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Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations Mountains & Valleys
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Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

Mar 13, 2016

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Enjoy the spectacular scenery as we travel from West Virginia's New River Gorge, to the Ozarks of Arkansas, the Black Hills of South Dakota all the way to Alaska's Mount McKinley. Features also include the D-Day Memorial's 70th anniversary observance, and the War of 1812 in Southern Maryland, which resulted in the burning of the White House and Washington, DC.
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Page 1: Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

Mountains & Valleys

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Byways Magazine©Copyright 2014 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be

duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.Byways Magazine is celebrating its 31st year of publication in 2014, featuring the leading

travel destinations along the highways and byways of North America. In 2010, Byways becamean all digital publication. It is published in two versions, a free Turn-Key edition on the webfor viewing on Computers, Android, iPhone and iPad. An Apple Newsstand/App Storeedition including sound and interactive video is also available. All advertising and editorial isincluded in both versions of the publication.

For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine42 Cabin Hill Lane

Mount Jackson, VA 22842Fax 540-477-3858 800-469-0062

http://bywaysmagazine.com

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Welcome to the Mountains &Valleys issue of Byways. In the Ozark Mountains of

Missouri and Northwestern Arkansas,we learn that these mountains are actu-ally a high and deeply dissected plateau.The Ozark Highlands area, covering

nearly 47,000 square miles, is by far the most extensivemountainous region between the Appalachians and theRocky Mountains.

But Ozark also refers to the distinctive culture of thearea, and we learn about that culture at Arkansas’ OzarkFolk Center, where pioneer ways are preserved and dis-played for visitors.

Next, we’re off to theNew River Gorge in WestVirginia, featuring thespectacular New RiverBridge which spans theNew River. Despite itsname, it’s actually theoldest river in NorthAmerica.

We’ll visit on BridgeDay, which is one of themost unusual events youwill find anywhere. Joinin as BASE jumpers leapoff the bridge all day,with plenty of height fortheir parachutes to deploy before reaching the valleybelow.

Heading west, our next stop is the Black Hills of SouthDakota. More incredible scenery as we stand uponHarney Peak, the highest spot in the region. Enjoy thesweeping views of the Black Hills National Forest andget a view of four states, South Dakota, Nebraska,Wyoming, and Montana.

It is here in the Black Hills that sculptor GutzonBorglum carved Mount Rushmore, one of America’sgreat monuments.

Take a side trip to Deadwood, and discover the fasci-nating history of this gaming mecca.

Our final stop on our journey is North to Alaska, wherewe visit Mount McKinley and Denali National Park.Mount McKinley is the most popular feature in the park.Called Denali, or the Great One by the AthabascanIndians, its peak rises 20,320 feet above sea level, mak-ing it the highest point on the North American continent.

Mount McKinley is the third most prominent peak inthe world after Mount Everest and Aconcagua.

Most people visit the park via the National ParkService’s buses that travel the lone access road into thepark. The buses provide excellent opportunities to viewthe 37 species of wildlife that reside in the park.  Grizzlyand black bears, moose, caribou, wolves, red fox, lynx,wolverine, snowshoe hare, marmots and Dall sheep canall be seen while traveling the Park road.

Our second theme of this issue involves military histo-ry. Our first stop memorializes an event that took placein Europe in 1944 during World War II. This year is the70th anniversary of the D-Day landing, the allied inva-sion of France which signaled the turning point of the

European War.It is being observed in

the United States at theD-Day Memorial inBedford, Virginia. Itserves as the nationalmemorial for AmericanD-Day veterans.

However, its scope isinternational in that itserves, “In Tribute tothe valor, fidelity andsacrifice of AlliedForces on D-Day, June6, 1944.”

Bedford was selectedfor the National D-Day memorial because the town suf-fered the greatest per capita loss of life during the inva-sion of any town in United States.

The War of 1812 was already into its third year whenit reached Southern Maryland and led to one of the dark-est chapters in American history.

On August, 1814 a huge British naval force of morethan 45 ships sailed up the Patuxent River. This was thelargest naval force ever to enter Southern Marylandwaters. From these ships 4,000 British troops landed atBenedict, in Calvert County, marched overland, defeat-ed American troops at the Battle of Bladensburg, andproceeded on to the nation’s capital, where they capturedand burned Washington, D.C.

In What’s Happening, we rediscover the legend ofPatsy Cline in Winchester, Virginia and learn how LivingMuseums have come alive in the Pioneer Valley ofMassachusetts.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways.

PREVIEWBy Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

The New River Gorge in West Virginia

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FeaturesMountains & Valleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8The Ozarks of Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The Ozark Folk Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11West Virginia’s New River Gorge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14The Black Hills of South Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Alaska’s Mount McKinley & Denali. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Military History70th Anniversary of D-Day Observed at U.S. Memorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34The War of 1812 Reaches Southern Maryland & Washington is Burned!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

DepartmentsByways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

What’s HappeningBecoming Patsy Cline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Living Museums Come Alive in Massachussets Pioneer Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Coming in future issues of Byways…. . .Mountains and Valleys, Rivers and Lakes, OceanViews, Great American Roads, and much more!

