History
U.S. Postal Service Celebrates Riding The Rails
To commemorate the history and romance of train travel, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a set of Railroad Stations Forever stamps in March 2023 during a ceremony at the spectacular art deco Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio — FMCA’s home city.
The U.S. Postal Service shared that noteworthy railroad stations began brightening the American landscape by the 1870s, and the stamps in this series feature five architectural gems that continue to play an important role in their communities.
Chalk it up to hometown pride, but we were excited to see Union Terminal (www.cincymuseum.org/union-terminal) in the mix. This Cincinnati icon opened in 1933 and underwent a historic restoration that was completed in 2018. It has a long, storied history that includes welcoming home soldiers from World War II and now houses three museums. It boasts the largest half-dome in the Western Hemisphere, as well as intricate mosaic-tile murals that feature the work of German-American artist Winold Reiss. If you visit, be sure to ask someone about the “Whispering Fountains” inside the dome.
Other stations featured are the 1874 Tamaqua Railroad Station (www.tamaquastation.com) in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania; the 1876 Point of Rocks Station (www.american-rails.com/rck.html) in Point of Rocks, Maryland; the 1901 Main Street Station (www.mainstreetstationrichmond.com) in Richmond, Virginia; and the 1918 Santa Fe Depot (www.sbdepotmuseum.com/depot-history) in San Bernardino, California. All five of the stations commemorated on these stamps are listed in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places.
In addition to being available at post office locations, Railroad Stations stamps can be purchased through the Postal Store at www.usps.com/shopstamps or by calling (844) 737-7826.
Bookshelf
Where Should We Camp Next?: National Parks
Within the United States, there are 63 national parks and a grand total of 424 individual national parks sites. Stephanie and Jeremy Puglisi’s latest book, Where Should We Camp Next?: National Parks, is a guide to camping in and around more than 50 National Park Service properties, including national parks, seashores, and monuments. The 384-page book is written from the perspective of RVers, and many of the entries include personal notes from the authors’ experiences. In addition to providing information about more than 300 campgrounds in and around featured National Park Service units, the Puglisis also highlight nearby attractions, historical places to visit, and more. Many entries contain tips, tricks, and even packing lists unique to the campsite.
The Puglisis are avid RVers who have written multiple books about RVing, including See You At The Campground, Where Should We Camp Next, Acadia National Park Adventure Guide, and Idiot’s Guide: RV Vacations (Outdoor Adventure Guide series).
The couple also cohosts The RV Atlas, a weekly podcast that explores RV and family travel. They have spent over a thousand nights at hundreds of campgrounds across the United States, averaging more than 80 nights a year in their RV with their three kids. You can find their website at thervatlas.com and their podcast on Google Play, iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn.
Where Should We Camp Next?: National Parks (Sourcebooks, $18.99) is available in paperback at various online bookseller websites and stores.
Travel
Air Force Museum Soars For 100 Years
Originally started as a small engineering study collection, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, now contains hundreds of vehicles, missiles, artifacts, and outdoor air and memorial parks.
In 2023 the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is celebrating its 100th anniversary as the world’s oldest and largest military aviation museum. Today, the museum is a world-renowned center for air and space power technology and culture preservation.
The museum will commemorate this major milestone with events and exhibits that celebrate its humble beginnings as a small engine study lab at McCook Field, through its growth to more than 19 indoor acres housing over 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts. The museum’s vast collection highlights the evolution of flight and the history and establishment of the U.S. Air Force as an independent service.
“Celebrating 100 years is a significant milestone in the history of any museum,” said Doug Lantry, National Museum of the U.S. Air Force historian. “The growth we have experienced over the last century is directly attributed to the Air Force’s wise commitment to preserving its heritage and the tremendous support we receive from our local, national, and international communities. It’s going to be an exciting year as we celebrate in style with events and exhibits that will appeal to the whole family.”
Following is a sample of scheduled events and exhibits for the remainder of the year, and more may be added along the way. For details, visit the museum’s website at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
Events
- Monthly Gallery Features. Each month the museum will feature a new gallery; check the website for updates.
- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Model Event. On August 12, a diverse array of unique model aircraft, locomotives, and motor vehicles of all kinds will be featured against the backdrop of the museum’s impressive aircraft displays.
- Troops and Treats. Ghosts and goblins of all ages are encouraged to dress in their favorite costume and come to the museum on October 28 for a day of trick-or-treating, games, and fun.
Exhibits
- Special Exhibit. “Discover Steampunk” arrives September 24 and will run through December 10 in the museum’s 4th Building. The interactive exhibit will engage visitors of all ages in exploring how thinkers of the late 1800s, including writers such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, envisioned the future.
- Enlisted Force Exhibit. This new exhibit highlights the highly skilled, trained, and talented enlisted force that has been the backbone of daily operations of the U.S. Department of the Air Force. Elements of the exhibit are placed throughout the museum complex.
- Centennial Exhibit. The museum has aged well over the last 100 years, and this new exhibit, located in the Cold War Gallery, will give visitors a glimpse into its history and the people who make it all possible. It was scheduled to open on May 21.
- Search and Rescue (SAR). This new exhibit highlighting combat search and rescue missions will be located in the Southeast Asia Gallery later this year.
Museum hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily; closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission and parking are free; there is a charge for the Air Force Museum Theatre and flight simulators. Free exhibit gallery tours are offered each day. Check before planning a trip, because the museum does close periodically for training exercises. For more information, visit the website or call (937) 255-3286.
App File
Get Organized
Are you planning a plethora of trips this summer?
It can be difficult to keep your travel itinerary, daily tasks, and personal life organized simultaneously. Having the right tools can make or break a vacation, so it’s convenient when your smartphone can house multiple apps to do the heavy lifting for you.
24me: This smart personal assistant application is an amalgamation of your calendar, to-do lists, notes, and personal accounts. To help you manage your schedule and stay on task, the app sends you personalized notifications so you can focus on what matters. 24me can integrate to many different calendar apps (Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, etc.) without the need to input usernames or passwords. Users can also sync and share events, tasks, reminders, and notes with family and friends. Free on iOS and Android. www.twentyfour.me
Evernote: Able to sync to nearly any smart device, Evernote allows users to bring notes, to-do lists, schedules, photos, and other things anywhere. Evernote functions like a collection of digital journals that help keep your thoughts organized. You can clip articles and web pages to read later, use the camera to scan documents, add sketches or PDFs to your notes, keep a collection of receipts and invoices, and more. Free on iOS and Android. Two premium plans are also available for purchase. www.evernote.com
TripIt: Not all travel apps can organize nearly all of your travel plans like this app does. For example, as soon as you book a reservation, forward the email to TripIt’s email address and it’ll automatically add it to your trip itinerary. By doing this, the app creates a comprehensive travel plan that can sync to multiple devices or calendars, or be sent to other people. The app also can be used offline. PDFs, photos, digital passport QR codes, and more can be uploaded, making it a great place to store everything relevant to your vacation plans. For road trips, you can plot your entire trip using Google or Apple maps and easily locate restaurants, parking, ATMs, and more. Free on iOS and Android. A premium version is available for $49 a year. www.tripit.com