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The Whalehead Club

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North Carolina, Currituck County, Corolla
Constructing the Residence

In 1922, Edward Collings Knight, Jr. and Marie-Louise LeBel Knight purchased this property for its access to excellent waterfowl hunting and to entertain guests. They named the property "Corolla Island" due to the canals and boat basin that were dredged and made the site an island.

Construction began with pilings being driven into the ground and the foundation being set. A brick-walled basement followed and included brass plumbing pipes and a French drain system. Next, the three-story house with an attic was built over the basement and included eighteen-inch-thick walls with steel beams used for framing. Workers built eighteen dormers and five chimneys and painted the exterior wood trim and cypress siding bright yellow. Copper shingles covered the roof.

An ingenious ventilation system was built into the house. The center chimney was not connected to a fireplace and served as a natural air conditioner. By adjusting windows located in the wall of the chimney in the attic, hot air was forced up and out.

The Knights chose a mixture of styles for the exterior, including a long narrow shape and gables typical of the nostalgic Philadelphia Style and bright yellow paint to give the flavor of a French country home. The most notable feature is the use of Art Nouveau, a decorative style that began in Europe in the late nineteenth century that uses flowing lines and abstract motifs inspired by nature.

Outer Banks Firsts

The Whalehead Club had many "Outer Banks Firsts," including:
• Basement
• Elevator
• Bidet
• Swimming Pool
• Use of both salt and fresh water taps

War and the Whalehead Club

World War II
- By the spring of 1942, our coastal waters had become a frontline in the war when German submarines sank hundreds of thousands of tons of shipping cargo at the Outer Banks. This crisis prompted the Coast Guard to lease the Whalehead Club from Mr. Adams, the property's second owner, for the rest of the war.

The Coast Guard rescued seamen and conducted mounted beach patrols. Its facilities served as a receiving station for recruits awaiting reassignment after basic training. After the war, the Whalehead Club was demobilized and returned to Mr. Adams.

Cold War - The Whalehead Club became part of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962, after being leased by the Atlantic Research Corporation of Alexandria, Virginia. The company's prime focus at Corolla was finding a solid rocket fuel for aerospace applications, and they ultimately contributed to America's successful development of large booster rockets. Corolla's remote seaside location was so ideal for such work that the company purchased the Whalehead property in 1964. In 1969, the company moved its test-firing facilities and the property was sold.

Whalehead Club Timeline

1922-1925
In 1922, Edward Collings Knight and his bride, Marie Louise LeBel, began construction on Corolla Island. After three years and $385,000, their winter residence was completed.

1940
Ray Adams purchased the property and renamed it the Whalehead Club. He used the property to entertain friends, potential investors, politicians, and the public.

1942
In 1942, the Coast Guard leased the Whalehead Club and used it as a receiving station for recruits.

1957-1962
After Adams died in 1957, the property was sold to George McLean and William Witt. The home was leased to educator Hatcher Williams for a summer boarding school for boys called "Corolla Academy." The school closed in 1962.

1962-1969
During 1962-1969, the Whalehead Club was leased and then purchased by the Atlantic Research Corporation for military and space program developments.

1970-1980
In the 1970s and 1980s, different developers took ownership of the Whalehead Club tract.

1992
In 1992, Currituck County purchased the deteriorated Whalehead Club in the interest of preservation. Today, restoration continues and a variety of interesting and informative tours are available.

(Sports • War, Cold • War, World II) Includes location, directions, 6 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Captina African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery

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Ohio, Belmont County, near Barnesville
This cemetery stands as evidence of a once thriving African American farming community established in the 1820s. With the aid of community leader, Alexander "Sandy" Harper (c.1804-1889), Captina, originally called Guinea, became a stop on the Underground Railroad, a national network, shrouded in secrecy, of volunteers who directed slaves northward. Harper is buried in this cemetery, along with Benjamin Oliver McMichael (1865-1941), an educator who taught for twelve years in Captina/ Flatrock at a segregated schoolhouse. There are 113 known burials in the cemetery, including nine Civil War veterans. At this site in 1825, an African Methodist Episcopal Church was established to serve the community. Many of its members left Captina to work in cities, but the church continued services until 1962. The building then fell into disrepair and collapsed during a windstorm in 1978.