At right: Oceans Views, fea-turing destinations along thehighways and byways of theAtlantic, Pacific and Gulf willbe highlighted in the nextissue of Byways. At right, thepier at Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Volume 31, Issue No. 2, 2014

On the cover. The view from the bridgewalk on the New RiverBridge overlooking West Virginia’s spectacular New River Gorge.Photo courtesy Visit Southern West Virginia. For more on ourMountains and Valleys issue, turn to page 8. For more on the NewRiver George in Southern West Virginia, turn to page 12.

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The Buffalo National River near Steel Creek Overlook inthe Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.

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Mountains & Valleys

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The Ozark Mountains, and the Ozark Plateau are aphysiographic and geologic highland region of thecentral United States, covering much of the south-

ern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of north-western and north central Arkansas.

Although referred to as the Ozark Mountains, theregion is actually a high and deeply dissected plateau.Geologically, the area is a broad dome around the SaintFrancois Mountains. The Ozark Highlands area, cover-ing nearly 47,000 square miles, is by far the most exten-sive mountainous region between the Appalachians andthe Rocky Mountains.

The Boston Mountains contain the highest elevationsof the Ozarks with peaks over 2,500 feet and form thegreatest relief of any formation between the Appalachianand Rocky Mountains. The Boston Mountains portion ofthe Ozarks extends north of the Arkansas River Valley 20to 35 miles and is approximately 200 miles.

Ozark also refers to the distinctive culture, architec-ture, and dialect shared by the people who live on theplateau. Early settlers in Missouri were American pio-neers who came West from the Southern Appalachians atthe beginning of the 19th century, followed in the 1840sand 1850s by Irish and German immigrants.

Much of the Ozark population is of English, Scots-Irish, and German descent, often including some NativeAmerican ancestry, and the Ozark families from whichthe regional culture derived tend to have lived in the area

since the 19th century.Early settlers relied on hunting, fishing, and trapping,

as well as foraging to supplement their diets andincomes. Today hunting and fishing for recreation arecommon activities and an important part of the touristindustry.

Traditional Ozark cul-ture includes stories andtunes passed orallybetween generationsthrough community musicparties and other informalgatherings. Many of thesetunes and tales can betraced to having Britishorigins and to Germanfolklore.

Square dances were animportant social avenuethroughout the Ozarks intothe 20th century. Squaredances sprang up wherev-er people concentratedaround mills and timbercamps, springs, fords, andin towns small and large.

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The OzarksThe Ozark Mountains inNorth Central Arkansas.

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Mountain View, Arkansas has been called the“Folk Music Capital of the World.” Eachevening, when the weather is mild, the town

square fills with guitar pickers, banjo players and fid-dlers, who play old-time mountain music.

Ozark pioneer ways are preserved and displayed forvisitors at the nearby Ozark Folk Center State Park fromApril through October. During the day, more than 20artisans demonstrate homestead skills such as quilting,preserving, pottery making, woodcarving, and basketmaking and weaving.

Each evening, musicians and dancers take stage in thecenter’s theater for nostalgic musical variety shows ofauthentic Ozark music and dancing. Nearby, the under-ground splendor, Blanchard Springs Caverns, has beencalled “the cave find of the 20th century.” A popularaddition to the regular tours at the caverns is the "WildCave Tours" where the more adventuresome can explorethe undeveloped areas of the cave.

Arkansas's unique Ozark Folk Center State Park isAmerica's only facility that works at preserving theOzark heritage and sharing it in an entertaining way.

Tap your toes to mountain music at one of yourfavorite Arkansas state parks located in Mountain View,Arkansas in the heart of the Ozarks. See blacksmithing,pottery-making and more than 18 other pioneer skillsand crafts. The Craft Village is open Tuesday throughSaturday from April through November.

Music occupies very special places in the hearts ofOzark Mountain folk. The songs of the south and the folkdance tunes of the region provide a looking glass offer-ing a treasured glimpse of history of American folkmusic in Arkansas. The fiddle and banjo were favorite

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The Ozark Folk Center

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sources of entertainment for pio-neer settlers, and these two popu-lar American folk instrumentsstill sing out among the soundsone hears today when visiting thebeautiful Ozarks. Guitars, man-dolins, dulcimers, autoharps andother acoustic instruments join tocreate the old-time music that isstill enjoyed to this very day inscenic Mountain View, the heartof the Ozark folk music scene.

Celebrity performers andOzark musicians fill our largeauditorium with the sounds of tra-ditional southern mountainmusic. String band instruments,ballads and Celtic roots dancesfill the stage. Join in the dancesand sing along with the familiartunes.

The Ozark Folk Center CraftsVillage has over 20 artisansdemonstrating Ozark Heritage crafts and the everydayskills used by Ozark Mountain people in the 19th andearly 20th centuries. These skills have become Arkansasheritage crafts - basket weaving, broom making, black-smithing, pottery making, knife making, weaving, quilt-ing, wood carving, spinning, soap making, dress making,herb gardening, coopering, doll making, candle making,wood turning, and more.

The Ozark Folk Center is home to one of the mostdiverse organic herb gardens in the nation and is made upof many different types of gardens planted throughoutthe park. Most of our herbs are propagated in a 20 X 36greenhouse located in a secluded area outside of theCraft Village.

