Viva

Ok, this is Freemont Street, Las Vegas, just a block away from our hotel and the most famous place in Vegas after the strip. For years considered the heart of Vegas, it now focuses on its classical aspect, using its history and low prices to compete with the strip. It was named for John Freemont, the general, explorer, and senator, and in 1994 was closed to vehicles to create a walking only street. This also led to adding the Freemont Experience, a roof formed over the street by lights that perform periodic shows every night. Many of these casinos have become famous over the years by their appearance in films and shows, and these photos are all the wife's. Above is the Boyd's California.
the Plaza
Glitter Gulch
Pioneer Club

Binion's Horseshoe
Golden Nugget
Freemont
4 Queens
Fitzgeralds

Golden Goose
Main Street Station

Above and below, a couple shots of the Freemont Experience, which is not nearly as interesting as it was when I was here before. Most of it was a long ad.

Warning! boobies ahead!!!!!

Serously, what's Vegas without a showgirl?

OkeyDokey

Ok, this is the Okefenokee Swamp, Literally "bubbling water" or "trembling earth" in the local Hitchiti language. It is just west of where we live, and at 438,000 acres, is one of the nations best known swamps. Most of it is under control of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, with some parts of it in private hands for tourism. A couple months ago we decided to come visit since in over three years of living here we still had not been to it. There are a few different ways to get in, the closest to us being the official Wildlife Refuge entrance near the town of Folkston. In 2007, a series of large wildfires burned most of the swamp, but as you will see, it recovers very quickly. The swamp was formed by the accumulation of peat in a shallow basin on the edge of the Atlantic coastal terrace, a relic of an ancient estuary. Two famous rivers, the Suwanee and the St Marys, both originat ein the swamp. The area had long been used for logging, turpentine production, and other industries prior to becoming a refuge. It has also been directly or indirectly referenced in numerous pop culture items, such as MASH, Scooby Doo, the Xanth novels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Roger Rabbit, who went to the "OkeyDokey Swamp."
Alas, this is the only gator we saw all day, but it is a beauty! And didn't seem to mind us a bit.

This is the Chesser homestead. The area was settled in the late 1800's by W.T. Chesser and his family, who grew sugar cane, tobacco and turpentine. The first homestead was south of this one, which was built by his son, Tom, in 1927. The home has been maintained by the park as an example of how local pioneers made a living in the forbidding swamp.

Boardwalk heading into the swamp



Observation tower

Views from the tower

Saturday... in the park...

Ok, this is Forsyth park, one of Savannah's best known landmarks, and above is the famous fountain, seen in several movies including, again, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The fountain was designed to look like the fountains in Paris, and installed in 1858. For more on the fountain, you can go to the city's park site here. The park is 20 acres, originally created by William Hodgson, who donated a portion of the land, feeling that the city needed a large park. The remaining land was added in 1851. The park is named for John Forsyth, a Georgia governor.


Lafayett Mclaws: Major General Confederate States Army, born Augusta, GA January 15, 1821, Died Savannah, GA July 24, 1897
Civil War monument

Francis S. Bartow: Colonel 8th Regt Georgia Volunteers, Confederate States Army, Born Savannah, GA September 6th 1816, Fell at Manassas July 21st 1861
Spanish American War monument


This odd structure is actually a WW1 fort that is being converted to a visitor center. Or at least it's supposed to be. It has drawn something of a controversy because of becoming another project the city says it will do, but sits for years before something happens.

Good and Evil

Ok, so this post will only cover two squares, since there is more to see on these. We begin in Monterey Square, laid out in 1847 and named for the battle in the Mexican War, which the local Irish Jasper Greens participated in.

This is the Mercer-Wilder house on Monterey Square. You may recognize it, because it was made famous in the book and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, as well as being the set for many other movies. The house itself was designed by John Norris for General Hugh Weedon Mercer, and was begun in 1860, but due to the war, was not completed until 1868 by its new owner John Wilder. The house's original claim to fame was that the singer Johnny Mercer lived here. This is simply not true. While General Mercer was Johnny's father, you can see from the dates that the Mercer familly never actually lived in the house. The house was briefly used as a Shriner Temple, when an upstairs ballroom and organ were added, before it was finally bought by Jim Williams, an early Savannah preservationist in 1969. He is the central character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, written by John Berendt. The book is the true story of Jim killing his assistant, and the following murder trial. Berendt wrote the book partly because of all the amazing characters involved, who are described in the first half of the book, and also because the entire trial story was truly amazing. Most people who read the book do not realize until the author's note at the end that it is a true story. I do highly recommend the book, but as a warning, it does heavily involve homosexuality and voodooism, so if these bother you, don't read it. The house is currently owned by Jim's sister, who allows tours of the bottom floor, but pictures are not allowed so that is all I will say about that.

This is the Pulaski Monument in Monterey Square. Pulaski, killed in the Battle of Savannah, was detailed in the last post. Strange thing about Savannah's Squares is that some persons have a square named after them, and a monument in a different square.

I don't know what this building is, but it caught my eye.
Next up is this pair of canon on Madison Square. The stone beneath this one reads:"Here in 1735 was the begining of the road to Darien now called the Ogeechee Road, probably the first road laid out in Georgia; with the assistance of Tomochichi."
This one reads: "Northwest of this spot, on Liberty and West Broad Streets, Began the Augusta Road, one of the Oldest in Georgia."

This is the Jasper statue (also the title picture)that is the centerpiece of Madison Square, laid out in 1837 and named for President Madison.

Sergeant William Jasper was a distinguished soldier in the 2nd South Carolina during the Revolution. During the British attack on Fort Moultrie in 1776, Jasper rescued the South Carolina Flag that had been shot off the fort. He held it on the fort wall, under heavy British fire, until it could be reattached to a post. For his bravery, he was given a golden sword by South Carolina Governor Rutledge. According to legend, he performed a similar feat of saving the colors at the Battle of Savannah, where he was killed.
Marker noting the location of British defenses in the Battle of Savannah.

St John's Episcopal Church, built in 1853 by Calvin Otis. The chimes were originally eight donated bells, now numbering forty-seven.
The Green-Meldrim House, designed in 1853 by John Norris for Charles Green. This house is where General Sherman stayed in 1864 when he occupied Savannah. The house is now used by the church.