Thomas Tidball Trapnell: Finding my lost great grandfather

arlington cemetery graves

An afternoon of downtime in Washington DC a few weeks back afforded me an opportunity to visit Arlington Cemetery, and the grave of my great grandfather, Major Thomas Tidball Trapnell. It was a chance to get a few moments of peace in an otherwise hectic week, and to forge a connection with a… Read more“Thomas Tidball Trapnell: Finding my lost great grandfather”

Renald Fernald: Early Settler of Portsmouth

point of graves cemetery

A highlight from a recent New England trip was getting to spend some time in and around Portsmouth, NH.  The town has a rich history for shipbuilding, fishing, and as an important port for the region.  More recently, Portsmouth has become a popular tourist destination, and like most of coastal Maine, the town… Read more“Renald Fernald: Early Settler of Portsmouth”

SR 33: California’s highway of solitude and adventure

Probably the ugliest and more boring highway in California is Interstate 5. And it’s also a road I travel on a regular basis.  So the prospect this past summer of another jaunt to LA via that well-traveled corridor populated by truck convoys and manic Lincoln Navigators was more than I could bear. Instead,… Read more“SR 33: California’s highway of solitude and adventure”