Tag Archives: travel photographer
Fall in Rockefeller Preserve in Sleepy Hollow
Fall in the Rockefeller Preserve, Sleepy Hollow, New York
To view more photos or order prints from Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown and Westchester county, click here
Posted in Hudson River Valley, Sleepy Hollow
Also tagged "fine art prints", country scenes, historical attractions, landscape prints, rural scenes
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Historic attractions, shipwrecks and solitude on Cape Cod
To view larger or order prints from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, click here
Many things come to mind when you mention Cape Cod – JFK walking the beach at his summer White House at Hyannisport, a getaway for the well-to-do, the arts and alternative lifestyle of Provincetown. But an incredible amount of history has washed up on Cape Cod’s shores.
One of the largest barrier islands in the world and shaped like an arm flexing its bicep, Cape Cod protects much of the Massachusetts coastline from the unforgiving waves of the north Atlantic. Between Chatham and Provincetown, a distance of around fifty miles, over 1,000 wrecks are recorded, leading to its designation as an ocean graveyard.
The Sparrowhawk was the first recorded shipwreck on Cape Cod’s shores, back in,1626. That tale had a happy ending, with all the passengers reaching safety and the ship being repaired, only to sink again before it could be relaunched. Over the next few hundred years, shipwrecks became a form of income for the locals, salvaging the cargo, and sometimes the human cargo which washed ashore. Typically ships would flounder during storms however, and it was seldom that the hapless passengers reached the beaches of Cape Cod. As lifesaving techniques improved, when possible, lifesaving crews took specially equipped boats to ships in distress. When the surf made this impossible, they would attempt to fire a small cannon called a Lyle gun with a line attached to its shell to the ship. Sailors and passengers were then brought to shore in a basket above the waves. It was a dangerous task for those charged with saving lives as well, and their motto was “you have to go, but you don’t have to come back.”
Native Americans also were known to rescue stranded mariners, whose ships piled up on Cape Cod’s shore. The Wampanoag tribe has called Cape Cod home for many years, though they only received official recognition from the U.S. government in 2007. Originally numbering around 7,000 at the time of the pilgrim’s landing in Massachusetts, it was the Wampanoag you might remember, which helped them survive their earliest years on the new continent. The arrival of white people on the Cape had devastating consequences on the native American population, as the tribe was hit hard from Eurasian diseases for which they had no natural immunity.
And forget Plymouth Rock. The pilgrims made their first landing on these shores near Provincetown on November 11, 1620. It was there that the Mayflower Compact was drawn up, and a scouting party sent ashore to look for a suitable area for their colony. They encountered Indians near Eastham, and found no spot suitable for habitation, so once again the Mayflower set off, before finally settling on Plymouth.
And it’s believed that the pilgrims weren’t the first Europeans to come ashore on Cape Cod. There is evidence that the Promontory of Vinland mentioned by the Norse voyagers of 985-1025 was Cape Cod. Some believe that in 1006, Leif Ericson and his Vikings started a colony near Dennis. Archeological evidence has been found which might support the theory that it was here that the Norsemen built a form of dry dock to repair their ships. Whether the Vikings reached as far south as Cape Cod will probably never be known for certain however.
Henry Thoreau’s incredibly dry travelogue Cape Cod paints a picture of the area in the years 1849-1857. By then the land had been denuded of trees, and firewood had to be shipped in from Maine. The sand encroached on farm land and ground available for pasture, so much so that farming was abandoned on the Cape by the late nineteenth century, it’s inhabitants concentrating instead on the whaling and fishing industries.
By the end of the nineteenth century, tourism was coming to life on the Cape. Today it’s a major form of income for the locals, with much of the island’s commerce being shut down after the summer months. Which for me is the time to visit Cape Cod.
In late October and early November, you can feel the winter blowing in from the Atlantic winds, which while I was there never seemed to lie down, The colors were changing, far later than most of the rest of the northeast, and the sunsets were truly spectacular. You have the beaches to yourself, bed and breakfasts are off-season and you can get a sense of what Cape Cod was like before it became gentrified. Colonial era houses and buildings, as well as residences built for sea captains dot the landscape, and there are fewer roads which scream New England like Route 6A, which skirts serpent-like along the coast. It’s there in the solitude that the ghosts of Cape Cod speak to the traveller, of a time long gone but still out there. Below the sands and below the waves.
Posted in New England
Also tagged "fine art prints", art prints, historical attractions, native american history
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Ancient America comes alive at Angel Mounds State Historic Site
I’ve always been a fan of crackpot science. There’s something about the unknown and the unknowable that spurs the imagination. I love ley lines, standing stones, the pyramids – be them in Egypt or Central America. I’m frequently asked if I believe in UFOs, to which I always answer yes. After all, there are certainly flying objects that are unidentified. Just what they are I can’t say, otherwise they wouldn’t be unidentified now would they? I’ve made my pilgrimage to Avebury, Glastonbury and even used to brew beer that always included a dash of water from Joseph of Arimathea’s holy well, which might very well have the grail resting at the bottom.
