Summer being the time for travel, Doug and I recently
journeyed back in time with a trip to Louisiana. We began our journey with a flight to New
Orleans. We landed at the Crescent City
on a Saturday evening, and after quickly renting a car and checking into a
hotel, we made our way into the city. We
spent the evening touring the French Quarter and eating some of New Orleans’
legendary seafood. However, the next day
was the real beginning of our history adventure.
We rose early (for vacation that
is) and traveled to the National WWII Museum. What an emotional journey! As soon as we walked in, we faced a very
realistic exhibit of a troop train, and unexpectedly I began to cry. Every WWII veteran I have spoken to has begun
his story with a ride on a troop train.
Those trains, scenes of poignant departures, have become symbols for the
tremendous changes our nation underwent during an uncertain, chaotic time.
After the troop train exhibit,
we immersed ourselves in the past with videos, pictures, artifacts, and
personal stories of soldiers and people on the home front. We spent the entire day and barely scratched
the surface of this amazing museum. We truly felt consumed by World War II.
The next day we toured two
antebellum plantations. The most
impressive one, Rosedown, is operated by the Louisiana State Park Service. It was the home of Daniel and Martha Turnbull
who were cotton planters and owners of 450 slaves, a number difficult to wrap
one’s mind around. The Turnbulls were
exceedingly wealthy and owed much of their splendid lifestyle to the labor of
enslaved people. That being said, life
was difficult for most people during those days. The Turnbulls lost two of their three
children to disease and drowning and endured the uncertainty of the Civil
War. Women’s lives were particularly
difficult given the cultural restrictions imposed on them. Imagine sitting in an un-air-conditioned
house in the middle of a humid Louisiana summer while laced up in a corset.
The highlight of the trip for
Doug was Port Hudson State Historic Site, the site of a 48-day Civil War
Battle. Operated by the Louisiana State Park Service, the site includes a
museum, living history programs, and six miles of walking trails that take
visitors through the areas of intense battle.
However, the thing that made this particular site so meaningful was the
fact that Doug found where his great, great grandfather fought with the
Arkansas Infantry.
Thus ended the perfect vacation
for us---one steeped in history and enhanced with delicious local cuisine.
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