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Mission San Jose

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, often referred to as the "Queen of the Missions," was founded on February 23, 1720, by Father Antonio Margil de Jesús. The mission was established to serve the Coahuiltecan Natives and to relieve overcrowding at Mission San Antonio de Valero (now known as the Alamo). The mission was named in part for the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, José de Azlor y Virto de Vera.

Mission Concepción

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, commonly known as Mission Concepción, was originally established in 1716 in East Texas. It was one of six missions authorized by the Spanish government to serve as a buffer against French incursions from Louisiana. The mission was developed by Spanish Franciscan friars with the goal of converting the local Indigenous communities to Christianity and teaching them European ways of life.

Mission San Juan

Completing my short hike from Mission Espada, I arrived at the back gates of a mission that seemed much better restored. Perhaps it was just much less damaged. In either event, I also noticed there were significantly more tourists present.

Mission Espada

After a pleasant conversation, I got out of the Uber I had taken from my hotel in San Antonio. It was a beautiful sunny day as I walked toward the crumbling walls of what I presumed must have been an impressive structure. I had no idea what to expect as I'd never visited a Spanish Mission before. Two days prior, I had walked some of the grounds of the Alamo, but the huge number of tourists, and lengthy lineup deterred me from actually entering.

As I entered the complex, the most noticable feature was, of course, the bare outlines of the former mission. One could see where the outer walls once stood, and one got a vague sense as to how others must have lived along the inside of these walls, probably sharing in their protection. I was struck by the relative quiet, and tiny number of tourists milling about the grounds.

St. Louis Cemetary, New Orleans

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the oldest and one of the most prominent cemeteries in the city. Established in 1789, it replaced the older St. Peter Cemetery, which was no longer in existence after the city was redesigned following a devastating fire in 17881. The cemetery is situated eight blocks from the Mississippi River, on the north side of Basin Street, just beyond the inland border of the French Quarter1. It has been in continuous use since its foundation, making it a significant historical site in New Orleans.

USS Midway

The USS Midway, an iconic aircraft carrier, has a rich history that spans nearly five decades. Commissioned on September 10, 1945, just days after the end of World War II, the Midway was the largest ship in the world at the time. It was named after the Battle of Midway, a pivotal naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Midway was the first of a new class of carriers that were designed to handle the larger and heavier aircraft that were being developed during the war. Throughout its service, the Midway played a crucial role in various military operations and was a symbol of American naval power.

Abandoned Metra Cars

Blindly following the directions of my GPS, I found myself at a strange little intersection with a gas station. The GPS indicating that I should go straight onto a dirt road and so I complied. I could tell from the mounded earth on the sides of the road that it was periodically maintained by graders. I suspect some time had passed since the last grader, as my organs vibrated in time with the washboard ridges punching a staccato beat against the tires.

Salton Sea

I arrived in my nice, clean, white, rented Equinox. The windows were up, and the cool air was coming from the air conditioner. The sun was shining, and I was loving being away from the cold and snow of Canada. When I arrived, first at Salton City, I drove close to the beach and stopped. I looked out over the shimmering water, turned off the engine and got out... THE STENCH! Nothing had prepared me for the smell. Like seaweed and rotting fish, yet somehow much, much worse. I looked around, noticed that some of the houses were actually occupied and thought, "how do they live with the stench?".

Goldfield and Victor, Colorado

Established in 1894 by the Portland Town and Mineral Company, lots of land were sold, many for $25, to the employees of the various mines that opened in the surrounding area. The town grew quickly, and houses continued to be built. By 1900, the town's population was over 3,500, and it featured a fire department, running water from a reservoir, arc street lights and a "Pest House" for transients or people with contagious disease like TB. Churches, schools and a City Hall also sprung up as new services continued to be provided to the growing population. Even an electric streetcar system was established linking Goldfield to the towns of Independence and Victor nearby.

Genesee County Home

It was a dark and stormy night as we made our way to the haunted asylum in rural New York state. While enjoying a Valentine's get-away, we heard about a ghost hunt at the Rolling Hills Asylum in East Bethany. I read up on the building and its history and immediately decided that, despite my complete skepticism with regard to the existence of ghosts, it was still a great opportunity to explore a historic building with legal permission. These opportunities don't present themselves often. Aside from that, I had never seen a ghost hunt besides those on TV. It would be fun to see first hand.

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