For the young and young at heart try a treetop adven-ture at the Loco Ropes high ropes course located adja-cent to the parking lot at the Ozark Folk Center. See the

Ozarks from a whole newperspective and don't miss theThe Flying Pig ZipLine!Individuals and groups wel-come.

Visit historic downtownMountain View, Arkansas,the “Folk Music Capital ofthe World.” Explore the awe-some Blanchard Springs cav-erns. Go trout fishing on theWhite River or float theBuffalo National ScenicRiver, and enjoy other nearbyattractions. Come to theOzark Folk Center for a great“learn while you have fun”vacation or a relaxing week-end getaway in the beauty ofthe Ozarks.

For more information, visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com

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The blacksmith at Ozark Folk Center.

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The New River Gorge Bridge and rafting on the New River. The 4thlongest single -span steel arch bridge in the world spans the New

River where thousands of adventure seekers whitewater raft eachseason. Photo courtesy Visit Southern West Virginia.

West Virginia’sNew River Gorge

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BASE jumpers leap from any and all of four fixedobjects with parachutes designed specifically for

rapid deployment. Known around the world as themost extreme of extreme sports, BASE jumpers

look forward to Bridge Day ® every year. Photo courtesy New River George CVB.

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When you walk out onto The New River GorgeBridge during Bridge Day, you’ll be standingover one of the oldest river gorges on Earth.

By most accounts, the New River Gorge is about 345million years old. That makes it the top contender forbeing the first river in North America.

The New River Gorge in West Virginia averagesbetween 700 and 1300 feet deep. The gorge was formedsolely due to erosion; there were no glaciers in the arealike those that carved out similar gorges in other parts ofthe world. This part of the gorge is characterized by steepwalls, huge boulders, and an exposed cliff band along thegorge’s rim.

The river itself is steep for its size. In the 85 miles ofNew River in West Virginia, the river drops a total of 850feet on average. Most of that gradient is concentratedright here in the gorge. It’s the drop in elevation thatmakes for the New River’s outstanding whitewater.

876 feet. That’s the amount of vertical space that existsbetween The New River Gorge Bridge and the water.Below is a tribute to nature’s wonder. Above is a modernengineering miracle. Bridge Day celebrates both, and allthe space between.

In the 1960s Corridor L, which is Route 19, began con-struction, and it had to cross the New River Gorge. Theonly question was how. The answer was to build whatwas then the largest arch bridge in the world.Construction began in 1974 and was completed 3 yearslater in 1977. It was opened to the public in October ofthat year.

To learn more about the New River Gorge, visitwww.newrivergorgecvb.com

Bridge DayBridge Day is one of the largest extreme sports event

in the world, and is held annually on the third Saturdayin October in Fayette County, West Virginia. Hundredsof BASE jumpers and nearly 80,000 spectators areexpected to attend the event.

This year’s Bridge Day Festival takes place onSaturday, October 18, 2014. The 876’ tall New RiverGorge Bridge, serves as the launch point for six hours(9am-3pm EST) of safe, legal BASE jumps.This is theonly day of the year that traffic is shut down and specta-tors can safely and legally walk across the world’s sec-ond longest single arch bridge. Vehicular traffic on theBridge will be closed from 7am until approximately5pm.

Time is on your side, at least for six hours! Come andenjoy the view from the best overlook in the New RiverGorge. Enjoy browsing through hundreds of vendors’booths to find just the right souvenir for the day. Feelingbrave? Check out Bridge BASE Jumping or Rappel andHighline Information.

For more on Bridge Day, visit http://officialbridgeday.com

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Long Point, an easily accessible viewing point of the NewRiver Gorge and New River Gorge Bridge. A moderate 1.5

mile hike. Photo courtesy Visit Southern West Virginia.

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Thousands of visitors walk the New River Bridge onBridge Day. The event is held the third weekend inOctober. Photo courtesy New River Gorge CVB.

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The view from Harney Peak, which towers overthe Black Hills of South Dakota. Photo courtesySouth Dakota Department of Tourism.

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The Black Hills of South Dakota

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In the Black Hills of South Dakota there is one pointthat stands well above the rest. At an elevation of7,242 ft. above sea level, Harney Peak towers over

the pine tree clad hills and is one of South Dakota’s GreatPlaces.

Named for General William S. Harney in the 1850s,Harney Peak was once a mysterious location that wasdifficult to reach. Today Harney Peak offers many trailheads that are easily accessible.

On top of Harney Peak is a structure formerly used asa wildfire lookout. It is now used for visitors to take inthe sweeping views of the Black Hills National Forestand get a view of four states, South Dakota, Nebraska,Wyoming, and Montana.

Harney Peak is not only the tallest point in SouthDakota, but also the tallest point east of the RockyMountains, including the Alleghenies and theAppalachians.  

Through a sea of towering pine trees and granitepeaks, a memorial like no other exists. It combines aman-made wonder with the natural scenic landscape ofBlack Hills National Forest.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of SouthDakota’s -- and America’s -- Great Places.

Rising 500 feet above, visitors are awed by the fourfaces stoically looking upon hills covered in pine,spruce, aspen, and birch trees.

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Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills. Photo courtesySouth Dakota Department of Tourism.

