Exploring America State by State

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A Shipwreck on Dry Land

Standing near the parking lot for the marina in Sheboygan, Wisconsin are massive timbers held together by iron spikes. They are the remains of the schooner Lottie Copper. The wooden ship was Launched in 1876 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. On the evening of April 8, 1894, the schooner was caught by a relentless northwest gale. After

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World’s Largest Mine Fire

Deep in the Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio, between the towns of New Straitsviille and Shawnee, the ground stays warm all year long, including the middle of winter. This is the result of a coal fire that burns underground which has been burning for more than a century. The fire started in 1884 during

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The House of Happy Little Trees

Bob Ross is known for painting “happy little trees” in his landscape paintings of mountains on his television series The Joy Of Painting, which aired on PBS. What most people don’t know is that many of his paintings were created in an historic mansion in Indiana. His first season was recorded in 1983 at a

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The Thompson Mill Covered Bridge

The Thompson Mill Covered Bridge crosses over the Kaskaskia River in Illinois. It was once part of an important route between Springfield and Effingham. The bridge was completed in the autumn of 1868 at a cost of $2,500. It was built in Michigan and shipped to Shelbyville. it was then hauled to the river crossing

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The Worlds Tallest Flagpole

If you are anywhere near the town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin it is hard to miss the giant American Flag waving over the Dairy State. It is located near US-43 at the Acuity Insurance building. It is said to be the worlds tallest flagpole at 400 feet tall. The flag is 70 x 140 feet and

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The Fairbanks house

The Fairbanks house stands in downtown Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island in the northeast corner of Florida. In 1885  attorney, newspaper editor author, and politician George Rainsford Fairbanks built this amazing Italianate style home for his wife and family. It had ten fireplaces, a 15 foot tower and was the first home in Fernandina to

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The Smallest Jail

The small town of Brussels, Illinois is situated between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers north of St. Louis. The region was first settled in 1822, and about two decades later several German immigrants moved into the area. Next to a bar, is a small building with faded red corrugated metal siding. It looks like it

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The Beginning of Flag Day

A stone schoolhouse stands about a mile northeast of the small Wisconsin town of Waubeka. In front of it is an American flag proudly waving in the breeze. in 1885, the schools 19 year old teacher,  Bernard J. Cigrand promoted June 14, 1885 as a day to honor the nations flag and proudly flew it

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The Black Beetle

The town of Bryan Ohio is located in the northwest corner of the Buckeye state. It has a small train depot that still operates as an Amtrak station. In the parking lot is a historical marker that recalls the fastest train in America. The sixty-seven miles of railroad track from Toledo, Ohio to Butler, Indiana

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Stoney Baynard Plantation Ruins

These ruins stand in the private Sea Pines Community on South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island. They are the remains of the Stoney-Baynard Plantation.  The plantation was built in 1793 by Revolutionary War hero Captain Jack Stoney.  It was 1,885 square feet, built of timber and a mixture of oyster shells, lime, and sand. In 1873 

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