(Abolition & Underground RR • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches, Etc.) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Beallsville / Monroe County Honors Vietnam War Casualities

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Ohio, Monroe County, Beallsville
side 1
Beallsville/Monroe County Honors Vietnam War Casualities
With a population of 475 residents, the Beallsville community gained the unfortunate distinction of having suffered the highest known per-capita casualty rate during the Vietnam War. Six Beallsville men, all under the age of 21, were killed in action in Vietnam between 1966 and 1971, a profound tragedy for this close-knit community. In 1969 Beallsville citizens worked with congressional representatives to prevent further loss of life, to no avail. Five other Monroe County men lost their lives in the conflict as well, magnifying the loss for one of Ohio's least-populated counties. (continued on other side)

side 2
SSgt. Glenn E. McCammon, U.S. Army, Woodsfield, age 32 Killed in action in South Vietnam, November 17, 1965 Pfc. Jack Pittman, US. Army, Beallsville, age 20 Killed in action in South Vietnam, July 25, 1966 Pfc. Duane T. Greenlee, U.S. Marine Corps, Beallsville, age 19 Killed in action, Quang Nam, South Vietnam, August 25, 1966 Cpl. Charles G. Schnegg, U.S. Army, Beallsville, age 20 Killed in action, Kien Phong, South Vietnam, December 4, 1967 SP4 Richard L. Rucker, U.S. Army, Beallsville, age 20 Killed in action, Gia Dinh, South Vietnam, May 30, 1968 Hm3 William R. "Bobby" Lucas, U.S. Navy, Beallsville, age 20 Died of wounds sustained in action, Quang Tri, South Vietnam, March 9, 1969 Cpl. Dwight H. Ball, U.S. Army, Sardis, age 20 Killed in action, Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, April 3, 1970 SP4 Stephen M. Janeda, U.S. Army, Brownsville, age 20 Killed in action, Pleiku, South Vietnam, May 26, 1970 SP4 Phillip M. Brandon, U.S. Army, Beallsville, age 19 Killed in action, Thua Thien, South Vietnam, March 7, 1971 Pfc. Dale R. Hood, U.S. Army, Lewisville, age 20 Non-battle ground casualty, Quang Tri, South Vietnam, April 7, 1971 SSgt. James A. Ravencraft, U.S. Army, Clarington, age 30 Killed in action, Phong Dinh, South Vietnam, March 31, 1975

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

Beallsville Veterans Memorial

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Ohio, Monroe County, Beallsville


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

"Bent, Zigzag, and Crooked"

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Ohio, Monroe County, Woodsfield
side 1
While it served a vital role in the Monroe County life, by 1886 the BZ&C had defaulted on its construction bonds and entered the first of many receiverships. Its 300 trestles and bridges were expensive to maintain; frequent landslides added to operating costs. Only the coal and oil booms of the 1890s, along with convoluted financing schemes, kept the railroad operating into the 20th century; a benefit for the people of Monroe County if not its stockholders. Reborn as the Ohio River and Western (locally called the "Old, Rusty, and Wobbly" in 1902, it continued to operate at a loss until the Great Depression. Hundreds turned out in Woodsfield on Memorial Day 1931 for the final run. Ohio's longest-lived narrow gauge railroad, it had lasted 52 years. This is the site of the former BZ&C rail yards.

side 2
Monroe County's rugged terrain hindered commerce and communication during the 1800s. In the early 1870s Woodsfield businessmen, led by banker Samuel L. Mooney, promoted a narrow-gauge railroad to connect to the Baltimore and Ohio at Bellaire. Narrow gauge railroads were popular during this boom era because they cost less to build and operate than standard-gauge lines and could traverse sharp curves and steep terrain. The Bellaire and Southwestern Railway was completed through Armstrong's Mills and Beallsville to Woodsfield in December 1879, giving Monroe County a welcome modern link to the rest of the country. Its initial success prompted its extension westward, and it was soon renamed the Bellaire, Zanesville, and Cincinnati Railway, reaching Zanesville via Caldwell in late 1883.

(Railroads & Streetcars) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Sad Sam Jones, 1892-1966 / Mary Weddle-Hines

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Ohio, Monroe County, Woodsfield
Side 1 Sad Sam Jones, 1892-1966
With 229 victories, Woodsfield's Samuel Pond Jones, or Sad Sam Jones, was one of professional baseball's top pitchers in the early 1900s. He started his 22-year career with the Cleveland Indians in 1914 and later played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, and Chicago White Sox. He posted a career-high 23 victories for Boston in 1921 and won 21 for New York in 1923. Jones appeared in four World Series, but the pinnacle of his career came September 4, 1923, when he threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics.

