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Mama Sage

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Wyoming, Sweetwater County, near Point of Rocks

     Oh! "Mama Sage." It seems endless, the sage; the rolling sage-covered Wyoming hills. Sagebrush, the shrub that means survival to the world's largest populations of pronghorn antelope and sage grouse. Blown free of snow by the Wyoming winds, sagebrush is the major winter food for these species, and provides important habitat for a host of small mammals and birds.
     The sagebrush deserts of the Great Divide, Green River, Bighorn River and Wind River basins also support large herds of wild, free-ranging mule deer and horses and over 150 other species of wildlife. The only elk herd in Wyoming associated entirely with a sagebrush desert is found immediately north of this area.
     There are 13 species of sagebrush in our state. Sagebrush has a deep taproot which enables it to survive in areas with as little as six inches annual precipitation. Sagebrush is a hearty shrub and an able provider for Wyoming's wildlife. That is why Wyoming works so hard to keep her sage-covered ranges productive. "Mama Sage" is a special part of the formula that makes our wildlife – Worth the Watching.

(Environment) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Can Anything Survive Here?

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Nevada, Elko County, near West Wendover

Summer temperatures in this high desert can exceed 100 degrees; winter temperatures may fall below zero. Rain and snowfall total a mere six to eight inches per year. Only drought tolerant plants such as Indian ricegrass, shadscale, and greasewood can grow in the valley around you. The jackrabbit and pronghorn antelope are just two of the many animals that have adapted to living in this harsh environment.

This area wasn't always a desert. Limber pine trees covered the Leppy Hills to the east from 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. As the climate became drier, pinyon pine and juniper trees replaced the limber pines at the lower elevations. Pinyon pines are relative newcomers to the surrounding mountains. They didn't arrive until about 7,000 years ago. Today, limber pine and subalpine fir grow only at the higher, cooler and wetter elevations on Pilot Peak and nearby mountain ranges. Animals you might encounter in these forested areas include bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk and mountain lion.

In the fall thousands of raptors (birds of prey) migrate south along this valley. The Great Salt Lake Desert's lack of food, water and lifting air currents form a migration barrier for these birds. Food, water and roosting sites are easy to find in the Toano and Goshute Ranges. Air rising over these mountains to the west provides the lift these birds need to soar. Conserving energy by soaring as much as possible during their long journeys is a key to their survival.

(Environment) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Where Did the Lake Go?

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Nevada, Elko County, near West Wendover

Imagine Lake Bonneville some 10,000 years ago as a vast lake larger than the present Great Salt Lake. Its eastern boundary would be the Wasatch Mountains at Salt Lake City and its western boundary the Toano and Goshute Mountains to your left.

The last major glacial period in North America began about 23,000 years ago. During that time the water level of Lake Bonneville rose because of colder temperatures and a wetter climate. This freshwater lake was over 1,000 feet deep and covered 51,530 square miles - an area the size of Arkansas. If you were standing in this spot 15,000 years ago, you would be more than 500 feet underwater! Pilot Peak, the pyramid shaped mountain in front of you, was merely a small island surrounded by a freshwater lake teeming with fish.

About 14,500 years ago, water rushing through a break in a natural dam along Lake Bonneville's northern shore dropped the lake level over 300 feet in just a few months! These raging floodwaters deepened the Snake River Canyon in Idaho. A warmer and drier climate over the next 5,000 years slowly caused the lake to shrink even further. Look carefully at the surrounding hills, especially east toward Wendover. You can still see the beach terraces left at the different high water marks as the lake receded. The Great Salt Lake is all that remains of this once vast lake.

(Environment) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Charles Pinckney

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston
October 26, 1757 – October 29, 1824
He was a delegate to
the Continental Congress,
1784-5, 1785-6, 1786-7
He was a delegate to the
Federal Convention in 1787
and on May 29, 1787
submitted thereto a plan
for a Constitution and at least
twenty-five provisions thereof
were incorporated into the
Constitution of the United States.
Governor of South Carolina:
1789 – 1791
1791 – 1792
1796 – 1798
1806 – 1808
United States Senator
December 6, 1798 – December 3, 1801
Minister to Spain, 1801 – 1805
Member of the
House of Representatives
of the United States
March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821.
Erected one hundred and twenty-five years
after his death as a memorial to his
excellence and patriotism by Thornwell Jacobs.

(Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Patriots & Patriotism) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

John Caldwell Calhoun

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston
Born March March 18, 1732;
Died March 32, 1850.
----------

Representative
in the Legislature;
Member
of Congress;
United States
Senate

Secretary
of War;
Vice President;
Secretary
of State.

Erected
by the State of
South Carolina
A.D. 1884.

(Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Politics) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Wyoming's Sagebrush Sea

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Wyoming, Uinta County, Evanston

Your trip across Wyoming takes you through vast expanses of shrublands made up mostly of sagebrush. To the casual observer this landscape may appear desolate, but sagebrush shrublands are diverse and home to a variety of wildflowers, birds, and animals.

Wyoming has more sagebrush than any other state, occupying more than 50% of its lands. Different species of sagebrush have distinct elevation, soil, and moisture requirements. Of the 13 different types of sagebrush found in Wyoming, six of the most common species are shown below.

Leaves
All sagebrush species (except silver sagebrush) are evergreen. The aromatic leaves are covered with short, silver hairs—which reduce water loss and discourage insects. The leaves contain camphor and were used in traditional medicine to treat coughs, headaches, stomachaches, and fevers.

Flowers and Seeds
Sagebrush produces tiny 1/8-inch long flowers from August to September. It reproduces from seeds cast by wind onto moist soils in the winter.

Small Branches
Native Americans used smaller branches for weaving baskets and other household items.

Bark
Ute Indians wove the shredded bark into wicks for candles and made sacks of woven bark lined with grass.

Trunk
Woody part of the plant was burned for fuel and used to construct shelters.

Roots
The root system extends as much as six feet deep into the soil to access water during dry periods, and spreads widely around the plant to maximize water uptake during spring snowmelt.

Wyoming Big Sagebrush
Habitat: Dry areas with well-drained soils.
Elevation: Up to 8,000'
Height: 24-36"

Basin Big Sagebrush
Habitat: Well-drained soils, moderate precipitation.
Elevation: 3,000-7,000'
Height: 5-6'

Mountain Silver Sagebrush
Habitat: Along stream sides, edges of meadows, and snow bank areas.
Elevation: 6,000-10,000'
Height: 3-4'

Black Sagebrush
Habitat: Clay pan soils.
Elevation: 4,000-8,500'
Height: 4-12"

Mountain Big Sagebrush
Habitat: Well drained side slopes and ridges.
Elevation: 6,800-8,500'
Height: 3-4'

Alkali Sagebrush
Habitat: Dry areas where soils are alkaline and well drained.
Elevation: Up to 8,000'
Height: 10"

Food and Shelter
Sagebrush provides shelter, food, and nesting habitat for all types of wildlife including several species whose declining populations are of conservation concern. The leaves are a nutritious and essential food source for wildlife, especially during the winter. For species such as sage grouse and pronghorn, sagebrush makes up over 95% of their winter diet and 50% of the summer diet.

(Environment • Native Americans) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Bear River Watershed

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Wyoming, Uinta County, Evanston

The Bear River Watershed spreads across 7,500 square miles of mountain and valley lands that encompass portions of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Bear River is the main tributary to the Great Salt Lake and is the longest stream in the western hemisphere that does not empty into an ocean. Crossing state boundaries five times along its 500-mile path—the watershed is entirely enclosed by mountains, which form a huge basin with no drainage outlets.

Basin Geology
The Bear River Basin is part of an overthrust belt where geologic forces have thrust layers of older rock on top of younger rock. Over millions of years, a depression in the earth's surface formed, completely closed by mountains, creating the Bear River watershed.

