4th of July Fireworks are underway!

4th of July Fireworks for 2014 are underway!

4th of July fireworks are underway across the South!

Tonight (Saturday, 6/28/2014) is the first big night of the week-long celebration, with shows scheduled for Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. More shows continue tomorrow with the big weekend set to get underway on Wednesday, July 3rd.

As always, you can check out locations, times and dates for the best fireworks in each state in the South by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

Stafford Civil War Park in Virginia preserves memory of Union Army's "Valley Forge"

Stafford Civil War Park

The remarkable new Stafford Civil War Park is a fascinating heritage preserve in Stafford County, Virginia. It preserves part of the scene of the Army of the Potomac's "Valley Forge" during the winter of 1862-1863.

Opened to the public in April of this year, the park encompasses 41 acres of pristine historic landscape where the 1st and 3rd Divisions of the XI Corps camped following the Battle of Fredericksburg. It was here and in surrounding Stafford County that the Army of the Potomac weathered what some have called its "Valley Forge" in January through April 1863.

Ruins of fire pit or chimney from Union hut

The park features a driving tour, walking trails, interpretive signs, cannon, stone bridge ruins and the well-preserved earthworks of three artillery batteries.  It is one of the best places in the nation to explore visible remains of a major Civil War camp. The stone fire pits and chimneys of the huts built by Union soldiers can still be seen, along with the foundations of blockhouses and holes left by soldiers who dug holes into which they built their huts, using the earth as additional insulation.

To learn more about this fascination heritage destination, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staffordwar.

Fireworks across the South Tonight (7/3/2013)

4th of July Fireworks explode over the South
Courtesy Pine Bluff Festival

Fireworks are set to launch at locations all across the South tonight!  Weather conditions could cause issues in some areas, so be sure to check local conditions before heading out!

Here are some highlights of what is happening and where its happening tonight!


Alabama

Major fireworks displays are set for tonight - weather permitting - in Chelsea, Fort Rucker, Jacksonville and Montgomery! A major highlight is the Fort Rucker Freedom Fest. The post plans to go forward with its fireworks, even though many military bases in the South have cancelled their annual shows.

Please click here to see the full list of fireworks in Alabama for July 3rd and 4th with times and locations.


Arkansas

The skies of the Natural State will light up tonight with fireworks in Bella Vista, Calico Rock, De Queen, Hot Springs, Paris and Rogers. The Hot Springs event features a concert by Lee Greenwood of "I'm proud to be an American" fame.

Please click here for the full list of fireworks in Arkansas for July 3rd and 4th.


Florida

Florida's 4th of July fireworks for this year begin with the Old Apalachicola Independence Day in Apalachicola and fireworks in Aventura.  The Apalachicola event - weather permitting - will feature a parade, ice cream social, live music and more.

Please click here for Florida's fireworks for this July 3rd and 4th.


Georgia

Georgia's 4th of July celebrations launch into high gear tonight with events in Atlanta, Cumming, Dawsonville, Forsyth, McCaysville/Copperhill, Kennesaw, Tifton, Villa Rica and Woodbury. The Tifton event includes a variety of activites at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village!

Please click here for a full list of Georgia fireworks for July 3rd and 4th.


Kentucky

Fireworks launch tonight from locations all over Kentucky.  Events are set for Bowling Green, Dawson Springs, Gilbertsville, Louisville, Madisonville, Somerset and Winchester. Among the highlights are the first night of Louisville's two night Waterfront Independence Festival, the Kentucky Lake Big Bang in Gilbertsville and the Thunderfest Independence Day Celebration at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

Please click here for a full list of Georgia fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th!


Louisiana

Four major fireworks shows are set for Louisiana tonight. Events are set in Jennings, Metarie, Ponchatoula and Youngsville. Highlights include the Uncle Sam Jam at Lafreniere Park in Metarie and Youngsville's Independence Day Celebration which will include both fireworks and hot air balloon rides!

See the full list of Louisiana fireworks for July 3rd and 4th by clicking here!


Mississippi

Fireworks take place in Pearl, Mississippi, tonight after the 7 p.m. baseball game between the Mississippi Braves and the Mobile Bay Bears.

Click here for the full list of Mississippi fireworks set for July 3rd and July 4th.


