CLARKSBORO NEW JERSEY & PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA

Thursday, May 01 - Today's travel from Fredericksburg, VA was without incident, although the roads Ray took were stop and go. Hwy 301 goes through all the small towns. We arrived at Timberlane Campground in Clarksboro, New Jersey. The park is satisfactory with lots of woods and hardwood trees around. Our cell and air card are working. We saw a wild turkey wandering about the park as if he was tame. Not sure what to feed a wild turkey, but there are ducks in the pond in the park. We have rain in the forecast, but it may be intermittent and we can go see the Philly Historical District. Friday, May 2 - Ray's Reflections: PHILADELPHIA We were trying to decide how we should tour the historical city. Both of us enjoy taking a city tour which gives us a basic lay out of the important points of interest and go back later for a longer visit to certain areas. After looking at a city map, we felt most everything was concentrated in a small region. We decided to try it on own. Having been across this great country and back and feeling very confident with directions along with our trusty GPS I thought no problem. After all, it is not like running around town in 40 ft RV towing a 20+ ft truck with a motorcycle in it. With our rig when you miss a turn (YOU MISS A TURN). It may be blocks or miles before you are turned around, been there done that. We gathered up our daily supply of maps, visitor info, drinks, snacks, cameras hats, sunglasses, and we are off. Our 15-minute drive to the Franklin Bridge was mostly uneventful. As we approached the city over the Delaware River the smog over Philly was very obvious, approaching the exit I realized GPS would be of little use trying to watch traffic, street signs, and one way signs along with hundreds of school kids on walking tours. The streets in the historical area were very rough mostly one way narrow with occupied parking on both sides. We were trying to find a parking lot near the visitor center. Marsha was a big help, two sets of eyes better than one. Finally after 40 minutes of searching, success. We enjoyed the films in the visitor center and the Independence Visitor Center , also many historical buildings in the district. My feelings toward big cities have not changed. Thankfully Philly was the last on our list for a while. A picture of wild turkeys when he rode the Gold Wing one day.

We drove to Philadelphia to visit the Independence Visitor Center at 6^th & Market Streets. We took I-295 N to I-676 N, over the Ben Franklin Bridge. The traffic was formidable and took a lot of navigating downtown to find a parking place. Although we were only gone three hours, it cost us $22. We walked the area. We were not able to see the Liberty Bell due to a massive amount of people waiting. It must have been the day for local schools to have an outing, as children were everywhere. Derived from the Greek words meaning "city of brotherly love," Philadelphia received its name because of its openness to people of all races, religion, and culture; a foundation important to its founder William Penn. Today, the city works hard to maintain this ideal, while still encouraging the advancement of culture, commerce, education and entertainment.

Marsha asked Benjamin Franklyn some questions. National Constitution Center (Independence Mall) was amazing and we enjoyed the two films they presented. In 1948, the interior of the building was restored to its original appearance. Independence National Historical Park was established by the 80th U.S. Congress later that year to preserve historical properties associated with the American Revolution. Independence National Historical Park is made up of a landscaped area of four city blocks, and outlying sites that include: Independence Square, Carpenters' Hall (meeting place of the First Continental Congress), the site of Benjamin Franklin's home, the reconstructed Graff House (where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence), City Tavern (center of revolutionary-war activities), restored period residences, and early banks. The park also holds the Liberty Bell, Franklin's desk, a portrait gallery, gardens, and libraries. A product of extensive documentary research and archaeology by the federal government, the restoration of Independence Hall and other buildings in the park set standards for other historic preservation and stimulated rejuvenation of old Philadelphia. The site is administered by the National Park Service, and it is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (joining only three other U.S. man-made monuments still in use, the others being the Statue of Liberty, Pueblo de Taos, and the combined site of the University of Virginia and Monticello).

The Philadelphia Bourse Building, the first commodities exchange in the United States, was completed in 1895. The building was one of the first steel-framed buildings to be constructed. Three types of masonry were used on the facade: Carlisle redstone, Pompeian buff brick and terra cotta. Inside were large columns and pilasters leading to a balcony surrounding the main floor. Bow-top girders were used to support a skylight at the third floor. Celebrating over 100 years as a center for commerce and trade, The Bourse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is one of Philadelphia’s leading commercial complexes, home to 27 retail and food service stores and more than 35 businesses.

We ate lunch on the first floor where there is a massive food court.

William Penn sailed up the Delaware River in 1682 aboard the ship Welcome. Once the ship had been moored at Chester, Pa., he took a barge to Philadelphia. He came onto land at an area that was a tidewater basin called the Dock. This area was lightly populated by Swedes, Dutch and some Indians. This landing area soon became the center for maritime interests. As people migrated to the Philadelphia area, they had to build homes. While those homes were being built, some dug into the Delaware River banks to make caves in which to sleep. That section of town had a rowdy reputation and some were cited for drunkenness and even for prostitution. Nevertheless, Philadelphia grew and the expansive lots Penn envisioned soon were plotted out--but as very crowded urban areas. Today, Penn's Landing comprises ten blocks running from Vine Street to South Street. Although Philadelphia is still part of the shipping business, the landing has become a riverside park, which plays host to music festivals. The picture is of the Lighthouse on the Delaware River. Only a few lights of this design were built, and this is believed to be the only survivor of the class. Mounted at the end of a short pier projecting into the river.