Wildlife Habitat
The Bear River and its tributaries supply water to thousands of acres of wetlands, providing critical habitat for a wide variety of wildlife—including more than 75 species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Over 225 bird species have been identified in the basin area.

Valuable Resource
Since the early 1900s, the river has been harnessed for power generation and tapped for agricultural irrigation. More recently, recreation—such as hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing--has become another important use of the basin's resources.

Historical Times
The Shoshone, Bannock, and Ute Indians once inhabited the Bear River Basin. Fur trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company began to arrive as early as 1812. Between 1840 and 1870, more than 500,000 emigrants traveled westward through this region. Logs cut high in the Uinta Mountains were milled into ties and floated down the Bear River for construction of the Union Pacific Railroad.

(Environment • Native Americans • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Anchor of the U.S.S. Coral Sea

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston

      This monument honors sailors and marines who served aboard the U.S.S. Coral Sea in combat and Citadel men who served in the Navy and Marine Corps.

      The vessel was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and nine Battle Stars for operations in the Asiatic-Pacific theatre during World War II.

(War, World II) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Citadel Flag

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston
This flag flies every day and night
as a tribute to those great Americans
who are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action
and
to remind each member of the
South Carolina Corps of Cadets
of the sacrifices made by Citadel alumni
as well as all American servicemen and women
in the cause of freedom.

Dedicated this day
16 September 2005

The Citadel Class of 1964

(Military • Patriots & Patriotism) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

“Thunderbolt”

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston

This M4 Sherman Tank is similar to that used by Lieutenant Colonel Creighton W. Abrams, in World War II while commanding the 37th Tank Battalion – 4th Armored Division – Patton’s Third Army. General Abrams was Army Chief of Staff from 12 Oct 1972 until his death on 4 Sept 1974.
Donated by those who learned from
his dynamic leadership
“Courage Conquers”
37

(War, World II) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Loretto Perfectus Walsh

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Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County, Olyphant
Recognized as the first woman to enlist in the U.S. Navy--on March 21, 1917, sixteen days before the nation entered WWI. As a Chief Yeoman (F), she served in Philadelphia; was discharged 1919. Born (1896) and raised in Olyphant; died in 1925.

(Notable Persons) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

McDonnell F-4C Phantom II

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston

This gallant aircraft served with the 12th tactical fighter wing stationed at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. In the 1968-69 time frame it was assigned to Captain E.G. Shuler, Jr. (now Major General), Citadel Class of 1959 and First Lieutenant J.W. Reed. They flew the aircraft on many combat missions and General Shuler’s wife’s name adorns the nose. The aircraft’s last assignment was with the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Interceptor Group at Ellington Air Force Base, Texas. It was flown on its final flight to Charleston Air Force Base on 29 November 1986 by General Shuler and Captain Gary Chesnutt, Citadel Class of 1981.

This distinguished fighter-bomber is dedicated to the Citadel graduates who lost their lives during the Southeast Asia Conflict. Their courage and unselfish dedication under combat conditions will always serve as the standard of noble commitment to freedom!
Plaque presented to the Citadel by
McDonnel Aircraft Company
14 November 1987
Designer and builder of
5057 F-4s

(War, Vietnam) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

AH – 1 “Cobra”

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South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston
Combat attack helicopter
developed by Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
Flown in all United States combat
actions from Vietnam to Somalia
Dedicated to all Citadel aviators who
courageously served their country.

(War, Vietnam) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

The Burgher Gate

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Switzerland, Lucerne (canton), Lucerne (district), Lucerne
Im 13. Jahrhundert als Teil einer älteren Stadtbefestigung erbaut, 1314 als Littauertor erwähnt. Es diente zeitweise als Gefängnis für Bürger. 1685 mit einer Uhr versehen. 1864/65 abgebrochen.

German-English translation:

Built in the 13th century as part of an earlier fortification, and first mentioned in 1314 mentioned as the Littau Gate. It served as a temporary prison for citizens. Fitted with a clock in 1685. 1864-65 demolished.