North Carolina

The Independence Day celebration gets underway in North Carolina with nearly one dozen events tonight (July 3rd).  Fireworks displays are set for Asheville, Carolina Beach, Charlotte, Cherryville, Harrisburg, Mooresville, Statesville and Wake Forest (the city, not the school).

Click here for 2013's list of North Carolina Fireworks set for July 3rd and 4th.


Oklahoma

Big fireworks events are set for Oklahoma tonight, including Red White & Boom in Oklahoma City.  Events are also set for Claremore, Talihina and Yukon, with more to come tomorrow!

Check out this year's list of Oklahoma Fireworks for July 3rd and 4th.


South Carolina

Fireworks will launch in Cheraw and Columbia tonight, with South Carolina's main list of 4th of July celebrations planned for tomorrow.

Click here for South Carolina's fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th.


Tennessee

There is a long list of fireworks set for Tennessee tonight, with more to follow tomorrow night!  Fireworks will launch tonight in Bartlett, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Collierville, Collegedale, Copperhill/McCaysville, Dandridge, Hendersonville, Millington and Waynesboro.

Please click here to see Tennessee's fireworks list for July 3rd and July 4th.


Texas

The Lone Star State kicks its 4th of July celebration into high gear tonight with music, events, airshows, fireworks and more!  The Atlanta Rhythm Section will perform live in Arlington, followed by fireworks, with events also taking place in Addison, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, Gilmer, Irving, Sachse and Sherman.

Click here to see the full list of Texas fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th.


Virginia

Fireworks start launching in Virginia shortly after dark tonight, with events scheduled for Chesapeake, Doswell, McGaheysville, Richmond, Ridgeway and South Hill.  More will follow tomorrow!

Click here to read the full list of Virginia fireworks for July 3 & 4, 2013!


Don't forget you can check the full list of fireworks from all Southern states online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

4th of July Fireworks continue Tonight!

Fireworks over Arkansas
Courtesy Pine Bluff Festival Association

4th of July Fireworks continue around the South tonight, with a wide range of events scheduled for the next seven days.

My annual list of 4th of July Fireworks in the South is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks, so check it out for a state by state guide to the best displays!

Here are some highlights for you from this weekend's planned events:

Alabama (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Boaz, Cedar Bluff, Columbiana, Thomasville and Tuscumbia will all host events on Saturday and Wilsonville's annual God & Country Celebration is set for Sunday.

To learn more about these and other 4th of July Fireworks Events in Alabama for 2013, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alabamafireworks.

Arkansas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texarkana's big Sparks in the Park will take place on Saturday night at Bobby Ferguson Park. Gates open at 4 p.m.for food, activities, contests and more. The fireworks will launch at 9:30 p.m.

Springdale will launch its Fireworks at the Cross at the CrossChurch Pinnacle Hills Campus on Sunday night.  Events begin at 5 p.m. with live music, outdoor baptisms and more. The fireworks go up at dark.

To learn more about this year's 4th of July Fireworks in Arkansas, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arkansasfireworks.

Florida

Florida's events don't get started until July 3rd, but you can check out the schedule of planned fireworks for the Sunshine State at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridafireworks.

Georgia  (July 1, 2013)

Georgia's fireworks for this year get underway on Monday, July 1st, as Auburn (GA) hosts its annual fireworks in the downtown area. The skies light up at dark.

To learn more about the full list of this year's 4th of July fireworks in Georgia, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/georgiafireworks.

Kentucky (June 29, 2013)

Kentucky begins to light up its skies on Saturday night with the Briggs & Stratton Fireworks Extravaganza in Murray. Fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m. on the 29th in the area around Kroger, Wal-Mart and Lowes.

The full list of fireworks in Kentucky is available at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/kentuckyfireworks.

Louisiana (June 29, 2013)

Lake Arthur leads the way this year in Louisiana with its Lake Arthur Freedom Fest on Saturday (June 29th). The gates of Lake Arthur Park open at 8 a.m. for a day of fun.  The Blessing of the Fleet is set for 3 p.m., followed by music from Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin' Cajuns, Travis Matte & the Kingpins and the Bon Journeys.  The fireworks launch at 8:30 p.m.  Admission is $5 with kids 5 and under admitted free.

See the full list of this year's Louisiana fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/louisianafireworks.

Mississippi (June 30, 2013)

Mississippi's 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 get started on Sunday night in Hattiesburg and Brandon (Ross Barnett Reservoir).

Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg hosts Celebrate America on Sunday night (June 30th). The event begins with a community-wide picnic and fun at 6:30 p.m., followed by the fireworks at 9:00 p.m.

The Annual Independence Day Celebration at Ross Barnett Reservoir also takes place on Sunday. Events begin at 5 p.m. at Lakeshore Park and Old Trace Park in Brandon.  There will be live music at 6 p.m., a boat parade at 8 p.m. and fireworks at 9 .m.

Check out Mississippis's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/mississippifireworks.

North Carolina 

Events don't get started in North Carolina until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of events in the Tarheel State here:  www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ncfireworks.

Oklahoma (June 29, 2013)

The skies over Oklahoma City come alive on Saturday night (June 29th) with the annual Stars & Stripes River Festival. Taking place in the Boathouse District, the event features river sports, games, activities and more throughout the day followed by fireworks at dark.

Check out the complete list of Oklahoma's fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/okfireworks.

South Carolina (June 29, 2013)

The big 4th of July Celebration and Boat Parade takes place at South Carolina's Lake Murray on Saturday (June 29th). A popular event in the Midlands, the boat parade takes place at 12 noon followed by the fireworks at dark.

See South Carolina's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/scfireworks

Tennessee (June 29, 2013)

Tennessee's 4th of July Fireworks will begin with three events on Saturday night (June 29th).

Alcoa hosts its FreedomFest on Saturday with fireworks at dark. Andersonville's Sequoyah Marina on Norris Lake is home to Fire on the Water which features food, fun and fireworks. Byrdstown's Independence Day Celebration takes place in the parking lot across from Town Hall on Saturday night and begins with a benefit for Our Troops at 5 p.m., followed by music and games.  The fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

Check out the full list of 4th of July Fireworks in Tennessee this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/tnfireworks.

Texas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texas begins its 4th of July Fireworks on Saturday and Sunday nights, June 29th and 30th.

Allen's annual Market Street Allen USA Celebration is set for Saturday at Celebration Park. Former Styx  lead singer Dennis DeYoung is among the performers set to entertain the crowds. Music, fun, activities, food and more begins at 4 p.m., followed by the fireworks at dark.

Parker's Celebrate Freedom event takes place at Southfork Ranch on Saturday. The gates open at 8 a.m. for activities, food, fun and more. Live music begins at 10 a.m. and the fireworks will launch at Dark.

Rockwall's Freedom Fest 2013 will take place on Sunday at The Harbor. Food, fun, entertainment and activities kick off at 4 p.m. and will be followed by the fireworks at dark.

Check out the full list of Texas 4th of July Fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/texasfireworks.

Virginia 

Things don't get going in Virginia until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of Virginia 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/virginiafireworks.

Remember, you can access the full list for all states anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

Cannibalism at Jamestown? Scientists may have found the proof!

Fort at Jamestown, Virginia

Did the English colonists at Jamestown resort to cannibalism as they tried to survive during the "starving time" winter of 1609-1610?

The writings of early colonists have always said yes to that question, but there has never been any physical proof that the claims were true - until now.

A scientist with the Smithsonian says that the skeleton of a 15-year-old girl found by archaeoligists in a Colonial era trash dump at Jamestown shows marks that indicate she was cut up and eaten!

Read more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/skeleton-of-teenage-girl-confirms-cannibalism-at-jamestown-colony/2013/05/01/5af5b474-b1dc-11e2-9a98-4be1688d7d84_story.html

Jamestown from the water.

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States. It was founded in 1607, thirteen years before the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock. 

On the other hand, the Spanish settlers of St. Augustine in Florida were living in a well-established community with stone houses and a public park by the time the Jamestown settlers reached Virginia. St. Augustine was founded in 1565, more than forty years before Jamestown, and is the oldest permanent settlement in the continental United States.

Learn more about historic Jamestown, Virginia:  http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jamestown

Learn more about historic St. Augustine, Florida:  http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staugustine1

The Battle of Fredericksburg - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Stone wall at Sunken Road at Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg was, for the Union, one of those names that pierced the heart like the names Gettysburg and Vicksburg did for the the Confederacy. It was on the fields surrounding Fredericksburg that the Army of the Potomac suffered one of its worst defeats of the Civil War.

Key areas of the battlefield at now preserved at the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park, which also preserves areas of the Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spotsylvania and other battlefields.

