Levan Homestead

Friday, August 3, 2018

DC/NY/Harmony trip (Day 5) July 6, 2018

July 6: (12,414 steps) Today was a travel day. We left Washington D.C. and made our way to New York, City. Thanks to Ethan, we stopped by Fort McKinley along the way. What a thrill is was to see the exact place where the Star Spangled Banner was penned. Feeling the Spirit of sacrifice and liberty that remains there as I visualized the ship holding Francis Scott Key about three miles off shore was a moving experience. I was so grateful we stopped there. We drove past Constitution Hall and the home of the Liberty Bell on our way. The lines were too long for us to actually stop because of we needed to get to our next destination. We checked into our hotel in NY and then bused into the Port Authority station through the Lincoln tunnel and walked down to see the Broadway Production of “Wicked”. The capability of that stage was amazing and the production was thrilling. It was a highlight for all of us. By the time we got back to our hotel, it was rather late.

The Lincoln Tunnel is an approximately 1.5-mile-long tunnel under the Hudson River, consisting of three 13 feet high vehicular tubes, each with two lanes. It connects New Jersey with Manhattan in New York City. It is estimated that 112,995 vehicles pass through it per day. The clearance inside is scary for a car and being in a bus made me want to close my eyes. Each car is charged a $15 toll. That over 1.5 million dollars per day!

A brief history of Fort McHenry followed by photos of our visit.

On June 18, 1812, America declared war on Great Britain after a series of trade disagreements. It became known as the War of 1812. In August 1814, British troops invaded Washington, D.C., and burned the White House, Capitol Building and Library of Congress. Their next target was Baltimore.

After one of Key’s friends, Dr. William Beanes, was taken prisoner by the British, Key went to Baltimore, located the ship where Beanes was being held and negotiated his release. However, Key and Beanes weren’t allowed to leave the ship until after the British bombardment of Fort McHenry. Key watched the bombing campaign from an attack by the British Navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13–14, 1814, unfold from aboard a ship located about four miles away. Key was inspired by the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry at daybreak, as reflected in the now-famous words of the “Star-Spangled Banner”: “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” He quickly penned a few lines in tribute to what he had witnessed that Sept. 13, 1814 morning. It was adopted as the national anthem on March 3, 1931. Losses: U.S., 28 killed, 250 wounded, 50 captured; British, 46 killed, 300 wounded.

Grandpa and Andrew

Laura

Notice this flag is patterned of the one that flew over Ft.

McHenry in 1814. The original flag is in the Smithsonian Museum.

Jason, Anna, Andrew, Jessica, Janna and Amy

The interior of Fort McHenry.

A reenactment of a military drill.

Major George Armistead, the man responsible for the battle plan.

One of Fort McHenry's magazines.

"Gun power for a fort is kept in the magazine. The ternm "magazine" comes from the French and Arabic words meaning "storehouse." Perhaps the most important building at Fort McHenry, over 30,000lbs of explosive black powder could be stored in this small room---the equivalent of over 10 tons of TNT. The Aetna and Bellona powder mills just outside of Baltimore manufactured the powder used at Fort McHenry. The powder was stored in barrels weighing 100 lbs. each."

Reenactment of life at Fort McHenry.

OFF TO SEE WICKED!

The escalator at the Port Authority in NYC.

This was not OSHA approved but it was fast and fun!

The Broadway Stage from our seats.

This was the WICKED crew.

A nice lady snapped a shot with me in the photo, too.

DC/NY/ Harmony trip (Day 4) July 5, 2018

July 5: (9673 steps) We spent another day in downtown D.C. The van Mitchell’s rented got rear-ended by the park ranger in a side by side. Jason had just parked and was leaving the van when it happened. That meant he spent the better part of the day filling out reports and forms and getting a different van. Darrel and I made a brief stop at the Smithsonian Natural and American History museums and then went to the Holocaust Museum. It appeared we would not be able to go in because time sensitive tickets were required and we didn’t have time to wait for a chance to get in. As an afterthought, I returned to the line to ask a question just as a gentleman came by with tickets for veterans and other public servants to use immediately. He looked at me and I said with a smile, “I just drive a school bus.” He asked how many tickets I needed. When I said, “just two,” he said that was good enough and we were in within 5 minutes. What I learned at the Holocaust museum helped me with some questions I’ve had regarding the Church’s relationship with the LGBTQ group. Rather than shun them, they have stood up for their human rights, made donations to their worthy projects, and even invited association through the arts and other common ground. Hearing the story of Hitler’s rise to power made it clear that when we allow any group to be targeted, we can be certain others will follow. Before long, our group is targeted and there is no one left to defend or petition for us. Several groups were targeted before the Jewish people. The LGBTQ group was the very first. Without resistance the regime gained momentum, confidence and strength. Although I don’t agree in the least with the LGBTQ lifestyle, I can see that protecting their civil rights as human beings is a safe-guard for our own. The atrocities of the Nazi regime are unfathomable and unforgivable. It is hard to imagine how another human can become so objectified that their lives have no value. That can only happen by degree and in some ways society was and still can be a part of that. That evening we drove past the White House and National Capital buildings on our way to the Washington D.C. Temple. It is closed due to renovations, but just being there made me feel at home. One of the senior missionaries served on the high counsel with my brother, Mark. We learned on this trip that the church makes the world a small one in deed.