It was about the time that I discovered John Michell’s New View Over Atlantis, that I learned that some of the greatest mysteries of prehistory existed right under my very nose. Back then you did your research in a library, and the extent of your knowledge depended on what books your library had on hand, or that you could persuade the librarian to order for you. It was there I discovered the moundbuilders of North America, and particularly Cahokia, near St. Louis, and Angel Mounds, closer to home in Evansville, Indiana.
I have no memory of the name of the book I found in the library that brought the moundbuilders to light for me, only that it dated from the first part of the nineteenth century, when the theories for who built these mounds ranged from noble savages, to the lost tribes of Israel, to the same European tribes who had built Stonehenge (who had of course also had contact with those who built the great pyramids), to extra-terrestrials. As I recall, the book in question had put forth a theory quite popular at the time, that it was a northward migration of the same peoples who built the pyramids of Central America.
There’s something magical about walking the grounds of Angel Mounds. Covering over 100 acres, the complex was begun around 1000 CE, and thrived for almost 500 years before mysteriously fading away about the same time Columbus came skipping across the water. There’s a distinct lack of things ancient in this country, and to stand in the midst of an abandoned city a thousand years old is a heady experience. It was almost a hundred years after the discovery of sites like this that the world culture was used to describe the people who built them. But what an amazing culture it must have been, in the middle of the wilderness, to sustain a large enough population to have the free time to build these huge mounds.
The Central Mound at Angel is 644 feet long, over 400 feet wide, and climbs in two levels, with a third conical mound standing in the southeast corner. Angel was a chiefdom, and it’s thought that it was from the top of this conical mound that the chief would address his people. The Temple Mound, which once had a reconstruction of the temple built to the Native American’s sun god at the top, lies on the same axis as the Central Mound. It is believed that the structure that originally stood on top of this mound held the bones of the ancestors of the chief, as well as sacred statues and other ceremonial items. A beautifully carved statue of a deity was found buried in the top of the mound, thought to have been done ceremonially at the end of Angel Mound’s occupation.
The interpretative center at Angel Mounds contains a wealth of information about the settlement, including life-size dioramas and a reconstruction of part of the village. There are other reconstructions scattered around the site, including a section of the wall which once encompassed three sides of the 100 acre site. Yet most of Angel Mounds remains blessedly undeveloped. The trees are kept cleared, the grass short enough to allow you to see the shape of even the smallest of the mounds. In short, it’s a blank natural canvas which lets the mind do its magic.
The exploration of the mounds of North American began when Thomas Jefferson decided to excavate one on his property. Even Benjamin Franklin got in on the act of trying to figure out who built them and why. For a long time, many people believed that there was a golden age on this continent, when advanced civilizations built these amazing cities. The same theories used to be tossed about in Britain over sites like Stonehenge and Avebury. I’ve always believed that it’s a natural inclination to want to believe in golden ages, in part because there’s a certain romance to be found in their decline and disappearance, as you find in the myths about Atlantis, or the realities of the antebellum plantations in the south. Even golden ages of the imagination had their real-life horrors, from the slavery of the old south, to the human sacrifices at Cahokia and Angel.
And yet the magic lives on in these sites. The keys to truly understanding the moundbuilders, and their cities like Angel Mounds, Cahokia Mounds and Kincaid Mounds in southern Illinois, might never be found. Then again, perhaps all it takes is seeing the landscape at the right angle, in the right light, and like Alfred Watkins discovering ley lines stretching across the English countryside, it might all come into focus. The focus might be cracked like an old teacup, but for me, the key to history isn’t just in the facts. It’s also in the imagination, which drives us to look deeper for answers.
Posted in Native Americans
Also tagged "fine art prints", mississippian culture, mound builders, moundbuilders, Native Americans
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Stepping back in time and into the muck at Cache River State Natural Area
To view larger or order prints from the Cache River Natural Wildlife Area, click here
Tucked away in the southern tip of Illinois you can find places which don’t seem to belong there. When you think of Illinois – aside from Chicago, or references to Abraham Lincoln, you tend to think of acres of flat land covered in corn, wheat and soybeans. What you might not think of are sheer bluffs, canyons, waterfalls and in the case of the Cache River State Natural area, cypress and tupelo tree swamps.
Formed in the remains of of a floodplain created long ago by glacial runoff coursing through the Ohio River, the wetlands that make up this area are fed by the Cache River and its tributaries. Boasting trees which were saplings when Vikings plundered Europe, as well as much younger trees which date to the time of Christopher Columbus, Cache River State Natural Area gives you a chance to immerse yourself in an area little disturbed by human contact.