Bullet scarred house on the Fredericksburg battlefield

The Battle of Fredericksburg developed when U.S. President Abraham Lincoln named Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside to replace Gen. George B. McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac. While the latter general had favored a slow, methodical approach to dealing with Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Nothern Virginia, Burnside proposed a rapid campaign with overwhelming force.

Inexplicably, however, Burnside pushed his army forward to the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg without making sure that his pontoon boats would be there ready for use in building bridges to cross the river. The week-long delay experienced in waiting for the pontoons to come up gave General Lee the time he needed to concentrate his on the heights overlooking Fredericksburg. By the time Burnside was ready to begin his crossing, Lee was so ready for him that, as one Confederate officer observed, a chicken couldn't have survived on the ground across which the Union soldiers would have to march.

Thousands of Union soldiers are buried at Marye's Heights

Even then, Burnside couldn't get across until after he blasted Fredericksburg with 8,000 artillery shells trying to drive away General William Barksdale's Mississippians who kept shooting his men everytime they tried to build their bridges.

Once he finally did get his army across the Rappahannock, Burnside then took another day to get his men formed for battle, while Lee and his generals watched from the heights above.

The main day of the Battle of Fredericksburg was December 13, 1862. Time after time the Union forces advanced and time after time they were driven back. At Marye's Heights, they never even got close to the Confederate infantry position at the stone wall and sunken road. By the time the day ended, the Army of the Potomac had lost over 12,000 men in killed, wounded and missing. It was one of the deadliest days of the war for the Union army.

To learn more about the Battle of Fredericksburg, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fredericksburg.

Crossing of the Dan - South Boston, Virginia

Site of the Crossing of the Dan

One of the greatest military accomplishments of the American Revolution was not a battle, but a retreat.

In January and February of 1781, American General Nathaniel Greene led his army across North Carolina and into Virginia in what became known as the "Race to the Dan." The race was against the larger and much better equipped army of Lieutenant General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, the British commander in the South.

Greene's subordinate, General Daniel Morgan, had achieved a stunning victory over a British force led by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina, on January 20, 1781. Not only was "Bloody Ban" Tarleton driven from the field, but more than 300 of his men were killed and wounded and another 630 taken prisoner.

Taking the prisoners and captured supplies and turning north, Morgan reunited with the main army under Greene and the Americans started a rapid retreat north across North Carolina. Aware the Cornwallis would be desperate to rescued the captured British soldiers and that they could not hope to stand against his main army, the Patriot generals launched a race for the Dan River in Virginia. If they could reach and cross that natural barrier ahead of Cornwallis, they knew they could end their campaign with success.

Crossing of the Dan Exhibit

For nearly four weeks the Americans stayed just ahead of the oncoming British as they moved rapidly through North Carolina and into Virginia. Ferry boats were destroyed along the way and rear guard actions help hold the British back just long enough for Greene to reach the Dan.

On February 14, 1781, he led his army across on a flotilla of flats and boats, successfully outrunning Cornwallis and bringing the prisoners captured by Morgan across the river and to safety. The British reached the Dan River shortly after the Americans had completed their crossing, but had no way to cross after them. Cornwallis withdrew back into North Carolina.

To learn more about Greene's great accomplishment and to see photos of the Crossing of the Dan Exhibit in South Boston, Virginia, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/crossingthedan.

(Photos by Heather LaBone)

Battle of Yorktown - Yorktown, Virginia

On October 17, 1781, one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the world was enacted at the town of Yorktown, Virginia.

A little drummer boy, braving the shot and shell being thrown by American and French cannon, climbed to the top of an earthen breastwork and began to beat out a call to parley. One by one the big guns fell silent and a British officer soon joined the drummer atop the fortifications, a white flag in his hand.

Two days later, the British army of Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis marched out of Yorktown and surrendered its arms to the allied army of Gen. George Washington. A British band played a then popular tune called "The World Turned Upside Down."  The Battle of Yorktown, the climactic battle of the American Revolution, was over. The United States of America would survive to become a beacon of freedom to people from all over the world.

The site of Washington's monumental victory is now preserved at the Yorktown Battlefield section of Colonial National Historical Park. Visitors can walk the battle lines to see the preserved forts and batteries of both armies. The site of the British surrender is preserved, as are many other key points of the battle that literally turned the world upside down.

