Marion, Virginia, USA

Hundreds of white crosses topped by American flags create a forest of honor on the Smyth County court house lawn. It's an annual Memorial Day tradition that helps the community remember veterans who lost their lives defending our country. The tradition persisted during 2020 and continues this year. [2019]

Henderson, Nevada, USA

"I love you this much," he says to summer, which he may see as Big Gulp season. Yes, summer begins this week end. Pay no attention to that June 20 date the astronomers call the first day of summer! Everybody knows that the three months of high sun (at least in the United States) begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day. [2019]

Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Wisconsin's current capitol was built in 1917. Amazingly, it has always been a true capitol, serving as home to all three branches of state government: the governor, the legislature, and the supreme court. In other states, that is not always the case. On this date in 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state to join the Union. [2019 and 1991]

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Does façade preservation qualify as historical preservation? It's sometimes the only way for cities to modernize without completely destroying the spirit of place. In this case, Baltimore's signature streetscape (can you find the street sign?) will offer some 21st century office and restaurant space while maintaining the city's historic character. [2021]
 

Washington, DC, USA

Inflatable tank at the International Spy Museum: "This phony tank is similar to what the Luftwaffe saw from the air. . . . to mislead Germany about the location and the date of the D-Day invasion of France. Later, on the battlefields of Europe, the phantom divisions and fictitious convoys . . . were amazingly effective at fooling the enemy." [2021]

Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Each day, two trains leave the Norfolk Station on their was to Boston. Amtrak calls the route the Northeast Corridor. Geographers call the region Megalopolis, with Norfolk as the southern anchor. Most of these folks, however, were getting off in Washington or before. For more details, head on over to Geographically Yours America. [2021]

Williams, Arizona, USA

Next month, Williams will cash in on its location along Route 66 by using its annual classic car show to bring back some semblance of normalcy. Watching over it all will be a permanent fixture of the town's cultural landscape: an old Ford Bronco. [2019]