Side 2
Mary Weddle-Hines
In an era when men dominated professional sports, Monroe County's Mary Weddle-Hines was a trailblazer for women athletes. After playing professional girls softball for the Phoenix Queens, Weddle joined the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1954. She displayed athleticism and versatility, playing outfield, third base, and pitcher. In her only season with the Daisies, Weddle had 52 hits, scored 38 runs and also sported a 3-1 pitching record. Only approximately 600 women ever played in the AAGPBL, which folded in 1954 after 12 seasons.

(Sports) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Sardis Historic Town Pump

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Ohio, Monroe County, Sardis
Monroe County's ground-water resources are valuable assets for its people and economy. Especially notable are the substantial quantities of water that can be obtained in the medium sand and gravel underground aquifers located on the eastern side of the county. The Sardis Town Pump, which taps into one of these aquifers, has been in continuous operation since the nineteenth century and has played an important role in the daily life of Sardis residents. At approximately 78 feet deep, it was originally operated with a hand pump and converted to electricity in 1951. It is the drinking choice for many in the community and throughout Monroe County. It is the last of four known public wells that have served the village of Sardis.

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

Life on the Ledge

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Wisconsin, Door County, near Fish Creek
Welcome to Peninsula State Park, a diverse and dramatic place. Two features dominate this landscape: rock and water.

At Peninsula, rocky bluffs ascend over 150 feet. They are part of the Niagara Escarpment, a 650-mile geologic formation. This fossil-rich sedimentary rock began to form 420 million years ago at the outer rim of a shallow sea. Today the escarpment is the "backbone" of Peninsula State Park. This varied terrain provides critical habitat for 500-year-old cedar trees, delicate ferns, and rare land snails.

Peninsula also harbors eight miles of shoreline. Wave-splashed and ice-pushed, it is ever changing. Walk the coast to see windrows of rounded cobbles. Watch for boulders strewn near the water's edge. Brachiopod and coral fossils, evidence of ancient Silurian Sea, may be embedded in the rock.

Look along the rocky shore for brachiopod fossils. These two-shelled ocean animals lived here millions of years ago.

Cedar trees are cliff survivors. They sink their roots into rock cervices that catch bits of soil and moisture, then are helped along by rock-bound algae and fungi. At least a few of Peninsula's ledge-loving cedars are over 500 years old.


(Natural Features) Includes location, directions, 9 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

George Washington

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Ohio, Washington County, Fly
On his trip to the Ohio River country noted, Oct. 25, 1770 "Incamped in Long Reach abt. 30 miles from our last lodge opposite to the beginning of a large bottom on the east side of the river." This marker near the campsite.

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

Fly Landing of the Sistersville Ferry

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Ohio, Washington County, Fly
The Sistersville Ferry is the longest continuously working mode of transportation in Monroe County, operating from 1815 to 2003. It crosses the Ohio River between Fly, Ohio, and Sistersville, West Virginia, which is the apex of the longest straight stretch on the Ohio River. This section of the river is called the "Long Reach," which runs about twenty miles in length. At the "Long Reach," one can see Beavertown seven and a half miles to the south, and in the other direction Sardis can be spotted five miles north. The Sistersville Ferry is located near the site George Washington encamped during a survey trip to the west on October 25, 1770.

(Waterways & Vessels) Includes location, directions, 6 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Frederick Kindelberger Stone House and Barn

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Ohio, Monroe County, near Switzerland
These structures stand as an exception to the usual wood frame or brick construction of farm buildings in this region in the late nineteenth century. The house and barn, built circa 1871 and 1883-1885 respectively, reflect Frederick Kindelberger's (1835-1911) creativity and vision to instill a responsibility to the land. The Kindelberger family purchased the farm in 1846, after they had emigrated from Alsace-Lorraine. The walls of the barn were created using a distinct architectural design, whereas they taper from 25 inches thick at the base to 12 inches thick at the top. Stonemasons and family members labored using sandstone, which was quarried on the eighty-acre farm, to construct the buildings. Due to their stone construction, the house and barn were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

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

Roby Cigar Museum

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Ohio, Belmont County, Barnesville
This small, backyard cigar company operated from 1900 to 1943. Mr. Roby's hand-made stogies or cigars were made here in this building by family members, with the help of 2 or 3 employees daily. It was located in Belmont, Ohio.

