Field Trip with Flat Mikey!

Gabby has been studying early America during the Revolutionary War period, so we thought it would be fun to visit nearby historical home from that era.   We were hosting another flat traveler so we decided to bring him along as well!

Fort Defiance is not an actual fort.  It was the home of General William Lenoir who served as a captain in the revolutionary war.  According to the tour guide, the Lenoir family still actually used the home until the 1960s!

Flat Mikey and Gabby at the entrance

As we were driving up the walk, Alec spotted these wild turkeys in the field.  Too bad turkey season isn't until next year! :)

The stately home sits at the end of the drive and is gorgeous.

The sole employee of this non profit site wasn't available when we first arrived, so we took a walk around the grounds while we waited.  We visited the cemetery and I was really struck by this head stone.  It towered above all the others and when I got closer, I noticed that there were inscriptions on all four sides.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered that this was erected by a husband who was profoundly in love with his wife.  Every etching is a proclamation of his love for her or of her great character.

"Forget thee never never.  Sooner far would I bow to they foot print if to be traced in the sand and worship it than forget thee my lovely, my incomparable Martha..."

"Rest thou beautiful STAR!... Beautiful was thy soul lit face...Perfection thy form--Grace governed every motion. And intelligence lent its charm."

If that isn't a testament to a beautiful love story, I don't know what would be!

When the tour guide returned, we lined up on the porch to hear a brief introduction to the history of the house.

Unfortunately, there was a rule against photography inside the home.  It was beautiful and many of the furnishings were authentic and original to the home.  The kitchen table was the very one that General Lenoir had purchased when he lived there.

Outside we took a look at the smokehouse which was the only other building on the property that was original. 

Flat Mikey liked peeking inside

Our tour guide told us that the two hollowed out logs were made by General Lenoir and he had fashioned them with others to bring actual running water to the home from a creek quite a distance away.  That's ingenuity!

Gabriella really loved to see what homes looked like during the time period she had been reading and studying so much recently.  Alec and I both enjoy trips like this and have taken many of them in our time together.  I love that our children seem to have a great time as well learning about our past!

A couple of days after our trip, we said goodbye to Flat Mikey and sent him on to his next destination.  We are anxiously awaiting our next guests!

Have you taken any exciting field trips recently?