Photographs & Memories

Jim Croce, a Pennsylvania singer-songwriter and favorite of my younger sister Jeannie, penned that song back in the ’70s. He’s also a favorite of mine and when I heard that song the other day in a little shop in North Carolina, it brought a smile to my face and tear to my eye. I would have loved to have shared these photographs and memories with her. I met son Brian yesterday in Harpers Ferry. I had passed by this historic site on numerous occasions, but never stopped. Go there if you get the chance. It is known mainly as the site where John Brown lit the fuse that ignited the War Between the States. But it is also home to much more: Merriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and Frederick Douglas are among the historic figures who have touched down there. And it also happens to be nestled in the beautiful confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The Appalachian Trail runs straight through Harpers Ferry and crosses over the rivers and, on a hillside overlooking the town, you can attend a Sunday service at beautiful St. Peter’s Church. You can also visit a nearby cemetery where a marker and flag pay tribute to the first U.S. Marine killed in battle on U.S. soil. Washington, D.C., is only a short train ride away, but trains don’t run that frequently. Plan on staying overnight if you can and maybe visiting the welcoming Smoketown Brewery in nearby Brunswick, Maryland. If you do, please tell Lauren that Jim said hello!