This shop has about 90% of its original equipment. When it started up there was no electricity in Belmont. Electricity came to Belmont about 1918-20; before that most all shops relied on natural light through glass windows. This shop got electric power by 1925.

The stripping machine had an electric motor added to run it. Before then it was run by foot power through 2 pedals which were pumped like an organ. All the work benches that the ladies worked at were made from shipping crates that tobacco dust came in. A large portion of the tobacco for the area was grown in and around Woodsfield and Monroe county.

The original site of this building was on the Roby property on Railroad Street, behind the family home. Belmont had at least 15 cigar making companies within it's corporation limits in the early 1900's. Today there are none.

In 1987 the building was purchased by Richard Thompson. What you see here is about half of that original building. In 1994 it was donated to Barnesville by Richard and Connie Thompson in memory of Harry and Marjorie Thompson of Belmont, Ohio.

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

The Shrine of the Báb Terraces and Gardens

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Israel, Haifa District, Haifa
On 21 March 1909 the mortal remains of the Báb, one of the Central Figures of the Bahá'í Faith, were interred in the Shrine that is the focal point of these gardens. Martyred in Iran in 1850, the Báb had devoted Himself to preparing the way for Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and for His Message of the unification of humankind. The outer structure of the Shrine, as well as the eighteen garden terraces were created entirely through contributions from Bahá'ís around the world. We will be grateful for your care in maintaining the cleanliness of the surroundings and respecting their sacred character.

The Shrine of the Báb has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List for its profound spiritual meaning and the testimony it bears to the strong tradition of pilgrimage in the Bahá'í Faith.

(Churches, Etc. • Peace) Includes location, directions, 9 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Arrowhead Plaza

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California, San Bernardino County, San Bernardino
Rancho Agua Caliente by 1820 was established by Mission San Gabriel authorities in this area to supply water and grass for mission cattle.

Jose Del Carmen Lugo, Jose Maria Lugo and Vicente Lugo acquired the mission lands in 1823 and built a small adobe house as headquarters for their rancho.

After the Mormon colonists purchased San Bernardino Rancho from the Lugo family, they built a stockade at this site in 1851. A Council House inside the stockade in 1852 served as the colony office, meeting hall, post office, school and church. This Council House served as the first courthouse after the formation of the County of San Bernardino.

In this area, pioneers such as Amasa Lyman, Andrew Lytle, Dr. Oliver Wozencraft, George A. Atwood and Jefferson Hunt built homes. In the 1870's, B.J. Mathews constructed a mill, powered by water from town creek now channeled under this area, to reduce grain to flour for the pioneer families.

During the 1880's, many Chinese residents occupied the area as merchants and as workers in the mining, railroad, construction and farming activities of San Bernardino County.

Historically, this land has served its citizens well. The foundation of the government center is firmly set in its past, drawing strength from those numerous citizens, businesses and community agencies as it builds upward to serve its citizens of the future.

[Board of Supervisors Marker]
The county was formed in April, 1853 and governed by a board of commissioners until April, 1855. The county included the townships of San Bernardino, San Salvdor and Chino. The first Board of Supervisors was elected in April, 1855 and was composed of three supervisors representing these three districts. In January, 1880, the state authorized a five-member Board of Supervisors with one being elected from District I, one from District II and three form District III. In August, 1884, five supervisorial districts were authorized and crearted. Five supervisors began service to San Bernardino County from the five districts in January, 1885. The five districts have continued since that time with periodic modifications of their boundaries to maintain equal representation by population and to reflect detachment of areas to form parts of Riverside County.

Chariman of the Board

(Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

The Diego Sepulveda Adobe

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California, Orange County, Costa Mesa
This adobe building was constructed about 1820 as part of an outlying mission stock headquarters to shelter the herdsmen who cared for the cattle from Mission San Juan Capistrano. After secularization, the property continued as a cattle ranch through the 1860s when Diego Sepulveda, after whom it is named occupied it. Floods and drought ended the cattle industry by the 1870s and the building served as a farmhouse until 1963 when the Segerstrom family donated the adobe and 5 acres of land to the City of Cost Mesa. The building was restored and opened as a community museum in August 1966 as California landmark number 227.

