Both girls enjoyed walking around at Harpers Ferry and seeing the old buildings as well as seeing the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. I tried to explain the significance, but at least some of it was lost. AJT04 also enjoyed talking to some reenactors that were portraying soldiers from the War of 1812 and AJT07 enjoyed walking up to the monument that commemorates where "John Brown's Fort" was located. AJT07 also was reading the letters to Mommy, rather reminiscent of another girl reading letters and numbers at that age. We were able to have a picnic lunch near the rivers so that we could enjoy a bit of a breeze that was coming through the valley prior to traveling to Antietam.
The Battle of Antietam is very significant in that it was the bloodiest single day of the Civil War and it provided the "victory" for President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Today the battlefield includes many monuments and has a very good Junior Ranger program. We toured the battlefield and I tried to explain what happened at the different locations, while the girls may not completely grasp what occurred, AJT04 did seem to understand that a very bloody battle occurred there. Both girls were able to complete the Junior Ranger booklets and were sworn in as Junior Rangers at Antietam National Battlefield; they wore their badges with pride the rest of the day.
On the way back to the hotel we traveled through a rather hilly region and took a road with several turns and elevation changes -- needless to say, the girls loved that and were begging for more. I think I know who will be riding roller coasters with Daddy in the future.
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