To learn more about Yorktown Battlefield and this fascinating moment in Southern history, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/yorktown.

Robert E. Lee's Arlington House - Arlington, Virginia

Note: We are observing Confederate History Month by taking special looks at historic sites related to the War Between the States.

The Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter prompted President Abraham Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers to put down the "rebellion in the cotton states." Lincoln's move, in turn, infuriated the people of Southern states that had not yet left the Union and they quickly joined forces with the other states already forming the Confederate States of America. Among these was the Commonwealth of Virginia, where leaders expressed outrage and alarm that Lincoln's new army might try to march across Virginia soil for an attack on her sister Southern states.

The decision of Virignia to join the Southern Confederacy caused many of her native sons to make difficult decisions about their own futures. Not least among these was Colonel Robert E. Lee, a U.S. Army officer who watched events unfold from his home at Arlington House, a beautiful mansion that overlooked the city of Washington, D.C. from the heights on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.

Lee had been married at Arlington in 1831 and he knew that any war between North and South would likely turn his own yard into a battlefield. His decision became truly significant, because he was offered command of the army that Lincoln was raising to destroy the Confederacy. Like many Southerners, however, Lee believed that his home state was part of a voluntary Union and felt that the founding fathers, of whom his own father was one, had intended for the states to remain strongly independent of the central government.

Forced with making a decision that could have made him a hero across the North, he chose instead to remain loyal to his home state and declined the offer to command Lincoln's army. When Virginia left the Union, he offered his services to his home state and was quickly named commander in chief of Virginia's military. He eventually became the Confederacy's most famed general, but in 1861 he was but one of many Southern officers who volunteered to defend their home states.

The war cost Lee his own home, as Arlington House was quickly occupied by Union troops. The grounds today make up Arlington National Cemetery. To learn more about this remarkable historic site, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arlington.

Arlington House - Home of Gen. Robert E. Lee

Arlington National Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia, has become one of the most sacred sites in America, but long before the U.S. Army began burying its dead on this ground, Arlington was the home of Robert E. Lee. His beautiful columned home still crowns the height overlooking the rows of graves.

Arlington House, now preserved by the National Park Service as a memorial to General Lee, was originally built between 1802 and 1818 by George Washington Parke Custis to honor the memory of another famous American general, George Washington. Custis had been raised by George and Martha Washington after his natural father died the same year he was born.

Custis's daughter attracted the attention of a number of well-known suitors, among them future Texas President Sam Houston. The one who won her affections, however, was a young U.S. Army officer named Robert E. Lee. The two were married in the family parlor of Arlington House on June 30, 1831.

Arlington House then became the home of the Lee family and it was here that six of his seven children were born. It was also here that Lee came to consider his fate as the nation reached the verge of civil war. Lee penned his resignation from the army in a second floor bedroom.

When the war began, the Lee family was forced to flee Arlington never to return. Union soldiers occupied the house and soon began using a section of the grounds to bury their dead. The Union army's quartermaster general, Montgomery Meigs, became fixated with the idea of preventing Lee from ever again occupying the house overlooking the nation's capital. He ordered that war dead be buried in the very yards of the house. His plan worked and Arlington was never again occupied by General Lee. Instead, the grounds were turned into America's best known national cemetery.

To learn more about Arlington House, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arlington.

Spring Travel Part Three: The Blue Ridge Parkway

Continuing our Spring Travel series on places of historic interest around the South, our post today features the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Stretching from the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, the 469 mile long parkway winds its way across the crest of the Blue Ridge and is one of the most spectacular drives in the world.

The entire route is rich in history. Daniel Boone and other early frontiersmen explored these mountains and numerous groups of Native Americans lived along the route of the parkway. The National Park Service preserves a wide variety of historic sites as part of the parkway, ranging from pioneer cabins and Native American sites to historic village sites and one of America's most beautiful old gristmills.

To read more about the Blue Ridge Parkway, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/blueridge1.

The Blue Ridge Parkway - North Carolina and Virginia

Stretching from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina north to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway is America's most popular national park area.

Stretching 469 miles across the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and reaching heights of over 6,000 feet, the parkway is more than just a road. It is a fascinating way to journey into the cultural and natural history of the South.

Our new Blue Ridge Parkway pages are now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. To learn more, just follow the link and scroll down the page to the Index section and look under both the Virginia and North Carolina headings.