The Delaware River was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony. The river meets tidewater at Trenton, New Jersey. Its total length, from the head of the longest branch to the capes, is 410 miles, and above the head of the bay, its length is 360 miles. The mean freshwater discharge of the Delaware River into the estuary is 11,550 cubic feet per second. The Delaware River constitutes in part the boundary between Pennsylvania and New York, the entire boundary between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and most of the boundary between Delaware and New Jersey. A historical oddity, the Delaware-New Jersey Border is actually at the eastern-most river shoreline within the Twelve-Mile Circle of New Castle, rather than the usual mid river or mid-channel borders, causing small portions of the New Jersey peninsula falling west of the shoreline to fall under the jurisdiction of Delaware. The rest of the borders follow a mid-channel approach. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal joins the waters of the Delaware with those of the Chesapeake Bay. The mean tides below Philadelphia are about 6 feet. The magnitude of the commerce of Philadelphia has made the improvements of the river below that port of great importance. Small improvements were attempted by Pennsylvania as early as 1771. In the "project of 1885" the United States government undertook systematically the formation of a 26 ft (8 m) channel 600 ft (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to deep water in. The River and Harbor Act of 1899 provided for a 30 foot (9 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to the deep water of the bay. Monday, May 5 - We left home at 9:00 am to drive about an hour on I-55 south to see historical Cape May and drive to the point to see the Cape May Lighthouse. Along the drive, we passed many very upscale subdivisions with enormous homes on large landscaped lots. The pink and white dogwood trees were everywhere. We turned onto SR 47 and saw a lot of low-lying marshland. The skies became overcast. We also saw wineries and the grape vines are just now showing their green leaves. We drove through the small historic town of Dennisville where there are old homes sitting right off the highway due to the expansion of the roads in this area. We stopped long enough to get this picture of the St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church with its very old cemetery. We found that every church we saw after this also had their own large cemetery behind or on side of the church. Guess in the old days it was easier to do the service inside and then just walk outside to do the interment.

The Cape May Lighthouse is located off Lighthouse Avenue in Cape May Point State Park. The structure was built in 1859, was automated in 1946, and continues operation to this day. It has been completely restored and repainted in its original colors and with a totally reconstructed lantern. It is the third fully documented lighthouse to be built at Cape May Point. The first was built in 1823 and the second in 1847. The exact locations of the first two lighthouses are now underwater due to erosion. The view from the top extends to Cape May City and Wildwood to the north, Cape May Point to the south, and, on a clear day, Cape Henlopen, Delaware, to the west. Do not miss the Visitor's Orientation and Museum.

Picture of a very unique bird house (made from PVC parts) for Purple Martins. The birds were nesting and flying all around the birds' house.

The tower is 157 feet 6 inches tall, from the ground to the tower's cast iron spiral staircase. There are 217 steps from the ground to the top, with 199 steps in the tower's cast iron spiral staircase. The lighthouse has two separate walls. The outside wall is cone-shaped, and is 3 feet 10 inches thick at the bottom, and 1 foot 6 inches thick at the top. The inside wall is cylinder with 8.5-inch thick walls which support the spiral staircase. The walls were designed to withstand winds several times above hurricane force. Of course, we are not physically able to take the stairs, but enjoyed the scenery surrounding the lighthouse and seeing the Atlantic Ocean from the wooden walkway vantage point.

We drove through Cape May where there are beautiful homes in all shades of color and Victorian architecture. You can walk along the tree-lined streets and explore Cape May's Historic District where there are 96 Cape May Landmarks. Cape May has many cultural, historical and natural attractions on the island and we want to return some day. Numerous marinas and very large boats especially near Reeds Beach have offers to take you out for whale and dolphin watching boat trips as well as dinner cruises.

Saw several RV Parks, some with very dilapidated mobile homes mixed in. Beachcomber Camp Ground and Seashore Camp sites where two that we noticed along the way that looked inviting.

Passed by Historic Cold Springs Village. Historic Cold Spring Village is an Early American open-air living history museum. The Village brings to life the day-to-day activities of villagers living in South Jersey during the "age of homespun". (1790-1840).

Atlantic City has always been a resort town. Its location in South Jersey, hugging the Atlantic Ocean between marshlands and islands, presented itself as prime real estate for developers. The city was incorporated in 1854, the same year in which train service began, linking this remote parcel of land with Atlantic City and then became a popular beach destination because of its proximity to Philadelphia.

The first boardwalk was built in 1870, along a portion of the beach to help hotel owners keep sand out of their lobbies. The idea caught on, and the boardwalk was expanded and modified several times in the following years. The historic length of the boardwalk, before the 1944 hurricane, was about 7 miles and it extended from Atlantic City to Longport, through Ventnor and Margate. Today it is 4.12 miles long and 60 feet wide and reinforced with steel and concrete. The combined length of the Atlantic City and Ventnor boardwalks--the boardwalk now ends at the Ventor/Margate border--is approximately 5.75 miles, currently the world's longest boardwalk.

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