My companion had been there before, and suggested the Todd Fink-Heron Pond Trail. The gravel trail which wind through the area, as well as wide and stable boardwalks which take you out over the water itself allow you to experience features of the planet which otherwise would be pretty much off limits. The 1.5 mile trail is labelled easy, which is true, though in July when we visited, the heat was pretty intense. You can’t count on much of a breeze, and the bugs are pretty much what you’d expect in a swamp.
The bottomland forests of the area surround Heron Pond, and a boardwalk extends out to the center. The shallow water is home to towering cypress trees, rising high above the duckweed which covers the surface of the pond. It’s easy to spot signs of life in the green duckweed, including trails left by snakes swimming along its surface. The curious bird-like sound heard frequently is actually the sound of tree frogs, which live in the cypress. What you see while standing on the boardwalk and looking out is a sight relatively unchanged for a thousand years or more.
To view larger or order prints from the Cache River Natural Wildlife Area, click here
It’s a miracle that its survived to this day. In the nineteenth century, only a few sturdy settlers occupied the area, trying to make a go of it harvesting lumber. With the advances in technology however, the wetlands were cleared quite rapidly. It was only when concerned citizens stepped in to stop the harvest, that about 15,000 acres were saved. Almost a quarter of a million acres of wetland were lost.
There are about a hundred species of endangered wildlife which finds a home in the Cache River State Natural area. Bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, barred owls, great blue herons, great egrets, little blue herons, green herons, least bitterns, wood ducks, mallards, snow geese, sora rails, woodcock, quail, mourning doves, red-headed woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, prothonotary warblers, black vultures and turkey vultures are among the birds often spotted. White-tailed deer, squirrels, raccoons, beavers, gray foxes, red foxes, opossums, skunks, mink and the occasional bobcat are among the mammals of the area. And a plethora of reptiles inhabit the wetlands, including ird-voiced tree frogs, southern leopard frogs, spring peepers, western chorus frogs, bullfrogs, American toads, cottonmouths, copperheads and timber rattlesnakes. So it’s best to keep your eyes peeled, as those last three are rather venomous snakes.
In addition to hiking, it’s possible to take canoe tours, ranging from three to six miles. There’s also a bike trail which winds through the area. And for fishermen (and fisherwomen), the catch could range from Channel catfish, crappie, bass to bluegill. Authentic swamp fish might also end up on your hook, the bowfin, needlenose gar, grass pickerel and yellow bullhead catfish for example. Two state-endangered fish which live only in forest swamps are the pygmy sunfish and cypress minnows.
We were content to hike the easiest of the trails, and sit on the boardwalk in the middle of Heron Pond and watch the filtered sunlight dancing on the duckweed, changing the color from a bright emerald to a rich green, and listen to the tree frogs high above us. There are few places where you can lose the sound of humanity, and here the only human sounds were the occasional far off sound of a truck out on the highway. My companion said once, that it was a place that felt like we shouldn’t be there. And she was right. It was humans which almost destroyed the Cache River wetlands for all time. But it’s also humans which have managed to preserve at least a part of it, and given us access to areas we could never otherwise reach.
As a reminder, when we got back to the truck, my friend noticed her ankles were swarming with deer ticks. These carriers of Lyme disease are a reminder that even though we might go someplace, we might not be designed to survive in those places for long. Leave no tracks, and wear boots!
If you go:
For more info:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/r5/cachervr.htm
Directions
To reach Cache River State Natural Area headquarters from the North, take I-57 south to I-24, go east toward Nashville, get off at exit #14 (Vienna), turn right at the stop sign onto US Rt 45, go south on Rt 45 through Vienna, 7 miles, turn right on the Belknap road for 4 miles to the stop sign in Belknap, turn right at the stop sign on Main Street and go 2,000 feet and turn right onto Sunflower Lane (past the Belknap Methodist Church) and go north 1 mile to the park office. The park office is located in the white metal pole building.
To reach the Henry Barkhausen Wetlands from Vienna, IL, go West 5 miles on Route 146 from the intersection of Route 146 & US Route 45, turn left or South on Route 37, then 9 miles to Wetlands Center entrance – follow signs.
While groups of 25 or more are welcome and encouraged to use the park’s facilities, they are required to register in advance with the site office to avoid crowding or scheduling conflicts.
At least one responsible adult must accompany each group of 15 minors.
Pets must be kept on leashes at all times.
Actions by nature can result in closed roads and other facilities. Please call ahead to the park office before you make your trip.
We hope you enjoy your stay. Remember, take only memories, leave only footprints.
For more information on tourism in Illinois, call the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs’ Bureau of Tourism at 1-800-2Connect.
Telecommunication Device for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Natural Resources Information (217) 782-9175 for TDD only Relay Number 800-526-0844.
Posted in Ohio River Valley
Also tagged "fine art prints", off the beaten path travel, swamp photos, wetlands photos
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