(Notable Buildings) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Historic Lincoln, New Mexico

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New Mexico, Lincoln County, Hondo

Just 10 miles west on US Highway 380 you will discover one of New Mexico’s hidden treasures, the town of Lincoln. Tucked away in the beautiful Bonito River Valley, Lincoln has barely changed since the Lincoln County War (1878-1881). Lincoln is considered by many historians to be the most authentic old west town remaining in the United States. A host of characters, including Billy the Kid, launched the little hamlet into the history books. Lincoln’s story brings with it the dubious distinction of having been the most violent town in western American history. President Rutherford B. Hayes once called the single road through Lincoln “the most dangerous street in America.” Here is a tale fueled by ambition, greed, corruption and violence, dripping in political intrigue, which spilled over to the state capital in Santa Fe and made national headlines.

Although Billy the Kid was the most famous character in Lincoln during its historic heyday, he had only a supporting role in the larger story… the Lincoln County War. The War as a capitalistic struggle that took root in 1877 when a wealthy young Englishman, John H. Tunstall, saw an opportunity to establish a mercantile store in Lincoln and compete with the monopoly that L. G. Murphy and Company had established. Murphy and his young protégé, James J. Dolan, were backed by powerful politicians who were also investors and a deputized group of gunmen known as “The Boys.” Tunstall was soon murdered for his efforts and his allies, that included Alexander McSween, Billy the Kid and cattle baron John S. Chisum, sought revenge by forming their own arm of the law called “The Regulators.” County residents chose up sides and anarchy reigned.

Of all the murders, thefts and property destruction that occurred during the Lincoln County War, only one man, William H. Bonney… Billy the Kid, was ever tried, convicted and sentenced. This was for the murder of Sheriff Will Brady. He was to hang in Lincoln on May 13, 1881, but made his famous escape from the courthouse (now a museum), killing his two guards on April 28, 1881.

Today, Lincoln’s idyllic and picturesque setting belies its violent past. Lincoln State Monument, a National Historic Landmark, preserves 16 historic adobe and stone buildings. As you take a relaxing stroll in the footsteps of Billy the Kid, Sheriff Pat Garrett, Kit Carson, John Chisum and General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing you can visit six museums and see the famous town much as it looked during the Lincoln County War. The State Monument museums are open seven days a week, except for Christmas, New Year, Easter and Thanksgiving Days. (The Tunstall Store is closed during winter months, November 1 thru April 1.) Admission fees do apply for the museums. For more information call the Lincoln State Monument office at 575-653-4372.

(Notable Places) Includes location, directions, 1 photo, GPS coordinates, map.

The Devil's Punchbowl

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California, Los Angeles County, Pearblossom
The hills where you stand are a part of one the world's geological wonders, The San Andreas Rift -- A great fault and earthquake zone. __________ Because of the movements along this fault zone, the pink and tan colored punchbowl rocks seen below have been compresses and folded broken and faulted since they were deposited during miocene time about 13 million years ago. __________ Fossil remains of extinct animals discovered and collected in the surrounding punchbowl rocks include a three-toed horse (Merychippus) an ancient skunk-like animal, a primitive camel, and a small sized antelope all of the late miocene age.

(Animals • Environment • Paleontology • Science & Medicine) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Funk Hardware Store

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Minnesota, Carver County, Carver
Carver Historic District
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places

by the United States
Department of the Interior
Funk Hardware Store
ca. 1880


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

The Public Gaol

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Virginia, Williamsburg
This was Virginia's chief prison which housed debtors and criminals and served as the jail for the General Court in the nearby Capitol. Here Blackbeard's pirates, captured in 1718, were confined until the day of their hanging. Leg irons, an exercise yard, food slots, and criminal cells with primitive sanitation have been restored to their early appearance.

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

Cline Community

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Texas, Uvalde County, Cline
First settler, Celeste Pingenot came to this area in 1870. He built first house on south bank of Turkey Creek, 1871. Established stagecoach stand, store and inn; named it Wallace. He was first postmaster, commissioned, 1878.

Community protected from Indians by small detachment of soldiers billeted at "The Spring," nearby.

August Cline was employed by Pingenot to operate store and stagecoach stand. When railroad came in 1883, built rock house and post office on north bank. Became postmaster. Renamed community, Cline.

(Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
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