April 16th: Chancellorsville Civil War Battle.

We’re nearly at Claire’s, but happen to spot a lunch stop in the car park of this Civil War battle visitor centre. Virginia was Civil War frontline for the whole four years of the conflict and Fredericksburg, Claire’s local town, saw four major battles nearby. This was one of them.
Battles are confusing to follow even with the charts and films provided by the visitor centre, so I won’t attempt it. There were also many interesting display cases and early photos that brought the people involved to life (perhaps an inappropriate phrase in the light of the war’s huge death toll of 650,000).
So step forward the exception, the man they couldn’t kill, Private Amos G. Bean. Shot eight times on separate occasions he survived the war. Such good fortune failed to put a smile on his face for the photo.

The outcome of most battle wounds was less happy. Many died from infection, but an even greater number died from disease, accounting for two thirds of all Civil War deaths. More Americans died in this war than any other, including WW1 and WW2.

It is understandable that those who came through the horrors of the war would want to relive their comradeship. Here’s a pamphlet advertising a fortieth reunion that includes a “Banquet and Campfire”, and no doubt a few drinks and choruses of ‘John Brown’s Body’ or ‘Dixie’ depending on which side you fought. 

Some people we talk to here in the South still seem to harbour a grudge against the North to this day. They say the war wasn’t really about slavery but about the North using slavery as an excuse to dominate the wealthy South, which they succeeded in doing by winning the war and in the process bankrupting it. The North has called the shots ever since, as they see it.

The battle of Chancellorsville was won by the South, whose territory this was. The Northern attack lacked sufficient cavalry to gather intelligence on enemy movements so were outflanked by Robert E. Lee’s Southerners who had the advantage of better cavalry numbers, better led, and a well-trained army also better led.  

The cavalry were the glamour boys on both sides and this display shows the dashing flag, weapons and uniform issued to the Northerners. This became the standard kit of the US cavalry after the war and should be familiar to all cowboy film and TV fans. I own up here.

Chancellorsville was just a large house, not even a village, destroyed by fire long after the war. The visitor centre was well laid out and quite absorbing but really needed a second visit to retain all the details. Who says America hasn’t got much history?

Rock City

Rock City is a complex of pathways threading through a vast, jumbled rock formation. It’s located on Lookout Mountain a few miles south of Chattanooga. Here’s the general idea,weaving through rock chasms with ornamental trees and shrubs enhancing the walk.

Approaching the top we have a rope bridge to cross, or a solid path for the vertigo sufferers.

At the top is a viewpoint where seven States are visible on a (very) clear day. Of course you take their word for it.

Here you can see what a precipice the top is. There’s even a waterfall to add to the tourist brownie points.

Many parts of Rock City are enhanced by cuddly gnomes, lots and lots of them. “Enhanced” is a debatable description, but I’d go along with that if I was allowed to bag a few along the way. Ideally with a shotgun (scattergun) but, in these politically sensitive times, I’ll happily settle for rocks. If management realised the potential here, they'd be selling the rocks for $1 each.

Descending via this staircase is not for the claustrophobic. No ledges even for the gnomes. It gets even narrower, so it’s also not for size XL and over either.

Rock city was opened in 1932 by Garnet and Frieda Carter. Frieda laid out the paths and gardens, and Garnet was the promoter. Frieda was also into European folk lore, particularly gnomes. So she definitely wouldn't have been selling rocks.

But how to attract visitors to what was then a remote mountainside? His solution was advertising, and he did it by employing a painter to negotiate with farmers to paint on their barn roof, where the barn was suitably visible, the lettering “See Rock City”. Altogether, he painted this simple slogan on over 900 barns, from Michigan to Texas. The venture prospered.

A unique place and worth the tortuous mountain drive in the motor home.

 

On Monday April 15th we leave for Fredericksburg, Virginia, to see Claire and family. It's a two day journey with an overnighter at Camping Walmart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





April 8th: Chattanooga

A campsite is a campsite, but some are a bit nicer than others, so here’s one of our pitch at Raccoon Mountain, Chattanooga. We’re four miles from Chattanooga itself, the very one in the Choo Choo song.

Nice trail up Raccoon Mountain starting just behind the campsite. We walked it several times. We didn’t see any raccoons or any other animals apart from eastern grey squirrels. These we have found in abundance in all campsites and areas we’ve visited. This is the same species introduced into the UK in 1876 and is now blamed for the virtual elimination of our native red squirrels. The grey does not attack the red squirrel but is a more vigorous breeder and feeder, so infiltrates and then takes over the red’s patches.