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dent), Thomas Jefferson (3rd president), TheodoreRoosevelt (26th president), and Abraham Lincoln (16thpresident) are carved into a mountain. The memorial isconsidered America’s Shrine of Democracy. Nearlythree million visitors come to Mount Rushmore NationalMemorial each year.

Mount Rushmore took 14 years to complete afterdrilling began on the mountainside in 1927 by sculptorGutzon Borglum. It also cost only $1 million. Today thememorial is deemed priceless.

The caves found in the Black Hills are among the old-est and longest in the world and form one of the largestconcentrations of cave passageways on the planet; all arelimestone and boast a variety of rare formations. Whilemost haven’t been fully explored, there are several cavesthroughout the area that are open for the public to expe-rience and enjoy.

Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave NationalMonument are both managed by the National ParkService, while the rest of the caves found in the BlackHills are privately owned. Jewel Cave is the secondlongest cave in the world and Wind Cave, boasting theworld’s largest collection of boxwork formations, wasthe first to be designated a National Park.

One of South Dakota’s Great Places is the secondlargest state park in America, home to one of the world’slargest publicly-owned bison herds, and known for inter-esting landscapes. It is Custer State Park, located in theBlack Hills of South Dakota.

Custer State Park’s 1,300 bison have 71,000 acres toroam. Other wildlife, including pronghorn, elk, moun-tain goats, prairie dogs, and the park’s entertainers -- thebegging burros -- also can be found at the park. It’s aplace where visitors can see the wildlife, up-close andpersonal, along the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road.

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The Needles in Custer State Park. Photo courtesySouth Dakota Department of Tourism.

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The annual Buffalo Roundup in Custer State Park. Photo courtesy South Dakota Department of Tourism.

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The park is not only known for the wildlife, but alsothe breathtaking scenic views around each corner. Fromgranite formations, known as “The Needles,” to sweep-ing prairie backdrops and curving creeks, visitors willfind the unexpected.

Heading into the “backwoods” doesn’t usually involvehigh quality theater productions performed by profes-sional actors and artists; but at the Black Hills Playhouse,that is exactly what theater-goers discover.

Nestled amongst the Black Hills in Custer State Park,the theater is located near famous attractions such asMount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy HorseMemorial and can be found via favorite scenic roadssuch as Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road.

Each summer, theater professionals, students andenthusiasts flock to the Black Hills to participate in andwatch a variety of musical, comedy and drama produc-tions. Previous productions included “Godspell” and

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The Black Hills Playhouse. Photo courtesySouth Dakota Deparment of Tourism.

The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Photo courtesySouth Dakota Department of Tourism.

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“Run for Your Wife”. July and August productionsinclude the “The Drowsy Chaperone” and “The ThreeMusketeers”.

The sound of growling engines, the smell of exhaustand the glint of sunlight off chrome are just a few of theelements that make up this South Dakota Great Place.It’s the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Clarence Hoel and members of the Jackpine GypsieMotorcycle Club established the Sturgis MotorcycleRally in 1938. At first, the Rally was just a weekend cel-ebration with less than two dozen racers participating ina handful of events.

Today, average attendance is in the hundreds of thou-sands, with the largest estimated attendance of more than600,000 at the 60th Anniversary in 2000. Based out ofthe small community (approximately 6,400) of Sturgis,South Dakota, this annual rally officially runs for sevendays in August.

History and Gaming inDeadwood

With ongoing restoration, Deadwood is being trans-formed back into the frontier town that once drew leg-ends and legions in search of their fortune. The entiretown is a Registered National Historic Landmark, butdon’t let that fool you. Behind all the historic facades isplenty of modern-day fun. The famous and infamoushave left their marks here. Men, like Wild Bill Hickokand Seth Bullock, and women, like Calamity Jane and

Poker Alice, made this town legendary.  Come and dis-cover the lure of Deadwood. 

In 1988, South Dakotans voted to allow limited-stakegaming in the town of Deadwood. A year later, the firstDeadwood slots were pulled and the cards were dealt,touching off a rush of fortune seekers just like in the daysof the Black Hills Gold Rush. In just eight months, $145million in bets were waged in the historic town.

In 2000, South Dakota voters passed a bet limit hikefrom $5 to $100 in Deadwood’s gaming halls, drawingeven more visitors to the Wild West Town.

Since the legalization of gaming, over one billion dol-lars in tax revenue has gone to support historic preserva-tion, tourism and state and local governments in SouthDakota. 

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The historic Franklin Hotel in Deadwood.

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Alaska’s Mount McKinley & Denali National Park

Mount McKinley from a distance with highway in view.Photo Courtesy © State of Alaska & Frank Flavin.

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Ashort two hour drive south of Fairbanks, leadsone into the heart of the Alaska Mountain Rangeand Denali National Park and Preserve. Denali

National Park is truly one of the last great frontiers forwilderness adventure.

Mount McKinley is the most popular feature in thepark. Called Denali, or the Great One by the AthabascanIndians, its peak rises 20,320 feet above sea level, mak-ing it the highest point on the North American continent.Denali’s northern peak is the second highest peak inNorth America with an elevation of 19,470.

Mount McKinley is the third most prominent peak inthe world after Mount Everest and Aconcagua.

