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The location is considered public and may be visited by anyone at any time.

Prince of Wales Fort

I boarded the boat with my equipment bag, excited for what was to come. This fort had been on my list of "to-do's" for a very long time, and I was finally about to see it. With our beluga whale escort across the mouth of the Churchill River, we arrived at the dock for our first look around.

White Lake Pioneer Cemetary

While driving home from a weekend in Belleville, we stopped at this fascinating little cemetary. I had noticed it on our drive down, and made a mental note to stop on the way back for a closer look. I'm happy I did.

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.

Fortress Louisbourg

The Fortress of Louisbourg, located on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, is a significant historical site with a rich and complex history. The original settlement was founded in 1713 by French settlers from Terre-Neuve and was initially called Havre à l'Anglois. The French began constructing the fortress in 1719, and it was completed by the mid-1740s. Named after King Louis XIV of France, Louisbourg quickly grew into a major commercial port and one of the most extensive European fortifications in North America

York Redoubt - York Shore Battery

Originally constructed in 1793, defenses have lined this bluff overlooking the entrance to Halifax Harbour, and have played an important role throughout the 19th and 20th centuries before finally closing in 1956.

Point Pleasant Batteries

It was a sunny, warm day, and we drove into the parking area near the container pier beside Point Pleasant Park. Only a few moments in, and it was clear that this was a popular place as I watched people come and go, and an almost steady stream along the path. I got out, map in hand, and set out in search of three particular pieces of history, the Point Pleasant Battery, Fort Ogilvie, and the Cambridge Battery.

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