And here’s another endangered species crossing a stream on the forest path who’s definitely not letting anyone share her red patches.

 

Chattanooga was founded in 1816, originally called Ross’ Landing, as a trading post on the Tennessee River. Today it’s a modern city that incorporates some stylish 1920’s architecture and elegant public buildings. Here’s a selection of photos.

The fountain discharges into the Tennessee River, a wide but originally difficult waterway to navigate, long since dredged and canalised.  Walnut Street Bridge is visible through an arch of the road bridge: the longest pedestrian bridge in the world and over 100 years old. We walked it and got some lovely views of the river. Here’s a better photo, at night, borrowed from the tourist info. website.

The bridge walk gives a birds-eye view of the riverside parks and the inevitable paddle boat. All southern rivers offer tourist trips in stern-wheeler paddleboats.

The Maclellan building. Built in 1924 as the HQ of the Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company.

 

Next, the Dome Building dating from 1892 and at that time the tallest in the city. Originally housed the local newspaper.

 

The whole area was part of the Cherokee tribal lands that they had won, many years before the white man’s appearance, from the Creek Indians. Yes, “won” is the correct term, and it’s all explained on this plaque in a commemorative space by the river.

So maybe we should propose a game of stickball with Argentina to sort out the Falklands dispute.

To sum up: Chattanooga City provided us with a pleasant and interesting afternoon out, and would probably merit further investigation. 

 ps not sure you can read the Cherokee plaque, so here's a transcript:

"Stickball, also known as "Little Brother to War", is an ancient game played by native nations throughout eastern North America. Playing fields often covered several miles and participants were occasionally killed or severely injured. Cherokee stickball was used to settle disputes between towns and other tribes. Long ago the Cherokee obtained land in present day Georgia when they defeated the Creeks in a momumental Stickball Game. Stickball is still a part of religious ceremonies and used to settle certain issues. It is an honour to play and survive!"

National Civil Rights Museum

Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis in April 1968 so it is an appropriate location for this museum. It is a housed in a collection of buildings incorporating the Lorraine Motel, where MLK was gunned down, and also the boarding house across the street from where the assassin shot him.

Chillingly, this is a photo of the actual aiming point that James Earl Ray used when he pulled the trigger. MLK was on the balcony opposite, where the white wreath is above the right-hand white car.

Many of the exhibits related to MLK’s murder. The perpetrator was a burglar and armed robber, James Earl Ray, who had escaped from prison the year before. People love conspiracy theories: who really killed JFK or Princess Diana; did they really land on the moon; flying saucer government cover-up etc. Here we have another one.

James Earl Ray had no known accomplices, appeared to be spending money he didn’t have quite freely before the murder and until he was apprehended two months after at Heathrow Airport, London. He had no particular motive for the killing and he wasn’t especially anti-black. He wasn’t known to be a rifle marksman. There was no apparent financial gain, the one thing that does motivate a robber. So, who knows? One sure thing- somebody does!

The museum does go through a summary of civil rights history in a continuous-loop film and a series of well-presented panels, an example of which is below.

There was a wall of fame, those who had contributed to the civil rights cause. It was impressive even if we didn’t know some of the people, and those we had heard of, what exactly did they do?

With it being on the actual site of MLK’s murder, you felt you were walking in the footsteps of history and the museum uses this emotive springboard very effectively. However, this is the National Civil Rights Museum and I felt that some areas of civil rights were under-represented, for instance Native Americans, who suffered injustices as least as great as African Americans.

Sun Studios: 5th April

 We’re at Sun Studios in Memphis, a small recording studio with a big history. It was founded in 1950 by a dj called Sam Phillips who wanted to record original blues artists while they were still around. He started with portable equipment and a basic disc master cutting machine- the one below. It’s called a lathe recorder and looks like you could also turn a set of wooden stool legs with it. The master copy was then sent away to be pressed for however many record copies you wanted. Then, 78’s of course

He recorded then unknown negro blues singers like Howlin’ Wolf. Never heard of him? Try  this You Tube link for an example of his music, recorded on the Chess label. It’s an acquired taste. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP34u6rdscs 

Sam also sold recording time at $3.98 for a double sided disc. In July 1953 a young truck driver stopped outside the studio during his lunch break and recorded two songs for his mum. That man was Elvis Presley. He was back again in Jan 1954 for another $3.98’s worth, and it wasn’t until July of that year that Sam Phillips decided to give him a shot at one of his studio songs. Sam didn’t like the recording, but afterwards in jamming around with the session band Elvis sang “It’s All Right Mama”, which Sam recognised had hit potential. Elvis never looked back. 18 months later he went to big-time record label RCA Victor. In the meantime Sun had come up with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Here they all are having a spontaneous session. Not so spontaneous that a photographer wasn't on hand.