There is a vast array of activities and learning experi-ences for visitors of all ages in Denali National Park.Visitors almost always want to stay longer because thereis so much to see and do in the area.  For the adventure-some, take a flightseeing trip via plane or helicopterthrough the mountain passes or around Denali’s peak.Mountaineering is popular during the spring and earlysummer.  Or try river rafting in the nearby Nenana Riveron a warm afternoon.  Camping,   backcountry hiking,mountain biking and horseback riding are all enjoyableactivities in the park also.

Most people visit the park via the Park Service’s bus-es that travel the lone access road into the park.  Becausethe National Park Service wants to preserve the Park as

naturally as possible, these buses are used along theaccess road past the Savage River check station, 15 milesinto the Park.  However, these buses provide excellentopportunities to view the 37 species of wildlife thatreside in the park.  Grizzly and black bears, moose, cari-bou, wolves, red fox, lynx, wolverine, snowshoe hare,marmots and Dall sheep can all be seen while travelingthe Park road.

Along with wildlife viewing, there are naturalist pro-grams led by park rangers which include walks, hikes,campfire programs and sled dog demonstrations.  Manypeople enjoy learning about Denali’s unusual terrain andgeological features.  The area consists of taiga, or north-ern evergreen forests, with sparse, thin spruce and tun-dra.  The tundra areas consist of dwarfed shrubs andwildflowers.  Denali’s unique sub-arctic region is hometo over 650 species of flowering plants along with moss-es, lichens and algae.  These plants are hardy and havehad to adapt to the cold harsh winter.  In the valleys birch,poplar and aspen turn the area green in summer andgolden in fall.  Open areas are filled with blueberries,which the bears enjoy, and willows, which the moosefeed on year-round.

Geologically, the Alaska Mountain Range includingDenali was formed millions of years ago, when two tec-tonic plates collided causing the Denali Fault.  This1300-mile fault stretches from the Yukon border down

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Visitors on a horse drawn carriage outsideDenali Princess Lodge. Photo courtesy ©

State of Alaska & Frank Flavin.

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A motorcoach crosses a bridge with MountMcKinley in background. Photo courtesy ©

State of Alaska & Frank Flavin.

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the Aleutian Chain and includes many volcanoes.Glaciers are common throughout the Alaska Rangebecause cold temperatures prevent snow and ice frommelting.  Over fifty percent of Denali itself is coveredwith permanent snowfields and glaciers that surround itsbase.

Some people like to bus to the end of the park road atmile 89 and explore the old mining town of Kantishna.Gold was discovered in the Kantishna area beginning in1903 and within two years, more claims were found andstaked.  Once word spread to Fairbanks about the newfind, thousands came to the area and mining towns grewovernight.  Eureka, which was the original town, is nowcalled Kantishna.

During the winter, Denali is still officially open,though many facilities are closed.  A road lottery in thefall allows people to drive the length of the park road andsee the beautiful golden hills and red ground cover.  ByApril, the road is open to Mile 15 and, as crews work, theroad is again open to private vehicles until mid-May.

Winter in Denali is a beautiful, quiet, serene time tovisit.  Although the road is closed to cars in the winter,the park remains open for those who might like to trycross-country skiing, dog mushing or snowshoeing.Snowmachines are allowed in most park areas through-out the winter.32 • Byways

A traffic jam in Denali National Park.

A single road leads into Denali National Park.

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70th Anniversary of D-Day Observed at U.S. Memorial

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The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Photos by Stephen Kirchner.

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This year represents the 70th anniversary of theNormandy landing and the invasion of Europeduring World War II. The events are being

observed in North America at the The National D-DayMemorial located in Bedford, Virginia. It serves as thenational memorial for AmericanD-Day veterans.

However, its scope is interna-tional in that it states, “In Tributeto the valor, fidelity and sacrificeof Allied Forces on D-Day, June6, 1944” and commends all AlliedArmed Forces during the D-Dayinvasion of Normandy, France onJune 6, 1944.

The memorial opened on June6, 2001. It borders the Blue RidgeMountains in southwesternVirginia, an area comprising 88acres that overlooks the town ofBedford.

Bedford was selected for theNational D-Day memorialbecause the town suffered thegreatest per capita loss of life dur-ing the invasion of any town in

the United States.It is hard to conceive the epic scope of this decisive

battle that foreshadowed the end of Hitler’s dream ofNazi domination. Overlord was the largest air, land, andsea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944.

36 • Byways

Names of the United States'losses appear on the westnecrology wall of the centralplaza.

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The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes,and over 150,000 service men.

After years of meticulous planning and seemingly end-less training for the Allied Forces, it all came down tothis: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run,

and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men(most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carryingeighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yardsof beach before reaching the first natural feature offeringany protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and brack-

Byways • 37

Gray Plaza reflects the landing and fightingstages of the invasion.

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eted by artillery, they found themselves in hell.When it was over, the Allied Forces had suffered near-

ly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 were dead. Yetsomehow, due to planning and preparation, and due tothe valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of the Allied Forces,Fortress Europe had been breached.

The memorial is a continuum of three distinct plazaswhich follow on a timeline. The first plaza, Reynold’sGarden, symbolizes the planning and preparation activi-ties for the invasion through the execution of the orderfor the invasion. It is in the shape of the SupremeHeadquarters Allied Expeditionary Force combat patch.

