferry, WV campground, the sun came out and the weather was perfect for a camp -- so I am leaving... go figure! Well, I can't let the weather dictate where I want to go, and I decided to go back to the Shenandoah Valley and see some more of the great state of Virginia. I was possibly tracing the route of my Harbison, Thornburgh, Polson, Bryan, King, Haywood and Hope families before the Revolution as they moved south and eventually went throught the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky.  It was a fine day. The squirrels were out, almost coming into the van. Also the people began emerging from their big motor homes. There weren't any Appalachian Trail hikers. Too wet I think.


I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to stay - but knew it would be at a motel, as I wanted to connect back to the internet and recharge all my batteries –the jump-start power battery, Video Camera, Cell Phone, and Laptop batteries. It was a beautiful day. Heading down south into the Shenandoah Valley I came to Winchester, I ate at Shoney’s breakfast bar and even got a discount for being elderly! $5.49 –I had eggs, bacon, hashed brown potatoes, strawberries, pancakes, French toast, chicken, mashed potatoes, I left all the nutritious food alone, I guess. I decided to travel further down and perhaps stay at Strasburg or New Market, but pushed on south to Harrisonburg. I needed to stay at a town that had a “local call access“ to dial up the local AOL access phone number for my internet connection.

I chose Harrisonburg's Day’s Inn because they advertised having data ports, free local calls, and refrigerators. Truth is, not all the rooms have data port phones or fridges, and there was a $1 phone access. I couldn’t get onto the internet in the first room I got, so insisted I change to a room with a data port phone. Then I called AOL and got some help, and connected with a new AOL access number – one with a slower speed I guess. Well, after all that work, I headed for the jacuzzi and got a wonderful water massage on my poor neck. Carefully watching the time, I was out of the jacuzzi for the start of the last episode of “Boot Camp” on television - now I can rest in peace, the girl, “Whitlow” won the $500,000 and I don’t have to watch any more evening TV. The TV in my van gets good receptions for some channels, but uses the van battery, which I want to be careful about – so I don’t drain it. I spent a couple hours online and answered e-mail and enjoyed hearing from friends.