Sun had other unique performers, like the Prisonaires. This was a negro singing group from the state penitentiary in Nashville. They were all long servers, including two murderers. They so impressed the Tennessee State governor that they were let out on day passes to perform all over the State. But in shackles! This was a time when colour segregation was rigidly enforced so these concessions were most unusual. You Tube link of one of their performances, then pic.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DOdqOkYjtA

 

Sam Phillips moved out in 1959 to better premises, and the building was let out or empty until 1987 when a new purchaser realised its commercial value as a tourist attraction because it was completely in original condition. Recording sessions also restarted and continue to the present, but at night, leaving the day for the tourists. Here’s an up-and-coming new performer using the actual microphone (it is) that Elvis used. Yesterday, the Prisonaires, now the Pensionaires.

Just down the road is a guitar factory, Saint Blues Guitar Workshop. We went in to look at the instruments on sale. All nice kit, traditional solid electric guitars plus a quirky new design made out of a cigar box. They do tours, but not at that hour. I chatted to one of the salesmen about the guitars and was sorry we’d missed the workshop tour. “No problem”, he said, I’ll be pleased to take you round”. A most interesting half hour. Americans are very generous. Saint Blues operates  from this 1920’s building.

We walked back from Saint Blues and sat outside Sun Studios waiting for the bus. It just shows that great things start from humble beginnings because, apart from the guitar on the front, the Sun building could easily be, say, a modest greengrocer’s shop. Jane’s the modest greengrocer’s assistant on the bench.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memphis: Wed 3rd April

Memphis: we are booked in at Graceland RV Campground, on the Elvis complex. The campsite sectors are all named after Elvis songs. We’re in Hound Dog Street. We approached the campsite along Lonely Street, past Heartbreak Hotel, which is a real hotel.

We start with Elvis’ house, Graceland. It was built in 1939 and bought by Elvis in 1957. This is it, an impressive 23 room posh house, but it’s not the fabulous vast mansion you’d anticipate from possibly the world’s most successful singer (i.e. one billion record sales). He stayed on there because he liked it.

The décor in the rooms was all chosen by Elvis. A selection of photos tells the story. This is the lounge & music room.

Billiard room next. Walls & ceiling are covered in pleated material.

The Jungle Room, another lounge. Waterfall running down opposite wall, off camera.  Shagpile carpet on floor and ceiling.

TV room, in cellar, next to billiard room. On being told that President Johnson watched three tv’s at once, so he didn’t miss anything important, Elvis did the same, hence the 3 sets, all on.

There are many more rooms, all done out in similar top-of-the-range 70’s style bling. Other commentators have been less than kind to Elvis’ furnishing taste and said it was typical rags-to-riches white trash glitzy tat. Depends on whether you’re an Elvis fan, I suppose!

But there can be no argument about his success: a billion records sold. This is just one side of his gold disc gallery, for the USA.

But back to the glitz. There were numerous (say, 30) white jumpsuits on display from his Las Vegas years, 1969-1976. It’s always these that Elvis impersonators wear, which usually turn him into more of a comic caricature than the charismatic professional that he had become by that time.

More glitz! The pink Cadillac. The car museum held about 20 of Elvis’ vehicles, mostly OTT cars like the one in the photo, but also included buggy types and even a digger that he loved to use on the estate.

Planes goes with the lifestyle, and Elvis had two: a Convair 880 converted passenger jet and a Lockheed Jetstar executive jet. Both were part of the exhibits. Here’s the bigger one, the Convair.

More glitz. Inside were real gold trimmed fittings, like taps and sinks, and seat belt clasps. This is the dining room with Jane taking the part of honoured guest.

This blog's been rather lengthy, but it’s a big exhibition and very visual. It was all very well presented and  enjoyable. We finish with the Musical Gates through which you enter Graceland.

Jane & I wouldn’t have said we were great Elvis fans before this visit, but he emerged as a much more talented artiste than we thought. We saw videos of performances throughout his career demonstrating a greater range of material and ability than we had given him credit for. His films excepted. These were pretty dire, but then Elvis himself thought so too. So we now we’ll close the (musical) gates on Elvis, and move on.