The second level, Gray Plaza, reflects the landing andfighting stages of the invasion. It includes what is calledthe invasion pool with beach obstacles in the water,sculptures of soldiers struggling ashore, and a represen-tation of the Higgins craft used for the invasion. This sec-tion includes intermittent jets of water spurting from thepool replicating the sights and sounds of sporadic gun-fire. The names of the United States’ losses appear on thewest necrology wall of the central plaza, and the rest ofthe Allies’ losses on the east necrology wall.38 • Byways

The Overlord Arch dominates the D-Day Memorial Site.

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The last and uppermost plaza, Estes Plaza, celebratesvictory and includes the Overlord Arch and the twelveflags of those Allied nations that served in the AlliedExpeditionary Force. The Overlord Arch represents thevictory of Operation Overlord and bears the invasiondate of June 6, 1944.

The memorial is open Monday through Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm.

In addition to the memorial’s static displays, on sever-al weekends throughout the year, the memorial hostsevents relating to remembering World War II. Examplesof such events have included a weekend long encamp-ment of World War II re-enactors and a World War II-style religious mass in addition to Memorial, Veteran’s,and D-Day activities.

For additional information on 70th anniversary eventsvisit:

http://www.dday.orgFor information on visiting Bedford, visit:http://www.VisitBedford.com

Byways • 39

The flags of all nations which participated in theD-Day invasion are flown at the Memorial.

A Higgins air craftused in the

invasion

Page 40: Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

In the early 1800s, the United States was a very youngcountry, had won its independence from Britain, butwas hampered by England’s unfavorable trade

restrictions imposed upon the former colonies. In addition, British troops occupied disputed territory

along the Great Lakes and were suspected of backingNative American raids against American settlers on thefrontier, and of capturing and forcing American sailorsinto service on the high seas.

The result was the War of 1812, declared by the UnitedStates against Great Britain, that began June 18, 1812and ended on February 16, 1815 with the signing of theTreaty of Ghent.

Because the U.S. sought to win the war by takingCanada, the principal theater of the war was located onthe Candian-American border. But the Chesapeake Bay,the Gulf Coast, and the high seas were also importanttheaters.

Before the rockets red glare over Fort McHenry inBaltimore, before Andrew Jackson became a nationalhero at the Battle of New Orleans, the Patuxent River inthe Southern Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles andSt. Mary’s provided easy water access for British raidingparties, which led to one of the darkest periods in

American history.It was the first, and only time in American history,

when the capital of the country was captured, occupied,and burned by a foreign power.

40 • Byways

The War of 1812 ReachesSouthern Maryland &Washington is Burned

“The burned-out shell of a once elegant and imposing house stands alone in the landscape. Itis the White House as it looked following the conflagration of August 24, 1814, the low point ofthe War of 1812. The fire was the work of British troops, the first -- and only -- foreign army toinvade the capital city of the United States.”

The President's House by George Munger.

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The war had a major impact on Southern Marylandand Calvert County. During their push to Washington,D.C. as part of the Chesapeake Campaign, British raid-ing parties seized supplies from county citizens and setfire to local farms. The courthouse was burned down.The largest naval engagement in the history of Marylandraged for two days in St. Leonard Creek as British andAmerican forces traded cannon and musket shot.

At sea, the powerful Royal Navy blockaded much ofthe coastline, though it was allowing substantial exportsfrom New England, which traded with Canada in defi-ance of American laws. The blockade devastatedAmerican agricultural exports, but it helped stimulatelocal factories that replaced goods previously imported.

The American strategy of using small gunboats todefend ports was a fiasco, as the British raided the coastat will. One of the most famous naval battles inMaryland history took place against British forces in thePatuxent River in 1814. Of the few large naval vessels inthe American Navy, none could be spared for defense ofthe Chesapeake Bay. This was left to Commodore

Byways • 41

The Patuxent River in Southern Maryland played a key role in the

War of 1812, allowing a British NavalArmada to sail within striking

distance of the U.S. capital.

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Joshua Barney and the small flotilla of barges under hiscommand. These barges were rowed by oarsmen and itwas thought that they would have an advantage over thewind-driven British ships. However the American bargeswere forced to find haven in St. Leonard Creek, whichwas too small for British ships. The British put ashoremany raiding parties that burned and destroyed muchproperty. Many of the old plantation homes were burnedor badly damaged.

The most important event in Southern Marylandoccurred in August, 1814, when a huge British navalforce of more than 45 ships sailed up the Patuxent. Thiswas the largest naval force ever to enter SouthernMaryland waters. From these ships 4,000 British troopslanded at Benedict, in Calvert County, marched over-land, defeated American troops at the Battle ofBladensburg, and proceeded on to the nation’s capital,where they captured Washington, D.C.

While First Lady Dolley Madison saved valuablesfrom the Presidential Mansion, President James Madisonwas forced to flee to Virginia.