(Forts, Castles) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

General Henri Guisan

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Switzerland, Lucerne (canton), Lucerne (district), Lucerne
1874 – 1960
Oberbefehlshaber der
Schweizer Armee
1939 – 1945

German-English translation:

General Henri Guisan
1874 - 1960
Supreme Commander of the
Swiss Army
1939 - 1945

(War, World II) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

The Sonnenberg House in Zoepfli

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Switzerland, Lucerne (canton), Lucerne (district), Lucerne

Sonnenberghaus im Zöpfli Schon in der Diebold-Schilling-Chronik von 1513 erscheint an dieser Stelle ein hölzernes Wohnhaus. Dieses wurde 1662 neuerbaut.
1787 erwarb Marschall Jakob Anton Thüring von Sonnenberg Haus und Liegenschaft für seinen Sohn Alfons, der es noch im gleichen Jahr neu erstellen liess.
Fassadenmalerei, Doppelportal und im Innern Wandtapeten, Taefer und Kachelöfen aus der Bauzeit.
Unter Denkmalschutz seit 1968
1978 umfassend restauriert
German-English translation:
The Sonnenberg House in Zöpfli

Appears early in the Diebold Schilling Chronicle of 1513, at this point a wooden house. This was newly built in 1662.
Marshal Jacob Anton Thüring acquired the Sonnenberg House and property in 1787 for his son Alfonso, who was allowed to continue to recreate it in the same year.
A painted facade, double portal and interior murals, paneling and tile oven all date from the time of construction.
A protected monument since 1968
Restored extensively in 1978.

(Notable Buildings) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Reinhardt M. King & Crew

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Georgia, Chatham County, Pooler

381 BG    534 SQ
Neil Wright Jr   CP
Edward McGlynn   N 
  Francis Petrillo   B
Maynard Unger      R 
  Cecil Floura         E
Robert Dwyer      LW  
 Julius Mann         RW
Albert Pollard      BT 
  Joseph Lyons      TG

Schweinfurt - 17 August 1943 - All POW's
Dedicated in Loving Memory by the Crew Family and Friends
of
Reinhardt M "Pop" King


(War, World II) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Tallassee Vietnam War Memorial

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Alabama, Tallapoosa County, Tallassee

Dedicated to the young men of Tallassee who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War

PFC Richard Clark
LT. Charles Davis
CW.O. Donald Estes
SGT. Joseph Johnson
CPL. Jimmy Hudson
CAPT. Davis Mathis
SGT. Calvin McGinty. Jr.
PVT. Ronald Ruff
SSGT. Dale Wilson
LT. Robert Lutz

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

(War, Vietnam) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Metzgerrainli 6

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Switzerland, Lucerne (canton), Lucerne (district), Lucerne
Bürgerhaus aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Im Innern Fresken aus der Entstehungszeit. Fassadenmalerei in Sgraffitotechnik 1885, von Seraphin Weingartner, teilweise Neugestaltung 1973 durch Steivan Könz.
Unter Denkmalschutz seit 1968
1973 -1975 restauriert und im Innern umgebaut.
German-English translation:

Mansion from the 16th Century. Inside, frescoes from the same time. Sgraffito facade painting in 1885 by Seraphin Weingartner, partially redesigned in 1973 by Steivan Könz.
A protected monument since 1973.
1973 -1975 restored and interior renovated.

(Notable Buildings) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Elmore County Vietnam War Memorial

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Alabama, Elmore County, Wetumpka

In honor of the fallen heroes of Elmore County who gave their lives in the Vietnam War

Clark, Richard
Cook, Larry Davidson
Cottrell, Willie James
Davis, Charles William
Hudson, Jimmy Dale
Johnson, Joseph W.
Mathis, David Linwood
McGinty, Calvin Jr.
Owens, Thomas Earl
Powell, Abraham
Ruffin, James Thomas
Smith, John Lee
Wadsworth, Harry M.
Williams, Jimmy L.
Wilson, Dale Keith
Yarbrough, Dana B.

(War, Vietnam) Includes location, directions, 1 photo, GPS coordinates, map.
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