British commanders ate the supper that had been pre-pared for the President before they burned thePresidential Mansion; American morale was reduced toan all-time low. The British viewed their actions as retal-iation for destructive American raids into Canada, mostnotably the Americans’ burning of York (now Toronto) in1813. Later that same evening, a furious storm sweptinto Washington, D.C., sending one or more tornadoesinto the city that caused more damage but finally extin-

guished the fires with torrential rains. The naval yardswere set afire at the direction of U.S. officials to preventthe capture of naval ships and supplies. The British leftWashington, D.C. as soon as the storm subsided. Havingdestroyed Washington’s public buildings, including thePresident’s Mansion and the Treasury, the British army

42 • Byways

The Manor House at Sotterley Plantation.

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next moved north in a failed attempt to captureBaltimore.

Following the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, news ofthe peace treaty took two months to reach the U.S., dur-ing which fighting continued. But the end of the warbrought a period of national unity and an “Era of Good

Feelings” in the U.S., as well as in Canada, which hadprevented annexation to the U.S. and secured its ownfuture. Finally, it opened a long era of peaceful relationsbetween the United States and the British Empire whichcontinues to this day.

This summer marks the 200th anniversary of the war’spivotal Southern Maryland battles. Calvert County’sStar-Spangled Celebration, with generous support fromThe Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission,commemorates the anniversary with a host of exhibitsand events, culminating in a stirring Tall Ship Invasionand the thrilling 1812 Fair and Re-enactment June 21-22.

Tall ships are coming to Solomons! The CalvertMarine Museum has enlisted four tall ships to participatein the celebration of the bicentennial.

For event details, historical snapshots of the conflictand more, visit ChooseCalvert.com/1812 .

Sotterley Plantation was the mustering site for militia coming to the aid of theUS. Chesapeake Flotilla in June, 1814. The 100 acre Sotterley Plantation is the

sole surviving Tidewater plantation in Maryland open to the public.

The Calvert Marine Museum and Drum PointLighthouse, Solomon’s Island, Maryland. The

museum maintains a number of artifactsdocumenting the War of 1812’s dramatic role

in Patuxent River history.Byways • 43

British troops attacked Leonardtown. Interpretive

signage can be seen at theLeonardtown Wharf Public Park.

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The exhibition Becoming Patsy Cline is the story oflocal girl Virginia “Ginny”  PattersonHensley  before she became music icon Patsy

Cline, the Shenandoah Valley’s most globally recog-nized personality and an American music legend.

The exhibit at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valleyhas already proven to be so popular that museum offi-cials recently announced it will be held over the firstweek in July,

Acknowledged by many as the most popular and influ-ential female countrysinger in recording history,Patsy Cline (1932–1963)was the first female soloartist inducted into theCountry Music Hall ofFame.

Despite a career that wascut short by her tragicdeath at the age of 30,Patsy Cline recorded 102songs and three, full-lengthalbums.

Her recordings have soldmillions of copies world-wide; she has a star onHollywood Boulevard andher own stamp with theU.S. Postal Service. PatsyCline also has receivednumerous posthumoushonors and has been thesubject of biographies,musicals, plays, and a fea-ture film. Fifty years afterher death, the popularity ofher hit recordings, such as“Crazy,” “Walkin’ AfterMidnight,” “I Fall to

Pieces,” and “Sweet Dreams,” endures today. Though Patsy Cline lived only 30 years, she spent

most of her life in the Shenandoah Valley. There shedreamed of becoming a professional singer and began torealize that dream. Organized by the MSV in partnershipwith Ceorganized to date. Evans notes that the Museumhas wanted to tell Patsy Cline’s Shenandoah Valley sto-ry since opening in 2005 and adds that the exhibition hasbeen three years in the making.

Becoming Patsy Cline is the first museum exhibition

44 • Byways

The Patsy Cline House in Winchester, VA is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States.

The Patsy Cline display at the Museum ofthe Shenandoah Valley.

Becoming Patsy Cline

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to focus primarily on the singer’s early years. According to MSV Executive Director Dana Hand

Evans, Becoming Patsy Cline is the most ambitious exhi-bition the MSV has organized to date. Becoming PatsyCline is the first museum exhibition to focus primarilyon the singers early years.

Filling the MSV’s newly redesigned, 2,600-square-foot Changing Exhibitions Gallery, it is also the largestdisplay about Patsy Cline ever presented in herhometown of Winchester.

Evans credits theMuseum’s partnership with Winchester-

based CPC, the support of Patsy Cline’s husband CharlieDick and their son and daughter, Randy Dick and JulieFudge, as key elements in making the groundbreakingexhibition possible.

Evans also notes that the MSV received critical under-writing support for Becoming Patsy Cline from Grove’sWinchester Harley–Davidson, Shenandoah CountryQ102, and Winchester Printers, Inc.

The not-for-profit CPC organization, which owns andoperates the Patsy Cline Historic House in Winchester,has provided its extensive collection of artifacts for dis-

play in Becoming Patsy Cline. In addition, members ofthe singer’s family have loaned objects, clothing, andrare photographs to the MSV for the exhibition.

For more on Winchester:http://www.visitwinchesterva.com

What’s HappeningWhat’s Happening

Byways • 45

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Photo courtesyWinchester-Frederick Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Page 46: Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

Living Museums ComeAlive In MassachusettsPioneer Valley

Living museums, sites where historical eventsshowing lifestyles from earlier times are per-formed or historical settings are faithfully recreat-

ed, are well-represented in Massachusetts’ PioneerValley. 

Group tours have frequently visited these stops whichallow visitors to literally time travel and enjoy not onlythe inspiring attractions themselves that reflect earlierNew England days, but the hospitable and contemporarycities and towns that house them.  Living museums arean engaging way to interact with history up close andpersonal, and the Pioneer Valley, located just east of theBerkshires, has several great options to explore.

The first stop, in Sturbridge, MA, is Old SturbridgeVillage.  The largest outdoor history museum in theNortheast, Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) recreates arural New England town of the 1830s.  More than 40original buildings are situated among 200 scenic acresincluding a district school, bank, working farm, countrystory, homes, meetinghouses, three water-powered millsand trade shops. 

Authentically costumed staff members are on hand todemonstrate basic chores of that era and interact with

guests who can also meet heritage breed farm animals.OSV offers several dining options, like hearty sit-downNew England-style meals served up at the Oliver WightTavern, and less formal dining that includes soups, sand-wiches, salads and other lunch favorites found at theBullard Tavern Cafeteria and The Village Café. 

Be sure to make time for the Museum Gift Shop andNew England Book Store.  The museum also offers spe-cific programs for youth visitors including “Hop IntoHistory” and “Discovery Adventures,” and has a year-round roster of events, including Girl Scout Day/BoyScout Day (April), Antique Car Rally (June), AntiqueCarriage Rally (June), Independence Day Celebrations(July), Textile Weekend (August), AgriculturalExhibition (September), Apple Days (October), a speak-ers series and much more. 

OSV’s stated mission is to provide modern Americanswith a deepened understanding of their own timesthrough a personal encounter with New England’s past,and countless annual visitors can attest to the success oftheir efforts.

Traveling westward to the heart of the Pioneer Valley,the next stop is Storrowton Village Museum, part of theEastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield,MA.  This authentic, recreated village of nine 18th and19th century buildings from Massachusetts and NewHampshire is assembled around a traditional town greenincluding a Blacksmith’s shop, a one-room schoolhouse

46 • Byways

Antique Car Rally at Old Sturbridge Village.Photo courtesy Old Sturbridge Village.

Page 47: Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

and an enchanting giftshop.  Seniors will appreci-ate the close proximity ofthe buildings and the easynavigability of Storrowton.Mealtimes are memorableat Storrowton Tavern,which serves New England& Continental cuisine infive unique dining roomsfurnished with periodantiques and family heir-looms that provide anauthentic tavern setting. 

Visitors should also stepinside the StorrowtonVillage Gift Shop and seetheir collection of ByersChoice Carolers, WillowTree Angels, YankeeCandles, braided rugs and a wide variety of gifts.Groups can enjoy a guided tour with hands-on activitiesavailable.  Storrowton offers a variety of educationalprograms for students Pre-K through high school,including “A Day Away in the Past,” in which youngstersdress in period costumes and participate in old-fashionedactivities, craft projects and games for an EarlyAmerican experience.

These sessions are usually held during school vacationweeks.  Other 2014 events include tours of Aunt Helen’sHerb Garden Tour (July), Early American Summer Days(August), Tales From Haunted New England (October),Yuletide at Storrowton, Yuletide Open House Tours andYuletide by Lantern Light (December). 

The trip then heads north for a final stop at HistoricDeerfield in Deerfield, MA.  Visitors can explore 12antique houses (11 of which are on their original sites)that were built between 1730 and 1850. 

Historic Deerfield has a dual mission of educating thepublic about the lifestyles of the diverse people wholived in its Connecticut River Valley setting long ago andof preserving antique buildings and collections ofregional furniture, silver, textiles and other decorativearts.  Many of these rare items are found in the FlyntCenter for Early American Life, a state-of-the-art muse-um facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storagearea modeled on those at the Metropolitan Museum ofArt in New York City. 

Groups can also enjoy a meal at Champney’sRestaurant & Tavern, browse the Museum Gift Shop andBookstore, and take in scenic views of farmland alongChanning Blake Footpath.  Another highlight is TheCook’s Garden, which serves as a source of fresh ingre-dients for the museum’s open hearth cooking demon-strations and classes, and contains an assortment ofuseful plants commonly found in New England duringthe 18th and early 19th centuries. 

No matter what the interest, the age level, or the pur-suits, group tours of all kinds will have an exceptionaland unforgettable visitor experience in the PioneerValley. 

For regional information, visit http://www.valleyvisitor.com

Byways • 47

The church at Storrowton Village. Photocourtesy Massachusetts Office of Travel &Tourism.

Thanksgiving Dinner atOld Sturbrige Village.

Page 48: Byways Mountains & Valleys 2014

48 • Byways

Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators plus selected travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptionsare complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes and Newsstand in the App Store.

Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, and selected travel agents, bank travel man-agers, school band and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to placeadvertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine, 42 Cabin Hill Lane, Mount Jackson, VA 22842. Telephone 540-477-3202. Fax 540-477-3858. Toll-free 800-469-0062.

©Copyright 2014 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in anyform without express written permission of the publisher.

Editor and PublisherStephen M. Kirchner

Advertising Director1.800.469.0062 • 540.477.3202 • Fax 540.477.3858

Internet:bywaysmagazine.com [email protected]

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Byways • 49

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